ECC to stage 'Hello Dolly'

Elgin Community College Musical Theatre presents the musical "Hello Dolly!" at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, and Saturdays, Feb. 28, and 3 p.m. Sunday, March 1, at the Visual and Performing Arts Center Blizzard Theater, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. Tickets are $18 for adults and $16 for students and seniors.

Winner of 10 Tony Awards, "Hello, Dolly!" tells the story of a young professional matchmaker who meets her match while seeking a mate for a businessman. The musical features a number of hits, including one of the most famous songs in the history of American musical comedy with "Hello, Dolly!"

Lead roles feature Sarafina Vecchio of Huntley as Dolly Levi and Russell Hoke of Winthrop Harbor as Horace Vandergelder. Vecchio performs locally with Janus Theatre in Elgin, has appeared in short films, industrial films and has worked as a plus-size model at a national level. An Elgin area native, Hoke works as a professional opera singer, performing most recently with the Milwaukee Opera. Both Vecchio and Hoke have numerous performing experiences with ECC Musical Theatre.

Directing and choreographing the musical is Konnie Kay of St. Charles. Serving as artistic director is John G. Slawson, professor of music at ECC.

Tickets are now available online at www.elgin.edu/arts or at the ECC box office located in the Arts Center. Box office hours are noon to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and noon to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. To purchase tickets by phone, call (847) 622-0300. Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express are accepted.

For information about the ECC Arts Center's season, visit www.elgin.edu/arts.