Darlington’s fine arts department will present the famous Broadway musical “Hello, Dolly!” Feb. 19-21 at Rome City Auditorium. Friday and Saturday shows will be at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday’s show will be at 2:30 p.m. The production will feature students in pre-K through twelfth grade.

“We chose ‘Hello, Dolly!’ so we could include students from the Lower, Middle and Upper divisions,” said director Rudy Childs, who has directed this production once previously with Stars in Our Eyes. “It’s also great because there are eight leads, both males and females, so we were able to extend and broaden our student base of actors and actresses. Over 70 kids – from veteran performers to first-timers – will take the stage in this production, so it should be a very exciting weekend for everyone. We hope to see you there!”  

“Hello, Dolly!” is the story of matchmaker Dolly Levi’s efforts to find herself a husband in wealthy half-millionaire, Horace Vandergelder (played by sophomore John Wilhoite), the first citizen of Yonkers, N.Y. Along the way, she also succeeds in matching up the beautiful, rich widow, Irene Molloy (played by senior Emily Braden), with Vandergelder’s head clerk, Cornelius Hackl (played by senior Brandon Martin); Malloy’s assistant, Minnie Faye (played by junior Maggie Sparks), with Hackl’s assistant, Barnaby Tucker (played by senior Charles Pool); and struggling artist, Ambrose Kemper (played by senior R.D. Legacy) with Vandergelder’s niece, Ermengarde (played by sophomore Laura Owens).  

“The story is very entertaining,” said junior Ali Harton, who plays Dolly. “The music is great and we have such amazing talent in the lead roles as well as the ensemble. When you work in such close proximity, you get to know everyone and after a while you become a family. The eight leads together create such a great dynamic. We’re all so different, but that’s what makes us work well together.”

The Tony Award-winning musical includes classic numbers like “Hello, Dolly!” “Put On Your Sunday Clothes,” “Ribbons Down My Back,” “Before the Parade Passes By,” “Elegance,” “It Only Takes A Moment” and “So Long, Dearie.”

General admission is $10 for adults and $7 for children, students and senior citizens. Reserved seats are $15. A limited number of special box tickets are also on sale. Six tables for two are available for each show at a cost of $75 per table. This includes coffee and dessert catered by Two Can Do and served by a personal waiter. To order tickets, please e-mail boxoffice@darlingtonschool.org with your name, phone number, the number of tickets you wish to purchase, and date of the show(s) you wish to attend. Tickets will also be available at Top Hat, Kroger, Traditions and Rome Area Council for the Arts.