'Hello, Dolly!' returns to Batavia High School
Batavia High School highlights the musical talents of students at this year's production of the beloved musical "Hello, Dolly!"
The musical, which opened Thursday, will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 13-15, at the Batavia Fine Arts Centre, 1201 Main St., Batavia. Tickets are $12-15, depending on seat location.
"Hello, Dolly!" is a musical about a woman named Dolly who travels to Yonkers, New York in search of a match for a "well-known unmarried half-a-millionaire."
It's been 35 years since Batavia High School first brought "Hello, Dolly!" to Fox Valley audiences. The show was produced by BHS students in 1979 and 1994, and now in 2014.
The current "Hello Dolly!" director, Dominic Cattero, was in the audience as a student at the 1994 production.
"I can remember sitting on the bleachers in the gym watching the performance in front of the big red gym divider. I was in eighth grade at the time and I remember being in awe," Cattero said.
The coincidences don't stop there, though. Jon McLear, the vocal director for this year's BHS anniversary production, played in the orchestra of the 1994 show. Orchestra pit musician Emma Foelske's mother played flute in the 1979 production.
A lot goes into making this musical a success; students and directors have been rehearsing for almost three months for the upcoming musical and are looking forward to opening night. Cattero has been working on the musical for six months, making sure everything goes as planned.
"Before bringing anyone else into the story, I have to know as a director how the story relates to me, to the world and how we are going to tell our version of this story," Cattero said.
It is important to Cattero that this year's musical will be unique to the audience, he said.
"As a director I always try to make sure we are telling the story our way, not just retelling someone else's version of the story," Cattero said.
For those who aren't familiar with the story, "Hello, Dolly!" will make the audience feel joy, sadness, and yearning as they watch the characters' adventure through New York.
"My favorite part about directing this particular show is that this is real, these characters are real, the life onstage is real," Cattero said.
Batavia High School also presents "Hello D'Aliano's," a fundraiser dinner, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at Aliano's Ristorante, 90 N. Island Ave., Batavia. Tickets are $35, $28 for ages 11 to 18, or $15 for ages 10 and younger. This all-inclusive deal features a four-course dinner, appearances by the cast, a $12 Aliano's Ristorante gift card for each adult or student in your party, and VIP parking for Saturday evening's performance of "Hello, Dolly!"
Purchase your tickets at bataviastage.org and enter for your chance to win a free dinner for six.
For more information or to buy show tickets, visit bataviafineartscentre.org or call (630) 937-8930.