One Day of Adventure: The History of Hello, Dolly!
BY SONJA LOWE
Thornton Wilder once wrote that, "Literature has always more resembled a torch race than a furious dispute among heirs:' The history of Hello, Dolly! is a prime example of this kind of literary relay; a farcical tale about one adventurous day that was written in 1835 and then passed forward from playwright to playwright, growing richer in characters and comedy along the way:
1835: A Day Well Spent
by John Oxenford
English dramatist John Oxenford writes a one-act farce entitled, A Day Well Spent. The plot revolves around the mischievous duo of Bolt and Mizzle, clerks to a country merchant, who have a spree in London, narrowly avoiding being discovered by their boss.
1842: Einen Jux will er sich machen
by Johann Nestroy
The Viennese Johann Nestroy (acknowledged as one of Austria's greatest comedic playwrights) adapts A Day Well Spent into a three-act musical play, Einen Jux will er sich machen-loosely translated as "He Wants to Have a Fling:' Nestroy's comedy expands the plot and adds several new characters. In addition to clerks, the country merchant now has a young niece, and he is scheming to keep her separated from her headstrong young lover.
1938: The Merchant of Yonkers
by Thornton Wilder
Thornton Wilder (an enormous a fan of Nestroy's writing and perhaps the most knowledgeable student of Nestroy at the time) adapts Einen Jux will er sich machen into an American comedy entitled, The Merchant of Yonkers. Wilder keeps much of the same basic plot, but adds in one pivotal character who changes everything: Dolly Gallagher Levi, his signature take on the classical figure of the female sage. Unfortunately, this production is not successful and the play closes after a mere 39 performances.
1954-I955: The Matchmaker
By Thornton Wilder
At the request of his friend, actress Ruth Gordon, Wilder revises The Merchant of Yonkers and attempts a second production, titled The Matchmaker in Great Britain, with Gordon starring as Dolly Levi. Director Tyrone Guthrie's fleet-footed, tongue-in-cheek staging and Gordon's eccentric comic turn make The Matchmaker into a great hit. Following enormous success in Edinburgh and the West End, it runs for 486 performances in New York, becoming Wilder's longest Broadway run.
1963: Hello, Dolly!
Book by Michael Stewart, Music & Lyrics by Jerry Herman
A musical adaptation of Wilder's comedy, Hello, Dolly! debuts in Detroit on November 18, 1963, starring Carol Channing in the title role. The show moves to Broadway in 1964, winning 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The original production of Hello, Dolly! ran from 1964-1970. During the run the role of Dolly was played by Carol Channing, Ginger Rogers, Martha Raye, Betty Grable, Pearl Bailey (who won a special Tony in 1968 for her performance), Phyllis Diller and Ethel Merman.