By Marilyn Lester***If you know Richard Skipper (and who doesn’t?) you also know of his long and wonderful history celebrating Hello, Dolly! and the star who created the role on Broadway, Carol Channing. In an homage to the now legendary Broadway musical, which debuted 60 years ago, and to Channing, who’s attained icon status, 
Skipper pulled out the proverbial stops in an abundantly illustrated happy birthday to the show. As his special guest, musical theater actress, cabaret star and West End luminary, Lorna Dallas, brought panache and insight to the evening with her own remembrances of Hello, Dolly! in London.
But first, the host, with his usual flair—and as you might expect—encyclopedic of knowledge of Dolly data, revealed that in a delightful coincidence, the evening’s show was taking place on Pearl Bailey’s birthday (Bailey, with co-star Cab Calloway, performed in the show in the 1960s). From the roots of the story in a 1935 play, all the way to Jerry Herman and Broadway, Skipper sang and spieled in the most engaging way. Among his numbers (with back stories) were “World Take Me Away,” It Takes a Woman,” “Put on Your Sunday Clothes” and “It Only Takes a Moment.” 
A touching segment found Skipper reciting the now famous monologue that sets up “Before the Parade Passes By”: “Ephraim, let me go! It’s been long enough…” leading into his rendition of the number.
Lorna Dallas, winner of a national talent contest in high school, went from there and Indiana University to the Metropolitan Opera National Company to a more theatrical career. Early on she traveled to the UK to star in Show Boat, and remained, becoming a West End musical theater star. Among her reminiscences were delightful anecdotes of performing in London’s theaterland and working with the very colorful and popular star, the late Danny LaRue, who played Dolly Levi to Dallas’ 
Irene in the early 1980s. For those familiar with La Rue, a master drag artist, Dallas recalled a time gone by with humor and charm. With vocal chops as vibrant as ever, she sang “Love Is Only Love,” a Jerry Herman trunk song inserted into the film version of Hello, Dolly! and an evocative “Ribbons Down My Back.”
Dan Pardo was music director for this superb evening of celebration, with bassist Matt Scharfglass on the upright. James Beaman directed.
Photos by Richard Hillman
