Happiness lives in the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts as the newly named Diablo Theatre Company opens a stunning and uplifting musical miracle with their vibrant and colorful, “Hello Dolly.” Artistic Director, Daren Carollo and his dedicated contributors, re-examine and re-imagine the artistic elements of classic musicals as their basic and most important purpose, that of delivering an absolutely stunning evening of music, dancing and song for every ticket purchaser. It just happens that when the company polled its season ticket holders, “Hello Dolly” was their most requested musical for this season. DTC created this show to fulfill their subscribers’ wishes and at the same time to provide the remainder of the community a “feel-good” musical, that they will certainly enjoy and long remember.

“Hello Dolly” is the fun-filled story of an outrageously outspoken and highly confident widower, matchmaker and meddler, Mrs. Dolly Levi, who merchandises matrimony. Dolly (played to absolute perfection by Terry Darcy D’Emedio) spreads her wit and wisdom throughout Yonkers, New York, and at the same time, provides a plethora of personal services that add to her worth as a matchmaker. Dolly carries with her business cards for every occasion, including everything and anything, any service one might need, even barrister services, dance and mandolin instruction just to name just a few.

Dolly is enlisted by a young artist, Ambrose Kemper (Caleb Haven Draper), to intercede on his behalf in helping him to secure a favorable response to his desire to marry Ermengard (Jessica Knudsen), the weepy eyed daughter of a “half-millionaire.” She is the daughter of a grouchy hay and grain merchant, Horace Vandergelder (Curt Denham). Ambrose has not found favor with Ermengard’s father, due to his less than favorable income generating employment, as an artist.

Dolly is also engaged by Horace Vandergelder to help him find a suitable wife, which she fully intends to do. Horace departs on a journey to downtown New York to meet a prospective wife, arranged by Dolly. That very attractive lady, a ladies’ hat merchant by trade, Miss Irene Malloy (Rena Wilson), wouldn’t mind getting married, but hasn’t found the right man, and concedes that maybe the matchmaking process could provide her the security she is really looking for. It doesn’t take long for us to realize that Dolly has come to the realization that remaining a widow and having to hustle constantly for a living might be better served if she, Dolly, weds the wealthy Vandergelder, herself!

Horace informs his two clerks, Cornelius Hackl (Wiliam Giammona) and Barnaby Tucker (Andrew Willis-Woodward), that he is off to New York City and that they will have to mind the store in his absence. After Horace leaves for his rendezvous in New York, Cornelius and Barnaby decide that they need a break, and they close the shop and head for New York as well. Dolly, wanting to waylay Horace and disrupt his meeting with Miss Malloy, tells the boys that they should visit a certain hat shop in the big city. They do and they meet Miss Malloy and her assistant, Minnie Fay. The young men lie about their financial worth, pretending to be rich, hoping to get a date with the two very lovely young ladies.

A marvelous comic scene occurs when Vangergelder arrives at the hat shop intent on meeting Miss Malloy, himself. Once again, the delightfully deceitful and self-serving Dolly, steers Vandergelder elsewhere towards another prospective mate, a wealthy widow, whom he meets at the Harmonia Gardens, an exclusive and very expensive restaurant and dancing pavilion. The young men, still pretending to be rich, also end up at the Harmonia Gardens restaurant, with the young ladies. While they are reveling in the company of Miss Malloy and Miss Fay, they are at the same time, worried sick as to how they are going to pay for the evening’s dining dalliance.

The restaurant provides a marvelous backdrop for the wonderful music and lyrics of famed composer, Jerry Herman and the brilliant choreography of Lawrence Pech. Director Dennis Lickteig has brought all of the elements (cast, orchestra, choreography, costumes, sets, lighting and sound) together for a wonderful evening of outstanding, vibrant and uplifting musical and dancing entertainment. The set design by Mark Mendelson is truly outstanding. Mark is a local product, a great young designer that grew up on local stages and a talented young man that I remember as participating in Stars 2000, before going off to college. Musical Director Cheryl Yee Glass once again delivers an excellent orchestration experience. Chris Guptill does his usual magic with the lighting, and Marianna Ford excels with her marvelous costumes. Sound design by Mike Sweeny provides the final crown of overall excellence that brings this outstanding production to your full enjoyment.

The vocal talents are exceptional and deliver an exciting and thrilling evening. Terry Darcy D’Emidio and Rena Wilson are absolutely stunning with their rich vocal gifts, bringing to all in attendance, a very rewarding vocal experience. William Giammona adds immeasurably to the vocal vibrancy and Andrew Willis-Woodward (Barnaby Tucker) delivers dancing routines and comic talents that likewise add measurably to this production.

If you have ever enjoyed “Hello Dolly” before, this is one production that definitely deserves your attendance. For a community production that is very high in many professional level attributes, this is well worth the price of admission and much easier to see and enjoy and you don’t have to drive into San Francisco or San Jose to have a terrific time. Tickets range between $29 and $41 each and are for sale at the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts at 1601 Civic Drive. Call (925) 943-7469 (SHOW) or you may visit the website at www.lesherartscenter.org. You may also visit Diablo Theatre Company’s website at www.dloc.org for more information. Besides, as Horace Vandergelder once said, “Money is like manure, it’s not worth anything, unless you spread it around!”

“Hello Dolly” plays Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays (beginning June 12th) at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m., now through Sunday, June 28th. In the Hofmann Theatre in the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, at 1601 Civic Drive in Walnut Creek.
By the way, the “Diablo Theatre Company” recently changed their name from the long time, well known “Diablo Light Opera Company,” so that they could also explore dramatic theatrical avenues for their audiences as well as musicals.

Go and see a show this week and you can say, “The Diablo Devil made me do it!”