Customer Reviews

Hello, Dolly! (1994 Broadway Revival Cast)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

HELLO DOLLY! is still one of musical theatre's crowning-glories. The original 1964 production catapulted Carol Channing into the annals of Broadway folklore and the role became her signature performance.

In 1994, Carol Channing and DOLLY! came back to Broadway for a limited-run revival. Channing has lost few steps since originating the role and turns in a fabulous performance. Like a fine wine, her performance and portrayal of Dolly grew richer and more honed.

Channing was surrounded by a strong cast including Florence Lacey as Irene Molloy, Jay Garner as Horace Vandergelder, Michael DeVries as Cornelius Hackl, Cory English as Barnaby Tucker and Lori Ann Mahl as Minnie Fay.

Florence Lacey sings a deeply-affecting "Ribbons Down My Back", DeVries and English are wonderful with "Dancing" and Jay Garner is the perfect stuffy foil to Channing's manic and free-wheeling matchmaker.

There are many differences to the original 1964 cast album, including the addition of a new, longer Overture, and the extended sequence to "Dancing". Sound quality is also very impressive, though the original cast album's sound quality is still as fresh as paint.

Get this superb CD today (or buy both albums if you have yet to discover the joys of this landmark Broadway show).

Fortunatly I saw this production in San Francisco and New York. It was great to see Carol Channing in her best known role. She is unique! But Florence Lacey with her brilliant soprano voice singing "Ribbons down my back" gives you shivers all over! She make this CD to a special one.

Not having seen this production of "Hello, Dolly!", i can only say so much about this recording. Carol Channing is much better on this recording than the origonal. Her voice is huskier and throatier than EVER!. Florence Lacey sings the role of Irene Molloy very nicely and with care. Jay Garner makes the perfect Horace Vandergelder. The only reason that this recording gets 4 stars instead of 5, is that i don't understand why they would make ANOTHER recording of the SAME musical with the SAME star?. The only reason i bought this recording instead of the origonal is because the sound quality is far superior on this recording. Enjoy!

Jerry Herman's score for "Hello, Dolly!" has its lesser points: a few underwhelming songs like "It Takes a Woman," "It Only Takes a Moment" and "Motherhood" and an undeniably hokey title song. However, it also has several genuine showstoppers, including "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" and "Before the Parade Passes By," the beautiful "Ribbons Down My Back" and a couple of irresistable charm songs, "Elegance" and "So Long Dearie." And even that title song, hokey as it is, is also undeniably one of the greatest numbers Broadway has ever produced in terms of sheer galvanizing energy - audiences have been giving it standing ovations for just about 40 years.

This recording must surely be one of the best, if not possibly *the* best, recording of the score out there, because the entire cast gives such a spirited (and, in my opinion, thoroughly professional) performance that the weak songs sound great and the great ones sound greater still. Carol Channing's voice takes an awful lot of getting used to, but her take on Dolly is so undeniably original and, after a while, so thoroughly enjoyable that you wonder how anyone can *not* say she *is* Dolly Levi. And having seen her in the movie "Thoroughly Modern Millie," I know in person she has great capacity to entertain an audience, which must be made even greater in a live theatre. Although, as I said, the entire cast is professional and spirited, the only other standout is Florence Lacey, who may be out of the traditional age range for ingenue Irene Molloy, but has such a lovely voice, used to particularly wonderful effect in "Ribbons Down My Back," that it hardly matters.

Though I have yet to hear the original Broadway cast recording, or others featuring Pearl Bailey and Mary Martin, I have heard the film soundtrack and seen the film it came from, and despite Barbra Streisand's incredible singing, that recording just doesn't make you revel in the wonders of this score from the first listen like this one does.

FIRST THE GOOD NEWS-THIS IS THE FIRST NEARLY COMPLETE RECORDING OF THE "DOLLY" SCORE INCLUDING "THE WAITERS GALLOP" THE FRANTIC AND ENERGETIC DANCE THAT PRECEDES THE TITLE NUMBER. NOW FOR THE BAD NEWS-WHETHER YOU LIKE HER OR NOT THE CHARM ABOUT CAROL CHANNING IS HER VOICE WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A STRANGULATED DUCK-ON THIS RECORDING AND WELL INTO HER SEVENTIES SHE SOUNDS MORE LIKE A COMATOSE DUCK. SO MY SUGGESTION IS BUY THE ORIGINAL CAST ALBUM WHEN HER UNUSUAL VOICE HAD ITS VIBRANCY AND BUY THIS FOR ITS COMPLETENESS WITH NOSTALGIA FOR WHAT USED TO BE.

Great version of a fun and catchy musical. I sang along in my car for days. Carol Channing's distinctive voice made for a great Dolly.

I've been in three productions of Dolly and now own three cast albums. And this is the best of the bunch! Wow! Wow! Wow!, fellas! What an absolute treat to hear Carol Channing recreate her starring role...thirty years later. The rest of the cast is great including the marvelous Florence Lacey as Irene Malloy. The orchestrations are very exciting and make my heart jump...especially "Put On Your Sunday Clothes". It's great fun hearing the Waiter's Gallop, in fact I immediately start to sweat when I hear it since I was a waiter in two productions. I can't say enough for this great cast recording. Thank goodness someone had the brains to make a recording of this production.

Jerry Herman's score for "Hello, Dolly!" has its lesser points: a few underwhelming songs like "It Takes a Woman," "It Only Takes a Moment" and "Motherhood" and an undeniably hokey title song. However, it also has several genuine showstoppers, including "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" and "Before the Parade Passes By," the beautiful "Ribbons Down My Back" and a couple of irresistable charm songs, "Elegance" and "So Long Dearie." And even that title song, hokey as it is, is also undeniably one of the greatest numbers Broadway has ever produced in terms of sheer galvanizing energy - audiences have been giving it standing ovations for just about 40 years.

This recording must surely be one of the best, if not possibly *the* best, recording of the score out there, because the entire cast gives such a spirited (and, in my opinion, thoroughly professional) performance that the weak songs sound great and the great ones sound greater still. Carol Channing's voice takes an awful lot of getting used to, but her take on Dolly is so undeniably original and, after a while, so thoroughly enjoyable that you wonder how anyone can *not* say she *is* Dolly Levi. And having seen her in the movie "Thoroughly Modern Millie," I know in person she has great capacity to entertain an audience, which must be made even greater in a live theatre. Although, as I said, the entire cast is professional and spirited, the only other standout is Florence Lacey, who may be out of the traditional age range for ingenue Irene Molloy, but has such a lovely voice, used to particularly wonderful effect in "Ribbons Down My Back," that it hardly matters.

Though I have yet to hear the original Broadway cast recording, or others featuring Pearl Bailey and Mary Martin, I have heard the film soundtrack and seen the film it came from, and despite Barbra Streisand's incredible singing, that recording just doesn't make you revel in the wonders of this score from the first listen like this one does.

The 1994 Farewell Tour revival album of Dolly is smart, snappy & of interest to fans, tho I doubt it replaces the original cast album for warmth & charm. Channing is amazing but not in good voice (if you doubt she ever had a good voice listen to her on the legendary Jazz Baby CD). The revival version of Ribbons Down My Back by Florence Lacey sets a new standard for that number. At times the chorus energy seems a bit forced rather than hitting the right tone for this tuneful highly agreeable musical adaptation of The Matchmaker. This version should not replace the original, but make a good addition to anyone's collection of major Broadway musicals.

Well, what can I say? It's not the show. I think this is one of those shows you have to see, not listen to. It's a really fun show to do (I know, I've done it!) I have never much cared for Carol Channing's voice, so I'm not going to touch on that, but I do like this version better than the original. I think it lacks the luster of the original in a lot of ways, but that could be because the original is.....the original. I mean, what more is there to say? As far as the orchestra goes, it leaves a lot to be desired. There are some points where they are not quite with it. Actually, at points, I felt like I was back doing my high school shows. (Don't get me wrong, I loved those shows and would go back to them in a heartbeat, but they're not professional quality.) I'm all about the musicals, but this one? See it on stage and sing it to yourself. You can do without the soundtrack.