Timpanogos Valley Theatre’s Hello, Dolly! in Heber Celebrates the Timelessness of Love

By Whitney Sorensen

I have a theatrical soft spot for Hello, Dolly!, and was delighted with the opening night performance of this classic musical at Timpanogos Valley Theatre in Heber. In the title role, Mary Eckersley embodies every trait associated with her character, and the actors surrounding her all follow her lead. The result is a show overflowing with nostalgia. If it’s been a while since you indulged in some traditional musical theatre, treat yourself to ticket to TVT’s Hello, Dolly!.

For those of you who, unlike me, don’t have the script practically memorized due to being in the straight play version The Matchmaker (by Thorton Wilder) in high school, here’s a basic summary of the show’s antics. At the turn of the 20th century, widowed Mrs. Dolly Levi makes a living doing anything and everything that social-climbing New Yorkers can’t do for themselves, but she focuses mainly on matchmaking. Her current client is “the well-known half-a-millionaire” Horace Vandergelder (Cevin Carr) who may soon propose to hat-shop owner Irene Malloy (Kelli Dougal), unless Dolly has something to say about it (which of course she does). Dolly lures Horace to New York and convinces his two shop clerks, his niece and the niece’s fiancé, to follow them for an adventure they just can’t find in Yonkers.

Eckersley uses the opening scenes to truly warm up her character, but then again, her opening number is the syncopated and wordy “I Put My Hand in Here.” (Imagine if Harold Hill had to introduce himself to you with “Trouble” instead of having the benefit of starting with ensemble songs with a lower degree of difficulty.) By the time Eckersley takes her first steps into Vandergelder’s shop, Dolly is fully alive and ready to do some real meddling—and some perfectly Dolly-like singing in Eckersley’s melodic voice. Lucky for her (and the audience), costume manager Freya Miller also supplies gorgeous costumes for the cast, Ellen Eckersley, the lead’s mother, supplied all her luscious costumes and hats and is a very talented costume designer. From this scene forward, Eckersley only adds more and more personality, serving as the critical backbone in this play full of witty banter and slapstick dance numbers.

Speaking of which, the show’s choreography by Christie Moulton earns its share of laughs and does its duty of moving the plot forward. For example, in “It Takes a Woman,” the ensemble cast members act out some of the success stories Dolly shares with the audience, to great comic effect. Another dancing high point occurs in “It Takes a Woman,” when Vandergelder and his clerks and customers perfectly execute a near domino-effect as one cast member after another trips into each other.

For me, the freshest number in this production was “Motherhood.” Its lyrics take a backseat to Dolly and Irene trying to sneak Vandergelder’s clerks out of the hat-shop before their boss realizes they’re playing hooky from work. The combined efforts of Christie Moulton and director Nathan Moulton in blocking that scene brought out plenty of laughter in the audience and helped us root even more for underdogs Cornelius Hackl (Brian Wall) and Barnaby Tucker (Mosiah Murdock).

“Dancing” serves as an excellent showcase for Murdock’s nimble legs. My cousin remarked during intermission that Murdock’s dancing reminded him of Dick Van Dyke, a comparison I can agree with. Murdock definitely has the chops to do more than go through the steps. He also infuses humor into his movements, such as making his legs look like jelly while he takes his first few timid steps in a waltz with Mrs. Levi.

The only dance number that didn’t quite work for me was “The Waiters’ Gallop.” Head waiter Rudolf Reisenweber (Nate Clegg) states outright that the serving staff at the Harmonia Gardens should accelerate their already lightning-fast service to please guest of honor Mrs. Levi, but unfortunately the dancing happens in between several smaller conversations that make the scene drag instead. Also, from my seat in the second row, I couldn’t see the box where Cornelius and gang were seated, due to another table with less-important diners blocking my view.

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As much as the banter and trickery of Dolly and Horace’s relationship amuses me, my favorite storyline always turns out to be the tender, simpler love story between Cornelius Hackl and Irene Malloy. Both Wall and Dougal have voices that project the innocence of their characters and their happy dumbfoundedness at finding new love. Dougal shines most in her solo, “Ribbons Down My Back,” and Wall does the same in his “It Only Takes a Moment.”

One element that makes TVT’s Hello, Dolly! unique is the Heber Valley Orchestra. It’s been a while since I’ve been to a community theatre musical that didn’t use a canned soundtrack. The orchestra has some struggles with pace and tune, and a few times its volume level entirely drowns out the dialogue onstage, but the overall effect felt adds to the musical theatre experience.

All in all, TVT’s production showed me that this must-see, Tony Award–winning musical hasn’t lost much luster with age. Whatever side of the Wasatch Range you live on, make the drive to Heber and step back in time into the world of Hello, Dolly!

Timpanogos Valley Theatre presents Hello, Dolly! Music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, Book by Michael Stewart
Timpanogos Valley Theatre, 90 N 100 W, Heber, UT 84032
April 26-28, 30, May 2, 4-5 7:00 PM
Tickets: $8-17
Timpanogos Valley Theatre on Facebook
Heber Valley Choir and Orchestra
TVT’s Hello, Dolly! Facebook event