Preview: Tami Tappan Damiano Returns to Musical Theatre West in ‘Hello, Dolly!’

Tip your hats, raise your spirits, and step into a world of romance and revelry, as Musical Theatre West’s Hello, Dolly! takes the Carpenter Performing Arts Center on a joyous celebration of life from Friday, Oct. 17th through Sunday, Nov. 2nd. With a charming script by Michael Stewart, unforgettable melodies by Jerry Herman, and vibrant direction by Cynthia Ferrer, audiences in Long Beach are invited to revel in this effervescent musical about connection, joy, laughter, and love — feelings that especially take root as a result of living life with unapologetic gusto.

The story follows Dolly Gallagher Levi, a spirited matchmaker in 1890s New York, as she weaves romantic dreams for the city’s elite while pursuing her own chance at happiness, all brought to life with dazzling songs and lively dances. Since its 1964 Broadway premiere, inspired by Thornton Wilder’s The Matchmaker, the acclaimed Hello, Dolly! has garnered multiple Tony Awards and become a theatrical treasure, its timeless themes of hope and humanity more resonant than ever before.

A radiant cast brings this classic to life, led by Tami Tappan Damiano as Dolly, alongside David Engel as Horace Vandergelder, Robert Pieranunzi as Cornelius Hackl, Anna Mintzer as Irene Molloy, Benjamin Raanan as Barnaby Tucker, and Natalie Holt MacDonald as Minnie Fay, among several others. Additionally, Cheryl Baxter’s choreography and Dennis Castellano’s music direction aid in what is sure to be a superb rendition of a lavish musical known for its fashionable and Gilded-Age parasols, headdresses, boas, tailcoats, and more.

Damiano, a beloved Musical Theatre West stalwart, honorably returns to the Long Beach spotlight after spending the last decade raising her family. She audaciously steps into the role of Dolly — a witty, meddling powerhouse with an appreciable zest for life. In this exclusive interview with LAexcites, Damiano shares her journey back to the stage and the thrill of embodying Dolly’s ageless legacy.

After being away for several years, what inspired you to return to Musical Theatre West, and how does it feel to take on the iconic role of Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!?

Damiano: I’m scared crapless [laughs]. She’s a big girl [laughs]. What inspired me? Somebody asked [laughs] — no. There are some bucket-list roles that, when you get older as a woman, you want to take a stab at, and Dolly is one of the iconic roles from ’60s musicals with powerful women. It’s such a meaty, wonderful role to take on that I got instantly excited about the idea of it.

You’ve starred in beloved MTW productions like Singin’ in the Rain and Spamalot. How have those experiences, or others, influenced your approach to this role?

Damiano: I love the whole Musical Theatre West family — they really do feel like family! I approach every role the same — create a backstory, motivation, know where is this person is, where they’re coming from, and just ask a ton of questions.

I know the director Cynthia (Ferrer) is a dynamite actress herself, and is familiar with Dolly, having been in the show and played the role herself.

Dolly Levi is known for her wit, charm, and incredible spirit. How do you relate to her character, and what aspects of her personality — or songs for that matter — are you most excited to bring to life?

Damiano: While I don’t consider myself a meddling person — and Dolly definitely is — I think her joie de vivre is something I can relate to with her wanting to be back in the world again. I’m excited about “Before the Parade Passes By” and her monologue to her late husband Ephraim. It’s so poignant to see this woman of the 19th century not being done despite being written off like many women who were widowed.

And seeing Dolly persevere through the highs, lows, and all the things that come with it, is wonderful. In the monologue before the song, she says she’s going to rejoin the human race and asks to be given away. Anyone with loss in their life can relate to going on and getting on with living or dying and she’s choosing the former.

Even though it’s set in the 1890s, there’s so much validity and things that people can relate to today, especially for someone that’s lost a partner, a life partner. I can only imagine as that, thankfully, hasn’t happened to me. Anyone who has lost their partner needs to decide to keep living, and watching Dolly go through that and seeing life happen around her through the young love she’s helped manifest and seeing her realize it’s her turn, too, is empowering.

Did you see the 2018-19 national tour of Hello, Dolly! with Betty Buckley in the title role and, if you did, how do you think your performance might be alike or different from hers?

Damiano: I haven’t seen it, and I’ve shockingly never seen the show live. I’ve seen clips but I try not to see too much. I’m a complete newbie [laughs].

Is that a concern for actors who want to offer a fresh take on their characters — that by becoming familiar with how a role was previously portrayed they will inevitably mimic or, at the very least, be influenced by it?

Damiano: I think so, but depending on the actor it’s their prerogative to attack [the role] however they want. If they want to see as many examples as possible, I get that; or, if they want to see as little as possible for fear it would flavor their performance, I can see that too. Both ways can work.

Do you envision adding certain non-verbal touches to your performance beyond what is written on the page?

Damiano: I know that the period will help inform a lot of that. This is definitely a corset and bustle period, so I feel it’s important to stay true to what costumes of that period do to you physically. What I’ll probably make sure of is that my shoes are comfortable [laughs].

This woman is a dynamo, and she storms into every room with a light-up purpose. She knows how to roll with the changes, but she’s got a plan. Moving quickly in a corset and bustle, of course, are important. But I find corsets kind of supportive, and I like the feeling, as they remind me to breathe and use my core more.

With Cynthia Ferrer directing and Cheryl Baxter choreographing, how has the creative team’s vision shaped your performance, and what’s been the most exciting part of the rehearsal process thus far?

Damiano: We haven’t started rehearsal yet, but I did have lunch with Cynthia because I had a bunch of questions as I was diving down the YouTube rabbit hole, asking about an accent [laughs], what to do here and there, and she said, ‘Let’s have lunch’ [laughs].

I’m trying to get myself off book as soon as possible, which I don’t usually do, but I feel a little rusty as Dolly talks a lot. We also only have a two-week rehearsal period, so I want to do my personal actor work before getting there, so we can feel it out at that time and have the room to play.

Does this approach differ with how you would prepare for roles in the past?

Damiano: In the past, I would rehearse on my feet and wait for blocking so the lines would stick, but I don’t feel like I have that luxury for this role.

There’s also lots of cool apps where you can silence other lines and just hear your own, or vice versa, and that’s helpful. Normally, once I get the blocking down, that solidifies the lines in me, as I physically understand where I am and where I’m going.

As someone who has balanced family life with a return to the stage, what advice would you give to aspiring musical theater performers, or actors in general, who might feel compelled to choose between family and show business?

Damiano: Life slows down for no one. You need to grab your life and make life outside your work, if necessary, your priority. Having said that, there’s really no work-life balance; it will always tip one way or another. Just grab what you can, when you can, and do whatever makes you happy.

My career was very important to me, but I also wanted to have a child with a [surrounding] support system, which is important because it does take a village to raise a child. If you want to focus on career and don’t want kids, that should be your choice. But if you want a family, and you’d like to pursue that, you do you. There’s no right or wrong answer. The key is being fulfilled with the choices you make.

Lastly, what are some of your expectations for the MTW run? Do you hope audiences will experience the spirit of the 1964 original or take away fresh perspectives?

Damiano: I kind of hope there’s fresh takeaways. I think good pieces of art surpass and transcend the time period upon which they were written or set. There are some universal themes in really good artwork.

For example, Tennessee Williams couldn’t have been more specific about writing from the point of view of a Southern woman in some of his plays, and yet all of us can relate to his themes. Good art does that, and this show says a lot about anyone who has suffered a loss or feels like the world is getting away from them and want to jump back in. This musical also says a lot about young love or the feeling-of-butterflies-in-your-stomach love many of us can identify with. There’s lots of great themes in this show people can relate to.

Cover image caption: (L-R) David Engel as Horace Vandergelder and Tami Tappan Damiano as Dolly Gallagher Levi in Musical Theatre West’s production of Hello, Dolly! Photo courtesy of Musical Theatre West.

For more information about Musical Theatre West’s production of Hello, Dolly! and to purchase tickets, visit musical.org. Performances will be held at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center on 6200 E. Atherton Street in Long Beach, CA.