By Mary Ann Bourbeau
SPRING LAKE – Dolly Gallagher Levi is back where she belongs – on the stage at Spring Lake Theatre.
The classic musical “Hello, Dolly!” has been revived on Broadway several times since its 1964 debut. Its most recent incarnation in 2017, with Bette Midler in the lead role, won four Tony Awards, including Best Actress and Best Revival of a Musical. Beginning July 5, Kait Holloway of Point Pleasant steps into Dolly’s fanciful headdress.
“There’s always the pressure of living up to what others have done,” said Holloway. “Bette Midler, Barbra Streisand, Carol Channing – those are tough names to follow. Hopefully we’ll make them proud.”
Holloway endlessly listened to the soundtrack while preparing for the role, but steers away from mimicking any previous actor’s performance.
“We like to add our own little flair,” she said.
In the story, Dolly is a strong-willed matchmaker who travels to Yonkers to find a wife for the miserly, unmarried, half-a-millionaire, Horace Vandergelder.
“Dolly is complex and she’s obviously a meddler, but she’s got a soft side and she’s so interesting,” said Holloway.
What makes this show even more personal for Holloway is her family’s connection to the material.
“My grandma, who passed away, always played the record, so I heard it all the time when I was growing up,” she said. “It’s also my mom’s favorite show. I took her to see it on Broadway with Bette Midler, and now she’s super excited to see me in the role. This is an extra special way for me to be connected to my mom and grandma.”
It’s been a hectic schedule for Holloway, teaching kindergarten by day and rehearsing at night. Her husband, Buck, has been a tremendous support, making her dinner every evening for the last two months.
“He runs lines with me every night,” she said. “He might know my lines better than I do.”
Holloway began acting when she attended a summer camp at age 5. The counselor could tell she had a knack for theater and steered her toward voice lessons and auditions. Holloway studied musical theater at Shenandoah University in Virginia and performed in regional theater productions until she decided on a career change.
“It was starting to lose its magical pizzazz,” she said. “I wanted to keep that feeling I loved about theater so much.”
She remembered how much she enjoyed working with children’s theater, so Holloway went back to school to earn a teaching degree. She has also performed in about eight shows at Spring Lake Theatre, including “Into the Woods,” “Young Frankenstein” and “The Mystery of Edwin Drood.”
“Spring Lake Theatre has the best community of people ever,” she said. “It takes great work and dedication to make a great show. They’re all such kind, hard-working people who want to make magic onstage.”
Johnny Bongiovanni began acting at Spring Lake Theater in second grade and now at age 18 has already served as stage manager for more than a dozen shows.
“I love seeing how passionate these actors are about doing something they love,” he said. “Spring Lake Theatre has always been like a second home to me. It’s a great place for children to grow up and learn about the theater.”
Among the cast of about 30 are Tom Shewchuk as Horace Vandergelder, Maggie Tully as Irene Molloy, Sean McLaughlin as Cornelius Hackl, Haley Smialek as Minnie Fay, Christian Cieri as Barnaby Tucker, Eliza Andrus as Ermengarde and Kieran Varian as Ambrose Kemper. Some of the show’s memorable songs include “Put on Your Sunday Clothes,” “Before the Parade Passes By,” “Elegance” and “Hello, Dolly!”
“It’s so fun to take people on this journey with us to feel what we are feeling,” said Holloway. “The music and the dancing are so beautiful. It’s one of those shows where you leave so happy to be submerged in theater for a few hours.”
“Hello, Dolly!” will be at Spring Lake Theatre July 5-21. Tickets are $35; $30 for seniors and students; and $25 for children under 12. Coming up next is Roald Dahl’s “Matilda” August 15-25. For more information, visit springlaketheatre.com.
Arts and entertainment reporter Mary Ann Bourbeau can be reached at mbourbeau@tworiver times.com.
