Playbill
Carol Channing Denies She Will Play Hello, Dolly! Matinees
BY ROBERT VIAGAS
JUL 12, 2016
Carol Channing’s fans will be disappointed to learn that Broadway’s original will definitely not be playing matinees in the upcoming revival of Hello, Dolly!, starring Bette Midler.
New York Post columnist Cindy Adams reported July 11 that Bette Midler, star of the upcoming Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly!, would let Channing, 95, play two matinees per week in the production.
Though Adams quoted both the producer Scott Rudin and the publicist Rick Miramontez emphatically denying the story, Adams wrote, “A rumor. Rumor. Just a rumor. You won’t believe it. I don’t believe it. No one who’s in their right mind should believe it. But being burbled is – ready? – Bette will let Channing – age 95! – do two matinees weekly.”
Channing put the kibosh on that rumor with the following statement to Playbill.com July 12: “At no point has the topic of my filling in on matinees been discussed, with either the production company or with Bette. In fact, I find the very suggestion to be an insult to Bette.”
Four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks will direct, and Tony winner Warren Carlyle will choreograph the production, which will begin Broadway previews March 13, 2017, and open April 20 at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre.
Here is Channing singing “Before the Parade Passes By” at the 1971 Tony Awards:
