Bootleg Betty Happy 9th Anniversary to Bette Midler’s Hello Dolly! By Mister D April 20, 2026
Bette Midler’s Hello, Dolly! was the acclaimed 2017 Broadway revival of the classic Jerry Herman musical, which opened April 20, 2017, 9 years ago today! It closed August 25, 2018, after 34 previews and 550 performances.
Bette Midler starred as Dolly Levi (with David Hyde Pierce as Horace Vandergelder), directed by Jerry Zaks. She left in January 2018; Bernadette Peters and others later took over the role. Midler returned for a limited final run in summer 2018.
Awards
The production won 4 Tony Awards in 2017, including:
Best Revival of a Musical
Best Actress in a Musical (Bette Midler)
Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Gavin Creel)
It also earned Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Revival and Outstanding Actress (Midler).
Trivia
The revival was a commercial hit, smashing box-office records at the Shubert Theatre.
It featured lively choreography re-creating elements of the original Gower Champion staging.
Critics and audiences praised Midler’s charismatic, comedic performance as a “once-in-a-lifetime Dolly.”
This star-driven revival brought fresh energy to the beloved 1964 show.
