Tony nominee Jodi Benson, who famously voiced the role of Ariel in the animated Disney film The Little Mermaid, will star in the Encore Performing Arts production of Jerry Herman's Hello, Dolly! this summer in Florida.
Benson, a Tony nominee for her performance in the Gershwin musical Crazy for You, will play matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi, with performances scheduled for June 21–22 in Steinmetz Hall at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando, Florida. Check out photos of Benson as Dolly above and below.
This Dolly! will be directed by Kristen Sheola with choreography by Trase Milburn and Olivia Milburn, costume design by Wesley Schaffer, wig design by Justin Lore, music direction by Clay Price, scenic design by Cliff Price, lighting design by Holly Wheldon Carpenter, and props design by Autumn Maynard.
Benson, who will star opposite the Horace of Christopher Schmidt, has also been seen on Broadway in Marilyn, Smile, and Welcome to the Club. The principal cast will also include Natalie Hightower as Irene Malloy, Adam Paul as Cornelius Hackl, Solmarie Cruz as Minnie Fay, Oakley Thacker as Barnaby Tucker, Victoria Pagan as Ermengarde, Michael Angelini as Ambrose Kemper, Kathryn Nash as Ernestina, and Thomas Bradford as Rudolph.
Hello, Dolly! features a book by Michael Stewart with music
and lyrics by Herman. The original Broadway production won 10 1964 Tony
Awards, including Best Musical and Best Actress in a Musical for Carol
Channing.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit Give Kids the World Village, a nonprofit resort in Central Florida that provides critically ill children and their families with magical week-long wish vacations at no cost.
Visit DrPhillipsCenter.org.