With a live pit orchestra, costumes well-acquainted with the time period, intricate sets and talented actors, “Hello Dolly” had an excellent execution.
“Hello Dolly” is set in 1890s New York. Dolly Levi (Zaida Bowsher and Katie Stauderman), a widow with many jobs, is primarily a matchmaker. Her current scheme is trying to set up Mr. Horace Vandergelder (Daniel Murphy) with a particular lady. However, Dolly has her underlying motives and manipulates the situation. While Horace is preoccupied with his niece’s infatuation with a young fellow, his workers, Barnaby (Cory Breychak) and Cornelius (Noah Lechheb), plan their getaway to the big city. Taking a trip from Yonkers, N.Y. to New York City, the characters all experience surprising occurrences and find themselves falling in love.
The costumes were accurate representations of 1890s fashion, and some scenes gave the audience insight into how clothing indicated status. For instance, Ms. Irene Molloy chose to wear a rather frilly hat, which was against the social norms as a widow.
The actors in the production “Hello Dolly” all possessed incredible talent. They were well prepared for the performances, and in a few instances, when the mics cut out, they quickly adjusted their volumes. Thanks to their extensive preparation, the show was very well choreographed with sweet dance numbers and lovely songs.
Backstage crew, as always, played a phenomenal unseen role, and it is clear from the smooth scene transitions that their role was anything but insignificant.
“If there wasn’t a stage crew the show wouldn’t really happen as much, and of course, the actors are very important in this role, but I think stage crew is a hidden important part of it,” stage crew runner and sophomore Charlotte Cornman said.
Part of the production’s success can be attributed to the sense of community within Black Maskers. Many people formed lasting bonds with their crews and the group welcomed new members with open arms.
“I had never done a show night crew before, but I really felt that everyone bonded very quickly, and it was a really good atmosphere,” stage crew runner and sophomore Belle Breychak said.
One aspect of the show that stood out was the pit orchestra. One of the many advantages of having a live pit would be that the music felt alive and engaging, which created a sense of enthusiasm amongst the audience.
“Rather than using recorded tracks, we can adjust to what’s happening on stage,” flute player in the Pit orchestra and sophomore Chloe Kennedy said.
Nevertheless, with this helpful addition also comes difficulties.
“It can be stressful to constantly focus on not messing up. The long rehearsals definitely add to this, but at the end of the day, it’s worth it to see the final product,” Kennedy said.
The instrumental musical director Peter Perry has been a member of the Black Maskers for the last 27 years and did a truly exceptional job with the pit orchestra. Even with the difficulties of coordinating an orchestra full of students with overlapping schedules, the pit flourished and had amusing quips throughout the play. Dr. Perry achieved a phenomenal accompaniment by creating a sense of unity and organization amongst all staff in the production.
“We have a great relationship across all the adult staff, and we coordinate our schedules and our calendars. You know, one of the important pieces of this job is that we stay on track with what we do,” Dr. Perry said.
Dr. Perry also has great faith in his orchestra and truly believes in their talent. According to Dr. Perry, the show’s music is why the story is still told today.
“You know, one of the reasons it has such stain power even though its themes are kinda old, and it’s kinda an era set show, the tunes are good, they’re nice tunes, they’re singable tunes that people can walk out the show singing,” Dr. Perry said.
A special thanks and heartfelt goodbye to the technical Director of the Black Maskers, Eric Rodney, who has just signed off. Mr. Rodney has worked with the Black Maskers for the past 25 years, and his colorful additions will be greatly missed.
Overall, “Hello Dolly” was very well put together and highlighted how talented RM students are across different interests from acting to singing to set design.
“Everything from being able to work with actors, sound and house in general has been amazing in every aspect and being able to show our work to the school is beyond words,” cello player and sophomore Matthew Domuinguez said.
