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Elaine Hendrix, seen on the most recent season of Dancing with the Stars and known for her iconic performance as “Meredith Blake” in Disney’s The Parent Trap, will star as Dolly Levi in OFC’s Broadway in Brighton production of Hello, Dolly in Rochester NY. Watch an exclusive sneak peek at Hendrix’s performance in the beloved musical
With Teressa Bala on the piano, watch Hendrix perform “Before the Parade Passes By” as she prepares to take the stage this week. The production runs January 29-February 15, 2026.
Hendrix, also seen in SNL’s Superstar and the cult classic Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion, will be joined by Myk Watford as Horace Vandergelder (Apple TV’s For All Mankind and MGM’s Respect) and Tyler Hardwick as Cornelius Hackl (Broadway’s Motown The Musical and Once On This Island).
While discussing her return to musical theatre, Hendrix believes that Dolly Levi’s story is one that still resonates with people, 62 years after the musical first opened on Broadway.
“I have had the great honor of playing a lot of iconic roles in my life and Dolly Levi is right up there,” she said to BroadwayWorld. “I think her story really resonates with people, even today. Of coming out of grief and a heavy fog, fighting for joy and happiness to get back into your life. So I just feel like people can really resonate with that right now.”
Hello, Dolly! also marks Hendrix’s first performance after being a finalist on the most recent season of Dancing With the Stars. She shares that her time on the hit reality competition has helped her return to the theatre.
“There’s nothing like getting out in front of millions of people live every night to get over any ounce of insecurity, stage fright, wonderment, and so I feel like that was a really great launching pad to get me back in front of people doing live performance.”
About Hello, Dolly!
In 1880’s Yonkers a rich and cantankerous widower by the name of Horace Vandergelder is on the lookout for a wife. To help him on his quest he engages the services of professional matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi, but little does he know that Dolly has his perfect match in mind from their very first meeting – herself! Now all she has to do is make Horace realize it as well!
Featuring the timeless songs “Put On Your Sunday Clothes,” “Before the Parade Passes By,” “It Only Takes A Moment,” and the title song, Hello, Dolly! is an extravagant old-school treat, following the efforts of the titular matchmaker to land a wealthy and cantankerous widow.
Based on Thornton Wilder’s play The Matchmaker, the show debuted on Broadway in 1964 as a storming success, winning an unprecedented 10 Tonys at that year’s ceremony and was adapted for the big screen five years later.
This golden age hit musical is under the direction of Eric Vaughn Johnson and Tripp Hanson, featuring a cast of professional performers from across the country. Hello, Dolly! is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC.
Videography: Goat Factory Media (@gfmedia)
