Saturday, October 5, 2024

Broadway: Tony Winner Bernadette Peters Tapped to Succeed Bette Midler in “Hello, Dolly!”

Share

This is Part 2 to my story from this morning. Bernadette Peters is taking over as the title character in “Hello, Dolly!” when Bette Midler leaves on January 14th.

Good for producer Scott Rudin. Peters is the consummate performer. She’ll be a terrific Dolly Levi. It’s unclear whether David Hyde Pierce is sticking around as Horace vanderGelder, but I bet he is. He and Peters will make a good pairing.

With Peters in, at least prices will come down. She said in a statement: Ms. Peters said, “I’m absolutely thrilled to continue in the tradition of the incomparable Bette Midler, Carol Channing, and all of the other wonderful actresses who have played Dolly Levi, and I look forward to joining this wonderful company at the Shubert.”

Also unclear– what happens to Donna Murphy, so good and such a soldier filling in for Bette on Tuesdays and all this and matinees and days when the Divine Miss M isn’t around.

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

Read more

In Other News