Randuwa II: Olney Theatre: Hello Dolly!

Sunday, December 28, 2025

Olney Theatre: Hello Dolly!

There are three major Holiday Musicals running in the DMV. "Guys and Dolls" is at Shakespeare Theatre Company in DC; "Fiddler on the Roof" is at Signature Theatre in Shirlington, VA; and "Hello Dolly!" is at Olney Theatre Center in Olney, MD. It's the DMV Trifecta. I've seen all of them before, two productions of "Guys and Dolls," three of "Fiddler on the Roof," and just one of "Hello Dolly!". But Hello Dolly! is the longest ago. It was the 1978 revival with Carol Channing Reprising the role of Dolly Gallagher Levi. And Eddie Bracken who was the original Horace Vandergelder. I was in High School. She was mesmerizing and the choreography was stunning.

With the idea of cutting back a little on my theatre adventures, I made the choice to prioritize "Hello Dolly!". Also, Nova Y. Payton was cast in the lead, and she is one of the most amazing and award winning actors in the DMV. Before I tackle my thoughts on the show, let me expound a little on the status of the Classic American Musical. These are musicals that ruled Broadway from the 1940's to the 1960's. We all recognize their titles, and they carry a certain mystical cache. But not all of them were created equal. Some hang their fate of the power of a single lead actor. Some have an abundance of choreography. Others depend on comic timing, a quick and clever presentation of humorous anecdotes and site gages. "Hello Dolly!" asks productions to accomplish ALL THREE.

So here we are with a flawed Dolly. My complaints are like falling petals from a rose bush. Any one is hardly noticeable, but there comes a point where you wished someone had given it more water, more fertilizer. As Dolly, Novas gave a passable performance; however, her pacing was lugubrious at times. Rather than hit the mark and move on, she chose to play it out to milk every possible laugh, every conceivable "tee hee". It was a choice that didn't work. Her ability to conjure the larger than life personality of the character also fell flat. In compensation, she was fabulously regaled in costumes, and she does have an amazing singing voice. Though on that score, she failed to command the volume necessary to conquer the pit orchestra's accompaniment.

Likewise, Moses Villarama as Horace Vandergelder fell short in the vocalization department. His voice, while on pitch, never got above the orchestra. His characterization of the gruff old bachelor lacked nuance. At no point did he appear vulnerable in a way that made the final turn believable.

So you have the star-crossed would-be lovers Cornelius Hackl (Michael Perrie Jr.) and Irene Malloy (Caitlin Brooke) AND Barnaby Tucker (Ricky Devon Hall) and Minnie Fay (Alex de Bard), playing second fiddle. And here is where some true light shone forth. Seriously, these actors were making up for what was lacking in the top tier. Michael and Caitlin had no trouble whatsoever keeping the orchestra on its toes, with their beautiful, expressive voices. Both Ricky and (even more so) Alex were comedic gold.

The ensemble was tremendous. They executed the choreography effortlessly to great effect. It was so good that beyond being the glue that held the other parts together, I don't think it's an understatement to say that it was the best part of the production. Kudos to Eamon Foley. And there's a definitely shout out to the set designer, too: Ravi "Riw" Rakkulchon. The decision to perform the number "Put on your Sunday Clothes" on board a cage of a spinning train on it's way to New York from Yonkers was one of the most interesting and powerful moments of the show.

"Opening Act One" Ensemble with Dolly (Nova Y. Payton)

"It Takes A Woman": Male Chorus & 3rd from left, Cornelius (Michael Pierre Jr.), 5th from left Horace (Moses Villarama), 7th from left Barnaby (Ricky Devon Hall).