STARRING ROLE–Skye Privat was Dolly Levi in La Reina High School’s production of “Hello, Dolly!” A gymnasium is hardly an ideal venue for a Broadway musical, but for “Hello, Dolly!” which was presented last week by La Reina High School, it was just the right size for the voice and personality of Skye Privat. She filled the cavernous facility with a powerhouse voice and performance as Dolly Levi, the heroine of the show.

A jack-of-all-trades to the nth degree, Dolly is ostensibly a matchmaker and self-described “meddler” who’s done just about everything, from dance instruction to teaching mandolin, and has business cards to prove it.

“Hello, Dolly!” burst onto the Broadway scene 45 years ago in a slam-bang production that combined a can’t-miss score by Jerry Herman with a career-making performance by Carol Channing in the title role. “Dolly” won 10 Tony awards that year, on its way to a sevenyear run on Broadway, breaking the longevity record previously held by “My Fair Lady.”

The role of Dolly Levi has always been reserved for biggerthan-life personalities. Originally written for Ethel Merman, the venerable actress turned it down, as did Mary Martin. Dolly’s been played over the years by Ginger Rogers, Martha Raye, Betty Grable, Pearl Bailey and many others in addition to Channing.

The role requires gumption, confidence and the ability to dominate the stage. Young Privat has come a long way in understanding her character and has imbued her performance with a brassy elegance and comedic turns that are really fun to watch. Her rafter-reaching voice on such songs as “I Put My Hand In” and “Before the Parade Passes By” also shows power and authority.

Privat’s leading man, Michael Zahlit, plays Horace Vandergelder, the grumpy “half millionaire” who comes to Dolly to find him a wife to do his household chores for him (“It Takes a Woman”). Zahlit has a very pleasing voice and fares well in his vocal turns, especially in his duets with Privat.

Horace’s opportunistic clerks, Cornelius and Barnaby, are played, respectively, by Christopher Clyne and John Messina. Their love interests, hat shop owner Irene Molloy and her assistant Minnie Fay, are well-played by Nicole Walsh and Lacey Smith.

Walsh shines in her solo “Ribbons Down My Back,” and Smith is perky in pink and lights up the stage with her shining minor role.

The La Reina gym’s large stage gives the company plenty of room for the lavish ensemble numbers, choreographed by Stacy Valentino and Robin Privat, and the impressive set design by Stacey Stephens.

Musical accompaniment was beautifully played by pianist Soon-Seop Kim, and musical director Heidi Vas did a great job instructing the leads as well as the ensemble.

The elegant period costumes—especially the spangled gown Skye Privat wore during the show’s title number—were appropriate for the period and provided eye-catching enhancement of the story and songs.

One of the more difficult parts of the show to stage is “The Waiters’ Gallop,” during which the actors’ entrances and exits at the Harmonia Gardens restaurant are punctuated in a dance routine by the “lightning fast” waiters. Some productions feature comic antics, lots of props and even juggling during this scene, but the talented allfemale waiters in the La Reina production included ballet steps, acrobatic flips and can-can-inspired dancing.

Timing is critical in a show like this, and the actors and dancers all did a splendid job.