“Money, pardon the expression, is like manure. It’s not worth a thing unless it’s spread around, encouraging young things to grow.” – Dolly Levi
Love, laughter, and happy endings with Bette Midler in Hello, Dolly!
Bette Midler is absolutely stunning. At 71, she is singing, dancing, and owning the show. Drawing the audience in from the very first moment, making us laugh, keeping us in suspense, and filling us with excitement. Even with a wardrobe malfunction (what could possibly go wrong with those ginormous fabulous hats, right?) and a couple missed cues, she just laughed at herself in the most humble yet delightful manner. We couldn’t help but laugh with her. The story goes on, and everything happens naturally. It’s live theatre at its best.
The big stage at the Shubert Theater is also perfect for the massive dance pieces: the Fourteenth Street Association Parade, at the Harmonia Gardens, and the Finale. Love the dancers and their energy. Shoutout to the Harmonia Gardens waiters especially those who leaped across the orchestra pit (OMG!!!), the wonderful polka contestants, and Dolly with the tap dancing girls.
As Bette tap danced, in her fun charming way, she lifted her skirt to show her feet, pointed to the other tap dancers, and remarked: “Why aren’t I making as much sound???” That she’s dancing at 71 is amazing. That she’s bringing more to the dance is just impressive. The show was filled with such unexpected but hilarious moments. I felt I didn’t just watch Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly! but I experienced the pinnacle of live theatre, right there on stage with Bette Midler.