By Lynda Lacayo
“Before the Parade Passes By” Betty Buckley starring as Dolly Gallagher Levi in “Hello Dolly” enters the Segerstrom Center stage, with a full orchestra is playing, in a horse drawn trolley. The celebrated Buckley dressed in a beautifully designed 1890’s costume will wow audience’s at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts January 22 – 27, 2019. The Center’s audiences can kick-off the New Year in “Gay Nineties” style as they return to 4th Avenue, New York in the Tony award winning musical revival of “Hello, Dolly.”
This show is vintage musical comedy straight out of the “golden era” of Broadway. “Hello Dolly” has broken Broadway records, holding the all-time high for (10) Tony Awards and receiving critical acclaim since it’s opening in 1964,.
“Dolly” has continued to delight fans in film and in three spectacular revivals with leading lady super stars. Now, the 2017 touring company, led by renowned ‘voice of Broadway’ Betty Buckley, is coming to town, complete with the entire New York award winning creative team. Audiences can expert to get all the on-stage eye candy of great Broadway productions. The dazzling show is an extravaganza of postcard perfect scenery, ballet infused dance numbers, and gaily colored costumes.
The magnificent Buckley isn’t the only star to shine bright in “Hello Dolly.” She is joined by a cast of brilliant performers. Among the up & coming actors is Analisa Leaming as Irene Molloy, Hat shop owner and young romantic whose life is changed through the interactions of Dolly, the manipulating matchmaker. Leaming and her co-leads lend much of the joy to this joyful production. Dolly, that delightful Diva, might exclaim “they are simply marvelous!”
Analisa Leaming, like the rest of the touring show, is a gift from the Broadway production. She was in the ensemble and understudied her role, Irene Malloy. She’s thrilled to be touring from town to town in the captivating show with the illustrious Betty Buckley. She says that working with a Broadway legend is amazing. She describes Buckley as “one of the most charismatic people I’ve ever shared the stage with. Buckley really lights up the stage and working with her is an honor.”
Leaming’s character Irene may live in the 19th Century but Leaming envisions her as going to suffragette meetings. She defines her as “quite spunky with a sense of adventure. She is a very forward thinking, actually in the story, all the woman, especially Dolly, are the smart ones even through this is the 1890’s.”
Vogue called “Hello Dolly” a “glorious new production,” perhaps because of the grandeur of the musical. But, it’s more than just the razzamatazz of this old-fashioned story that engages modern audiences. Leaming thinks that the reason the show is so appealing today is because it’s so jubilantly enjoyable. She recalls a young gentleman, seeing the show for the first time, saying to her “I had no idea what to expect, I didn’t know if I would even like it. I love it, I had the best time, it is just so much fun.”
Leaming added, “that’s the response we get night after night. This show is just so joyful and fun-filled. That’s important now because with our political climate and everything going on in the world people need happiness in their lives. I love being on tour in this show because we spread so much real joy from city to city.”
Audiences aren’t the only ones feeling the joy, Leaming was ready with an amusing antidote when asked about humorous happenings in “Hello, Dolly.” She describes a really funny incident during the tour. She says, “In a second act scene, Dolly is eating dinner and doesn’t realize she’s being watched by the company. It’s this whole comedic bit that’s always done and always brings on the laughs. Dolly’s silent for several minutes, just eating Turkey. And then this little child burst into hilarious laughter and couldn’t stop laughing. The rest of the cast is supposed to be on stage frozen as we silently watch her. But just hearing the little girl’s laugh we all got the giggles. Then Betty Buckley started laughing so hard she couldn’t eat her food. It was so infectious, I had tears streaming down my face. The whole audience was laughing with us, laughing with the child. Moments like that happen every now and then. And yeah, that’s what is so great about live theater.”
There’s so many ‘wow’ moments in “Hello Dolly” that Leaming says “everything about this musical is show-stopping because it is so vibrant. Everything from the costumes, well, wait until you see those costumes, is bright & vivid. The choreography is amazingly full of high energy dancing backed by a glorious full orchestra. ‘Hello, Dolly’ is a feast for the eyes, the ears, the whole show is ‘wow’ worthy.”
Leamng likes everything about “Hello, Dolly” but she says “what I love best is the joy and heart of it. And while the total package is a ‘highlight’ in musical theater, I have a few favorite things, there’s the farce in the Hat Shop in Act I – it’s a hilarious, fast-moving comedic scene. “Dancing” brings the entire ensemble on stage in an exquisite dance number. As for a favorite song, ‘So Long, Dearie’ is a heartwarming finale to a delightful theatrical evening.”
As Irene Malloy, Leaming’s character says “the world is full of wonderful things” and that’s certainly true in “Hello, Dolly’s” imaginative universe. Leaming describes the light-hearted musical comedy in one word, “Joy!” And she recommends it to audiences, saying “This is an old-fashioned classic piece, yet there’s so much about it that’s alive, fresh, and vibrant. It’s relevant today. This is the must see show for a beautiful evening at the theater.”
“Before The Parade Passes By” catch “Hello Dolly” at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Segerstrom Hall for one week only, January 22-27, 2019. For tickets and information: online SCFTA.org; phone, 909-556-2787; The Box Office, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.