document_title: Hello, Dolly! (musical)

question_text: who played the original dolly in hello dolly

text: Hello, Dolly! (musical)

text: History[edit]

text: The plot of Hello, Dolly! originated in an 1835 English play, A Day Well Spent by John Oxenford, which Johann Nestroy adapted into the farce Einen Jux will er sich machen (He Will Go on a Spree or He'll Have Himself a Good Time). Thornton Wilder adapted Nestroy's play into his 1938 farcical play The Merchant of Yonkers, a flop which he revised and retitled The Matchmaker in 1955, expanding the role of Dolly, played by Ruth Gordon.[3] The Matchmaker became a hit and was much revived and made into a 1958 film of the same name starring Shirley Booth. The story of a meddlesome widow who strives to bring romance to several couples and herself in a big city restaurant also features prominently in the 1891 hit musical A Trip to Chinatown.[4]

text: The role of Dolly Levi in the musical was originally written for Ethel Merman, but Merman turned it down, as did Mary Martin (although each eventually played it).[3] Merrick then auditioned Nancy Walker. Eventually, he hired Carol Channing, who then created in Dolly her signature role.[5] Director Gower Champion was not the producer's first choice, as Hal Prince and others (among them Jerome Robbins and Joe Layton) all turned down the job of directing the musical.[6]

text: Hello, Dolly! had rocky out-of-town tryouts in Detroit and Washington, D.C.[5] After receiving the reviews, the creators made major changes to the script and score, including the addition of the song "Before the Parade Passes By".[7] The show was originally entitled Dolly, A Damned Exasperating Woman [8] and Call on Dolly but Merrick changed the title immediately upon hearing Louis Armstrong's version of "Hello, Dolly". The show became one of the most iconic Broadway shows of its era, the latter half of the 1960s, running for 2,844 performances, and was for a time the longest-running musical in Broadway history. During that decade, ten "blockbuster" musicals played over 1,000 performances and three played over 2,000, helping to redefine "success" for the Broadway musical genre.[9]

text: Synopsis[edit]

text: Sources: Tams-Witmark[10] Guide to Musical Theatre[11] Masterworks Broadway[12]

text: Act I[edit]

text: As the 19th becomes the 20th century, all of New York City is excited because widowed but brassy Dolly Gallagher Levi is in town ("Call On Dolly"). Dolly makes a living through what she calls "meddling" – matchmaking and numerous sidelines, including dance instruction and mandolin lessons ("I Put My Hand In"). She is currently seeking a wife for grumpy Horace Vandergelder, the well-known half-a-millionaire, but it becomes clear that Dolly intends to marry Horace herself. Ambrose Kemper, a young artist, wants to marry Horace's weepy niece Ermengarde, but Horace opposes this because Ambrose's vocation does not guarantee a steady living. Ambrose enlists Dolly's help, and they travel to Yonkers, New York to visit Horace, who is a prominent citizen there and owns Vandergelder's Hay and Feed.

text: Horace explains to his two clerks, Cornelius Hackl and Barnaby Tucker, that he is going to get married because "It Takes a Woman" to cheerfully do all the household chores. He plans to travel with Dolly to New York City to march in the Fourteenth Street Association Parade and propose to the widow Irene Molloy, who owns a hat shop there. Dolly arrives in Yonkers and "accidentally" mentions that Irene's first husband might not have died of natural causes, and also mentions that she knows an heiress, Ernestina Money, who may be interested in Horace. Horace leaves for New York and leaves Cornelius and Barnaby to run the store.

text: Cornelius decides that he and Barnaby need to get out of Yonkers. They'll go to New York, have a good meal, spend all their money, see the stuffed whale in Barnum's museum, almost get arrested, and each kiss a girl! They blow up some tomato cans to create a terrible stench and a good alibi to close the store. Dolly mentions that she knows two ladies in New York they should call on: Irene Molloy and her shop assistant, Minnie Fay. She tells Ermengarde and Ambrose that she'll enter them in the polka competition at the upscale Harmonia Gardens Restaurant in New York City so Ambrose can demonstrate his ability to be a breadwinner to Horace. Cornelius, Barnaby, Ambrose, Ermengarde and Dolly take the train to New York ("Put On Your Sunday Clothes").

text: Irene and Minnie open their hat shop for the afternoon. Irene wants a husband, but does not love Horace Vandergelder. She declares that she will wear an elaborate hat to impress a gentleman ("Ribbons Down My Back"). Cornelius and Barnaby arrive at the shop and pretend to be rich. Horace and Dolly arrive at the shop, and Cornelius and Barnaby hide from him. Irene inadvertently mentions that she knows Cornelius Hackl, and Dolly tells her and Horace that even though Cornelius is Horace's clerk by day, he's a New York playboy by night; he's one of the Hackls. Minnie screams when she finds Cornelius hiding in the armoire. Horace is about to open the armoire himself, but Dolly, Irene and Minnie distract him with patriotic sentiments related to subjects like Betsy Ross and The Battle of the Alamo shown in the famous lyrics "Alamo, remember the Alamo!" ("Motherhood March"). Cornelius sneezes, and Horace storms out, realizing there are men hiding in the shop, but not knowing they are his clerks.

text: Dolly arranges for Cornelius and Barnaby, who are still pretending to be rich, to take the ladies out to dinner to the Harmonia Gardens restaurant to make up for their humiliation. She teaches Cornelius and Barnaby how to dance since they always have dancing at such establishments ("Dancing"). Soon, Cornelius, Irene, Barnaby, and Minnie are happily dancing. They go to watch the great 14th Street Association Parade together. Alone, Dolly decides to put her dear departed husband Ephram behind her and to move on with life "Before the Parade Passes By". She asks Ephram's permission to marry Horace, requesting a sign from him. Dolly catches up with the annoyed Vandergelder, who has missed the whole parade, and she convinces him to give her matchmaking one more chance. She tells him that Ernestina Money would be perfect for him and asks him to meet her at the swanky Harmonia Gardens that evening.

text: Act II[edit]

text: Cornelius is determined to get a kiss before the night is over, but Barnaby isn't so sure. As the clerks have no money for a carriage, they tell the girls that walking to the restaurant shows that they've got "Elegance". At the Harmonia Gardens Restaurant, Rudolph, the head waiter, prepares his service crew for Dolly Levi's return: their usual lightning service, he tells them, must be "twice as lightning" ("The Waiters' Gallop"). Horace arrives with his date, but she proves neither as rich nor as elegant as Dolly had implied; furthermore she is soon bored by Horace and leaves, as Dolly had planned she would.

text: Cornelius, Barnaby, and their dates arrive, unaware that Horace is also dining at the restaurant. Irene and Minnie, inspired by the restaurant's opulence, order the menu's most expensive items. Cornelius and Barnaby grow increasingly anxious as they discover they have little more than a dollar left. Dolly makes her triumphant return to the Harmonia Gardens and is greeted in style by the staff ("Hello, Dolly!") She sits in the now-empty seat at Horace's table and proceeds to eat a large, expensive dinner, telling the exasperated Horace that no matter what he says, she will not marry him. Barnaby and Horace hail waiters at the same time, and in the ensuing confusion each drops his wallet and inadvertently picks up the other's. Barnaby is delighted that he can now pay the restaurant bill, while Horace finds only a little spare change. Barnaby and Cornelius realize that the wallet must belong to Horace. Cornelius, Irene, Barnaby and Minnie try to sneak out during "The Polka Contest", but Horace recognizes them and spots Ermengarde and Ambrose as well. The ensuing free-for-all culminates in a trip to night court.

text: Cornelius and Barnaby confess that they have no money and have never been to New York before. Cornelius declares that even if he has to dig ditches the rest of his life, he'll never forget the day because he had met Irene. Cornelius, Barnaby, and Ambrose then each profess their love for their companion ("It Only Takes A Moment"). Dolly convinces the judge that their only crime was being in love. The judge finds everyone innocent and cleared of all charges, but Horace is declared guilty and forced to pay damages. Dolly mentions marriage again, and Horace declares that he wouldn't marry her if she were the last woman in the world. Dolly angrily bids him "So Long, Dearie", telling him that while he's bored and lonely, she'll be living the high life.

text: The next morning, back at the hay and feed store, Cornelius and Irene, Barnaby and Minnie, and Ambrose and Ermengarde each set out on new life's paths. A chastened Horace Vandergelder finally admits that he needs Dolly in his life, but Dolly is unsure about the marriage until her late husband sends her a sign. Vandergelder spontaneously repeats a saying of Ephram's: "Money is like manure. It's not worth a thing unless it's spread about, encouraging young things to grow." Horace tells Dolly life would be dull without her, and she promises in return that she'll "never go away again" ("Hello, Dolly" (reprise)).

text: Characters[edit]

text:
Dolly Levi: A widow in her middle years who has decided to begin her life again. She is a matchmaker, meddler, opportunist, and a life-loving woman.
Horace Vandergelder: The proprietor of a Hay & Feed store and a client of Dolly Levi. A well-known half-a-millionaire, he is a widower, gruff, authoritative, and set in his ways.
Cornelius Hackl: Vandergelder’s chief clerk who yearns for one exciting day in NYC. Energetic, enthusiastic, and adventurous young man who has a sweet innocence about him.
Barnaby Tucker: An assistant to Cornelius at Vandergelder’s Hay & Feed store. He is sweet, naïve, energetic, and a follower.
Irene Molloy: A widow and a beautiful, smart, fun-loving milliner with a hat shop in New York. Dolly has introduced her to Horace Vandergelder but she yearns for romance.
Minnie Fay: A young girl who works in Irene’s hat shop. Irene’s assistant, she is a naïve, strait-laced, fresh, and a follower.
Ambrose Kemper: A young and explosive struggling artist seeking to marry Ermengarde.
Ermengarde: The young niece of Horace Vandergelder. She cries often and wants her independence and wants to marry Ambrose.
Ernestina Money: An eccentric-looking girl in need of Dolly’s matchmaker services.
Rudolf Reisenweber: Maître d' of the Harmonia Gardens restaurant.
Waiters: A group of waiters at the Harmonia Gardens restaurant.
Judge: A white-whiskered night court judge. Easily moved to tears by romance.

text: Characters and original cast[edit]

text:
Character
Broadway
(1964)
West End
(1965)
Broadway
(1968)
Broadway
(1978)
West End
(1979)
West End
(1984)
Broadway
(1995)
Paper Mill Playhouse
(2006)
West End
(2009)
Broadway
(2017)

Dolly Gallagher Levi
Carol Channing
Mary Martin
Pearl Bailey
Carol Channing
Danny La Rue
Carol Channing
Tovah Feldshuh
Samantha Spiro
Bette Midler

Horace Vandergelder
David Burns
Loring Smith
Cab Calloway
Eddie Bracken
Lionel Jeffries
Jay Garner
Walter Charles
Allan Corduner
David Hyde Pierce

Cornelius Hackl
Charles Nelson Reilly
Garrett Lewis
Terrence Emanuel
Lee Roy Reams
Tudor Davies
Michael Sadler
Michael DeVries
Jonathan Rayson
Daniel Crossley
Gavin Creel

Barnaby Tucker
Jerry Dodge
Johnny Beecher
Grenoldo Frazier
Robert Lydiard
Richard Drabble
Mark Haddigan
Cory English
Brian Sears
Oliver Brenin
Taylor Trensch

Irene Molloy
Eileen Brennan
Marilynn Lovell
Mary Louise
Florence Lacey
Maureen Scott
Lorna Dallas
Florence Lacey
Kate Baldwin
Josefina Gabrielle
Kate Baldwin

Minnie Fay
Sondra Lee
Coco Ramirez
Chip Fields
Alexandra Korey
Mandy More
Pollyann Tanner
Lori Ann Mahl
Jessica-Snow Wilson
Akiya Henry
Beanie Feldstein

Ambrose Kemper
Igors Gavon
Mark Alden
Howard Porter
Michael C. Booker

David Ellen
James Darrah
Drew Gehling
Mark Anderson
Will Burton

Ermengarde
Alice Playten
Beverlee Weir
Karen Hubbard
K.T. Baumann

Sue Latimer
Christine DeVito

Clare Louise Connolly
Melanie Moore

Ernestina
Mary Jo Catlett
Judith Drake
Bessye Ruth Scott
P.J. Nelson

Carol Kaye
Monica M. Wemitt

Jennifer Simard

tag: table

text: Musical numbers[edit]

text:
Act I

Prologue ("Hello, Dolly!") – Orchestra
"Call On Dolly" – Ensemble
"I Put My Hand In" — Dolly
"It Takes A Woman" — Horace, Cornelius, Barnaby and the Men
"It Takes A Woman (Reprise)" – Horace
"World, Take Me Back" – Dolly*
"Put On Your Sunday Clothes" — Cornelius, Barnaby, Dolly, Ambrose, Ermengarde, and Ensemble
"Ribbons Down My Back" — Irene
"Ribbons Down My Back (Reprise)" – Irene
"Motherhood March" — Dolly, Irene, Minnie, and Horace
"Dancing" — Dolly, Cornelius, Barnaby, Irene, Minnie, and Dancers
"Love, Look In My Window" – Dolly*
"Before the Parade Passes By" — Dolly and the Company
"Finale Act I: Before The Parade Passes By" – Dolly

Act II

"Entr'acte" – Orchestra
"Elegance" — Cornelius, Barnaby, Irene, Minnie
"The Waiters' Gallop" — Rudolph and the Waiters
"Hello, Dolly!" — Dolly, Rudolph, Waiters, Cooks
"The Waiters' Gallop (Reprise)" – Rudolph and Waiters
"The Polka Contest" — Orchestra**
"It Only Takes a Moment" — Cornelius and Irene, Prisoners and Policeman
"So Long, Dearie" — Dolly
"Finale Act II: Hello, Dolly! / Dancing / It Only Takes A Moment / Put On Your Sunday Clothes / Hello, Dolly!" — The Company

text:
*Song cut before Broadway Opening, reinstated when Ethel Merman joined to play Dolly.
**Song replaced "Come and Be My Butterfly" during Broadway Run.

text: Horace Vangergelder's solo "Penny in my Pocket", although it received rave responses out of town, was cut prior to the Broadway opening for reasons of time. For the 2017 Broadway Revival, it was added back in as the opening of Act Two in front of the curtain.

text: The song "Elegance", though credited to Herman, was written by Bob Merrill for the 1957 show New Girl in Town but deleted from the original production.[13]

text: Productions[edit]

text: Original Broadway production[edit]

text: The musical, directed and choreographed by Gower Champion and produced by David Merrick, opened on January 16, 1964, at the St. James Theatre and closed on December 27, 1970, after 2,844 performances. Carol Channing starred as Dolly, with a supporting cast that included David Burns as Horace, Charles Nelson Reilly as Cornelius, Eileen Brennan as Irene, Jerry Dodge as Barnaby, Sondra Lee as Minnie Fay, Alice Playten as Ermengarde, and Igors Gavon as Ambrose. Although facing competition from Funny Girl with Barbra Streisand, Hello, Dolly! swept the Tony Awards that year, winning awards in ten categories [14] (out of eleven nominations) that tied the musical with the previous record keeper South Pacific, a record that remained unbroken for 37 years until The Producers won twelve Tonys in 2001.

text: After Channing left the show, Merrick employed a string of prominent actresses to play Dolly, including Ginger Rogers, Martha Raye, Betty Grable, Pearl Bailey (in an all-black version with Cab Calloway, Mabel King, Clifton Davis, Ernestine Jackson and a young Morgan Freeman), Phyllis Diller, and Ethel Merman after having turned down the lead at the show's inception. Two songs cut prior to the opening — typical Mermanesque belt style songs "World, Take Me Back" and "Love, Look in My Window" — were restored for her run. Thelma Carpenter played Dolly at all matinees during the Pearl Bailey production and subbed more than a hundred times, at one point playing all performances for seven straight weeks. Bibi Osterwald was the standby for Dolly in the original Broadway production, subbing for all the stars, including Bailey, despite the fact that Osterwald was a blue-eyed blonde. Bailey received a Special Tony Award in 1968.[15]

text: The show received rave reviews,[5][16] with "praise for Carol Channing and particularly Gower Champion."[17] The original production became the longest-running musical (and third longest-running show)[18] in Broadway history up to that time, surpassing My Fair Lady and then being surpassed in turn by Fiddler on the Roof. The Broadway production of Hello Dolly grossed $27 million.[19] Hello, Dolly! and Fiddler remained the longest-running Broadway record holders for nearly ten years until Grease surpassed them.

text: Dorothy Lamour, Eve Arden, Ann Sothern, Michele Lee, Edie Adams, and Yvonne De Carlo played the role on tour. Betty White appeared with the Kenley Players as Dolly in the summer of 1979. Molly Picon appeared as Dolly in a 1971 production by the North Shore Music Theatre of Beverly, Massachusetts. Lainie Kazan starred in a production at the Claridge Atlantic City. Both Tovah Feldshuh and Betsy Palmer played Dolly in productions by the Paper Mill Playhouse. Marilyn Maye also starred in several regional productions and recorded a full album of the score.

text: Original London production[edit]

text: Hello, Dolly! premiered in the West End at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on December 2, 1965 and ran for 794 performances. Champion directed and choreographed, and the cast starred Mary Martin as Dolly (after she, as well as Merman, had turned down the role for the original run of the show), Loring Smith as Horace Vandergelder (Smith had created the Horace role in the original production of The Matchmaker), Johnny Beecher as Barnaby, Garrett Lewis as Cornelius, Mark Alden as Ambrose Kemper, and Marilynn Lovell as Irene Molloy. Dora Bryan replaced Martin during the run.[20]

text: Revivals[edit]

text: The show has been revived four times on Broadway:

text:
November 6, 1975 – December 28, 1975, Minskoff Theatre – Starring Pearl Bailey and Billy Daniels in an all-black production (42 performances)
March 5, 1978 – July 9, 1978, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre – Starring Carol Channing and Eddie Bracken (147 performances)
October 19, 1995 – January 28, 1996, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre – Starring Carol Channing and Jay Garner (116 performances)
March 15, 2017 (previews), opened April 20, 2017, Shubert Theatre – Starring Bette Midler and David Hyde Pierce

text: In the West End the show has been revived three times:

text:
1979 – Starring Carol Channing at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and Shaftesbury Theatre
January 3, 1984 – April 27, 1984 – Starring female impersonator Danny La Rue as Dolly at the Prince of Wales Theatre[21]
July 30, 2009 – September 12, 2009 – Starring Samantha Spiro (Dolly) and Allan Corduner (Horace) at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park.[22] Spiro won the Olivier Award for her performance.

text: In 1989, there was a UK tour of the show directed and choreographed by Paul Kerryson, starring Dora Bryan. Kerryson went on to direct the show again in 2014 at the Curve Theatre in Leicester UK, starring Janie Dee.

text: 2017 Broadway revival[edit]

text: On January 19, 2016, it was announced that Bette Midler would play the title role in a Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly!. Previews began March 15, 2017, officially opening on April 20, 2017, at the Shubert Theatre.[23][24][25]

text: The production is produced by Scott Rudin, directed by Jerry Zaks and choreographed by Warren Carlyle. David Hyde Pierce plays Horace Vandergelder.[26] Other principal casting for this revival includes: Kate Baldwin as Irene Molloy, Gavin Creel as Cornelius Hackl, Jennifer Simard as Ernestina Money, Taylor Trensch as Barnaby Tucker, Will Burton as Ambrose Kemper, Melanie Moore as Ermengarde, and[27] Beanie Feldstein as Minnie Fay.[28] Donna Murphy plays the role of Dolly at Tuesday evening performances beginning in June 2017, as well as covering Midler's holiday dates.[29] Midler will leave the production as of January 9, 2018. Bernadette Peters will take over the role of Dolly, officially starting on February 22, 2018 (with previews from January 20, 2018), and Victor Garber will take over the role of Horace Vandergelder.[30] Charlie Stemp will assume the role of Barnaby Tucker on January 20, 2018.[31]

text: International productions[edit]

text: The original German production of Hello, Dolly!, with the title character's surname "Wassiljewa" (Vasilyeva) rather than "Levi," starred Tatjana Iwanow (Tatyana Ivanov).

text: The Australian production in 1965–66 starred Carole Cook, produced by JC Williamson Theatres LTD. She was the second woman to play the role. Jack Goode as Horace and Bill Millican as Cornelius also starred. The show played at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney and Melbourne, and His Majesty's Theatre, Aukland in 1966.[32][33][34]

text: The first production in Spanish was held in 1967 at the Teatro Nacional in Buenos Aires, starring Argentinian actress and tango singer Libertad Lamarque, who also performed it in Mexico.

text: In 1985, Cuban diva Rosita Fornes played Dolly in a Cuban production of Hello, Dolly by the Teatro Karl Marx in Havana, Cuba. She also played the role in Camaguey City and in a television production under director Manolo Rifat.[35]

text: In 1989, Nonnie Griffin performed the role of Dolly for a ten-month run at Toronto's Limelight Dinner Theatre.

text: In 1996, Mexican cinema star Silvia Pinal starred in the Spanish language version of the musical, ¿Qué tal Dolly? ("What's Up, Dolly?"), opposite Ignacio Lopez Tarso in Mexico City.[36]

text: Tours[edit]

text:
Mary Martin starred in a US tour, starting in April 1965 and playing in 11 cities. The production also toured in Japan, Korea and Vietnam for a special USO performance for U.S. troops.[37]
A second US tour began in September 1965, headed by Channing, and ran for two years and nine months. Eve Arden and Dorothy Lamour were replacements.[38]
In 2008, Anita Dobson toured in the UK.[39]
Sally Struthers appeared as Dolly in the 50th anniversary tour of the musical, starting in October 2013[40]

text: Critical reception[edit]

text: Opening night reviews of the original production were generally positive, and Carol Channing's performance as Dolly Levi was greatly acclaimed; however, some reviewers criticized the score and the libretto, implying that Channing's performance was responsible for the efficacy of the show. In his review of the opening night performance, The New York Times theatre critic Howard Taubman wrote

text: "Hello, Dolly! ... has qualities of freshness and imagination that are rare in the run of our machine-made musicals. It transmutes the broadly stylized mood of a mettlesome farce into the gusto and colors of the musical stage. ... Mr. Herman's songs are brisk and pointed and always tuneful ... a shrewdly mischievous performance by Carol Channing. ... Making the necessary reservations for the unnecessary vulgar and frenzied touches, one is glad to welcome Hello, Dolly! for its warmth, color and high spirits."[41]

text: John Chapman of the New York Daily News lauded Carol Channing's performance, declaring her "the most outgoing woman on the musical stage today – big and warm, all eyes and smiles, in love with everybody in the theatre and possessing a unique voice ranging somewhat upward from a basso profundo." He also wrote, "I wouldn't say that Jerry Herman's score is memorable."[42] New York Post critic Richard Watts, Jr., wrote,

text: "The fact that [Hello, Dolly!] seems to me short on charm, warmth, and the intangible quality of distinction in no way alters my conviction that it will be an enormous popular success. Herman has composed a score that is always pleasant and agreeably tuneful, although the only number that comes to mind at the moment is the lively title song. His lyrics could be called serviceable."[42]

text: In the New York Herald Tribune, Walter Kerr wrote,

text: "Hello, Dolly! is a musical comedy dream, with Carol Channing the girl of it.... Channing opens wide her big-as-millstone eyes, spreads her white-gloved arms in ecstatic abandon, trots out on a circular runway that surrounds the orchestra, and proceeds to dance rings around the conductor.... With hair like orange sea foam, a contralto like a horse's neighing, and a confidential swagger, [she is] a musical comedy performer with all the blowzy glamor of the girls on the sheet music of 1916."

text: Kerr perceived deficiencies in the libretto, though, stating that the "lines are not always as funny as Miss Channing makes them".[42] John McClain of the New York Journal American particularly praised the staging of the musical, saying that

text: "Gower Champion deserves the big gong for performance beyond the call of duty. Seldom has a corps of dancers brought so much style and excitement to a production which could easily have been pedestrian.... It is difficult to describe the emotion [the song "Hello, Dolly!"] produces. Last night the audience nearly tore up the seats as she led the parade of waiters in a series of encores over the semi-circular runway that extends around the orchestra pit out into the audience, ... a tribute to the personal appeal of Miss Channing and the magical inventiveness of Mr. Champion's staging."[42]

text: Awards and nominations[edit]

text: Original Broadway production[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Nominee
Result

1964
New York Drama Critics Circle Award[43]
Best Musical
Won

Tony Award[44][45][46]
Best Musical
Won

Best Book of a Musical
Michael Stewart
Won

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Carol Channing
Won

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Charles Nelson Reilly
Nominated

Best Original Score
Jerry Herman
Won

Best Producer of a Musical
David Merrick
Won

Best Direction of a Musical
Gower Champion
Won

Best Choreography
Won

Best Conductor and Musical Director
Shepard Coleman
Won

Best Scenic Design
Oliver Smith
Won

Best Costume Design
Freddy Wittop
Won

1968
Special Tony Award[47][48][49]
Special Award
Pearl Bailey
Won

1970
Drama Desk Award[50][51]
Outstanding Performance
Ethel Merman
Won

text: 1978 Broadway revival[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Nominee
Result

1978
Tony Award[52]
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Eddie Bracken
Nominated

text: 1979 West End revival[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Nominee
Result

1979
Olivier Award
Best Actress in a Musical
Carol Channing
Nominated

text: 1995 Broadway revival[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Nominee
Result

1996
Tony Award[53][54]
Best Revival of a Musical
Nominated

text: 2009 Open Air Theatre revival[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Nominee
Result

2010
Laurence Olivier Award[55]
Best Musical Revival
Won

Best Actress in a Musical
Samantha Spiro
Won

Best Theatre Choreographer
Stephen Mear
Won

text: 2017 Broadway revival[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Nominee
Result

2017
Tony Award
Best Revival of a Musical
Won

Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
David Hyde Pierce
Nominated

Best Actress in a Leading Role in Musical
Bette Midler
Won

Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Gavin Creel
Won

Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Kate Baldwin
Nominated

Best Direction of a Musical
Jerry Zaks
Nominated

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Santo Loquasto
Nominated

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Won

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Natasha Katz
Nominated

Best Orchestrations
Larry Hochman
Nominated

Drama Desk Award
Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Won

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Bette Midler
Won

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Gavin Creel
Won

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Kate Baldwin
Nominated

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Jerry Zaks
Nominated

Outstanding Choreographer
Warren Carlyle
Nominated

Outstanding Set Design
Natasha Katz
Nominated

Outstanding Costume Design
Santo Loquasto
Nominated

Outstanding Sound Design
Scott Lehrer
Nominated

Outstanding Wigs and Hair
Campbell Young Associates
Nominated

Drama League Award
Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical
Won

Distinguished Performance
David Hyde Pierce
Nominated

Outer Critics Circle Award
Outstanding Revival of a Broadway Musical
Won

Outstanding Actor in a Musical
David Hyde Pierce
Nominated

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Bette Midler
Won

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Gavin Creel
Won

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Kate Baldwin
Nominated

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Jerry Zaks
Nominated

Outstanding Choreographer
Warren Carlyle
Won

Outstanding Costume Design
Santo Loquasto
Nominated

Outstanding Lighting Design
Natasha Katz
Nominated

Outstanding Orchestrations
Larry Hochman
Won

Chita Rivera Awards
Outstanding Ensemble in a Broadway Show
Nominated

Outstanding Choreography in a Broadway Show
Warren Carlyle
Nominated

text: Recordings[edit]

text: The RCA Victor cast recording of the original Broadway production was released in 1964. It was the number-one album on the Billboard pop albums chart for seven weeks and the top album of the year on the Year-End chart. In 1965, a recording of the original London production was released. In 1967, RCA Victor released a recording of the all-black Broadway replacement cast, featuring Pearl Bailey, who also starred in the unrecorded 1975 revival. The movie soundtrack was released in 1969. On November 15, 1994, the 1994 revival cast recording was released.[56]

text: Cultural influence[edit]

text:
In 1964, Armstrong's recording of the song, "Hello, Dolly!", rose to number one on the Billboard pop chart,[57][58] making Armstrong, at age 62, the oldest person ever to accomplish that feat. In the process, Armstrong dislodged The Beatles "Can't Buy Me Love" from the number-one position they had occupied for 14 consecutive weeks with three different songs.
The title song was sung in the 1999 film Dick by actor Dan Hedaya, playing President Richard Nixon.[59]
The red satin, sequin-bedecked costume, designed by Freddy Wittop, that Channing wore during Hello, Dolly! was donated to the Smithsonian by Channing and theatrical producer Manny Kladitis, following the thirtieth anniversary tour of the show. It is currently on display at the National Museum of American History.[60] While Miss Channing's Harmonia Gardens gown is in the Smithsonian, the remainder of the original Freddy Wittop costumes are now housed in the permanent collection of the Costume World Broadway Collection, a theatrical museum dedicated to Broadway costuming located in Pompano Beach, Florida.[61]

text: Footnotes[edit]

text:
Jump up ^ Grammy Hall of Fame Award Archived 2015-07-07 at the Wayback Machine.
Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel. Top Pop Albums (2010), Record Research, ISBN 0-89820-183-7, p.973
^ Jump up to: a b "Hello Dolly! – New Wimbledon Theatre" IndieLondon, March 2008
Jump up ^ Saltzman, Simon. "A CurtainUp Feature. Hello Dollys. . .They Never Say Good-Bye" Curtain Up, 2006, retrieved March 16, 2017
^ Jump up to: a b c Kenrick, John.Musicals101 "Hello, Dolly! article" Musicals101.com
Jump up ^ Gilvey, John Anthony. Before the Parade Passes by: Gower Champion and the Glorious American Musical (2005), St. Martin's Press, ISBN 0-312-33776-0, p. 117
Jump up ^ Gilvey, p. 149
Jump up ^ Bloom, p. 152.
Jump up ^ Kantor, p. 302
Jump up ^ Hello, Dolly! tamswitmark.com, accessed December 20, 2016
Jump up ^ Hello, Dolly! guidetomusicaltheatre.com, accessed December 20, 2016
Jump up ^ Hello, Dolly!" masterworksbroadway.com, accessed December 20, 2016
Jump up ^ Suskin, Show Tunes, p. 263
Jump up ^ " 'Hello, Dolly!' Listing" tams-witmark.com, accessed March 29, 2012
Jump up ^ Sullivan, Dan. " 'Rosencrantz' and 'Hallelujah, Baby!' Garner Tonys: Zoe Caldwell and Balsam Capture Acting Honors", The New York Times, April 22, 1968, p.58
Jump up ^ Bovson article
Jump up ^ Green, Stanley. Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre, Da Capo Press, 1980, ISBN 0-306-80113-2, p. 183
Jump up ^ "Long Runs on Broadway" playbill.com, retrieved July 1, 2010
Jump up ^ Bloom, Ken, and Vlastnik, Frank. Broadway Musicals: The 101 Greatest Shows of all Time, pp. 302. Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, New York, 2004. ISBN 1-57912-390-2
Jump up ^ "1965 London production" BroadwayWorld.com
Jump up ^ " 'Hello, Dolly!' listing" thisistheatre.com, retrieved July 1, 2010
Jump up ^ " 'Hello, Dolly!' listing" openairtheatre.org, retrieved July 1, 2010
Jump up ^ Kennedy, Mark. "Bette Midler to return to Broadway in 'Hello, Dolly!'". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 21 January 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
Jump up ^ McPhee, Ryan. "Get a First Look at Bette Midler in 'Hello, Dolly!' Playbill, March 14, 2017
Jump up ^ Soloski, Alexis (April 21, 2017). "Hello, Dolly! review – Bette Midler is irresistible in a riotous delight". The Guardian. Manchester.
Jump up ^ Gans, Andrew (May 17, 2016). "David Hyde Pierce Will Join Bette Midler in Hello, Dolly!". Playbill. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
Jump up ^ Hetrick, Adam. "Kate Baldwin, Gavin Creel, Jennifer Simard Join Bette Midler 'Hello, Dolly!' ", Playbill, September 16, 2016
Jump up ^ Viagas, Robert. "Broadway’s 'Hello, Dolly!' Casts Its Minnie Fay", Playbill, October 18, 2016
Jump up ^ Hetrick, Adam (October 20, 2016). "Donna Murphy Will Play Matchmaker Once a Week in Broadway’s 'Hello, Dolly!'". Playbill.
Jump up ^ McPhee, Ryan. "Bernadette Peters Will Succeed Bette Midler in Broadway's 'Hello, Dolly!'" Playbill, September 5, 2017
Jump up ^ McPhee, Ryan. "Charlie Stemp Will Make Broadway Debut in 'Hello, Dolly!' Alongside Bernadette Peters and Victor Garber" Playbill, September 7, 2017
Jump up ^ "Call on Dolly" callondolly.com, accessed September 24, 2016
Jump up ^ " 'Hello, Dolly!' Australia" ovrtur.com, accessed September 24, 2016
Jump up ^ "Stage set for the J. C. Williamson production of 'Hello, Dolly!'" nla.gov.au, accessed September 24, 2016
Jump up ^ "YouTube video"
Jump up ^ The Latin American Musical Comedy Stars: Silvia Pinal
Jump up ^ Information about a documentary chronicling Martin's Asian tour in Hello, Dolly! imdb.com
Jump up ^ Green, Stanley."Encyclopedia Of The Musical Theatre" (1980), Da Capo Press, ISBN 0-306-80113-2, p. 183
Jump up ^ Edmonds, Richard. "'Hello Dolly!' review" thestage.co.uk, 8 February 2008
Jump up ^ Hetrick, Adam. "50th Anniversary Tour of 'Hello, Dolly!', Starring Sally Struthers, Parades Across U.S. Beginning Oct. 5" playbill.com, October 5, 2013
Jump up ^ Taubman, Howard. "Hello Dolly!". The New York Times, 1964
^ Jump up to: a b c d Suskin, Steven. Opening Night on Broadway: A Critical Quotebook of the Golden Era of the Musical Theatre, pp. 297–301. Schirmer Books, New York, 1990. ISBN 0-02-872625-1
Jump up ^ "New York Drama Critics Past Awards, 1964" dramacritics.org, accessed March 29, 2012
Jump up ^ " 'Hello Dolly' Listing, 1964–1970" Internet Broadway Database, accessed March 29, 2012
Jump up ^ "Tony Awards, 1964" broadwayworld.com, accessed March 29, 2012
Jump up ^ "Tony Award Winners, 1964" infoplease.com, accessed March 29, 2012
Jump up ^ "Tony Awards, 1968" broadwayworld.com, accessed March 29, 2012
Jump up ^ "Pearl Bailey Listing, Awards and Nominations" Internet Broadway Database, accessed March 29, 2012
Jump up ^ "Tony Award Winners, 1968" infoplease.com, accessed March 29, 2012
Jump up ^ "Drama Desk, 1969–1970" dramadesk.org, accessed March 29, 2012
Jump up ^ Flinn, Caryl. "Chapter 17" Brass Diva: The Life and Legends of Ethel Merman (2007), University of California Press, ISBN 0-520-22942-8, p.376
Jump up ^ " 'Hello, Dolly!' Tony Awards Listing" broadwayworld.com, accessed March 29, 2012
Jump up ^ "Tony Awards 1996" broadwayworld.com, accessed March 29, 2012
Jump up ^ Evans, Greg. "50th Tonys raise 'Rent' with 'Class' ", Daily Variety, June 3, 1996, p.1
Jump up ^ "Olivier Winners 2010" Archived 2012-09-07 at Archive.is olivierawards.com, accessed March 29, 2012
Jump up ^ Release date of 1994 revival album Amazon.com, retrieved June 26, 2010
Jump up ^ "'Hello, Dolly!' Louis Armstrong Listing" allmusic.com, accessed April 2, 2012
Jump up ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Song Review" allmusic.com, accessed April 2, 2012
Jump up ^ "Movie/Video Review. 'Dick' " All-Reviews.com, accessed April 2, 2012
Jump up ^ ""Hello, Dolly" Dress". National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
Jump up ^ "Broadway Collection" costumeworld.com, accessed April 2, 2012

tag: ol


document_title: The Middle (TV series)

question_text: where does the show the middle take place

root

text: The Middle (TV series)

text: Episodes[edit]

text:
Season
Episodes
Originally aired

First aired
Last aired

1
24
September 30, 2009 (2009-09-30)
May 19, 2010 (2010-05-19)

2
24
September 22, 2010 (2010-09-22)
May 25, 2011 (2011-05-25)

3
24
September 21, 2011 (2011-09-21)
May 23, 2012 (2012-05-23)

4
24
September 26, 2012 (2012-09-26)
May 22, 2013 (2013-05-22)

5
24
September 25, 2013 (2013-09-25)
May 21, 2014 (2014-05-21)

6
24
September 24, 2014 (2014-09-24)
May 13, 2015 (2015-05-13)

7
24
September 23, 2015 (2015-09-23)
May 18, 2016 (2016-05-18)

8
23
October 11, 2016 (2016-10-11)
May 16, 2017 (2017-05-16)

9
24[5]
October 3, 2017 (2017-10-03)
TBA

text: Cast and characters[edit]

text: The series features Frances "Frankie" Heck (Patricia Heaton), a middle class, middle-aged, Midwestern[6] woman and her husband Mike (Neil Flynn), who reside in the small fictional town of Orson, Indiana based on the real town of Jasper, Indiana.[7] They are the parents of three children, Axl (Charlie McDermott), Sue (Eden Sher), and Brick (Atticus Shaffer).[8]

tag: p

text: The series is narrated by Frankie, initially an under-performing salesperson at a used-car dealership and later a dental assistant. Her stoic husband Mike manages a local quarry and serves as a stabilizing influence in the family, though Frankie complains about his lack of affection at times. The kids are quite different from one another: oldest son Axl, a popular but lazy teenager, does well in sports but not in academics; daughter Sue is an enthusiastic young teen but chronically unsuccessful and socially awkward; and youngest son Brick is an intelligent but introverted compulsive reader with odd behavioral traits.

text: There are numerous recurring characters that the Hecks encounter in and around Orson.

text: Main[edit]

text:
Patricia Heaton as Frances "Frankie" Heck (née Spence), wife of Mike and mother of Axl, Sue, and Brick. Frankie is the central character in the show, as her voice is heard narrating at various points in every episode. She lost her job at a car dealership in season 4 and is now a dental assistant.
Neil Flynn as Michael "Mike" Heck Jr., Frankie's husband, known for his straightforward, sometimes distant manner and emotional stability. Mike works at the local limestone quarry as the manager and has a no-nonsense approach to work and family.
Charlie McDermott as Axl Redford Heck, the oldest child of Frankie and Mike. Popular and athletic in school, he is also sarcastic, lazy, narcissistic, and often dominant over his younger siblings. He sometimes gives his siblings affection, but tries to hide it. In season 1, Axl was starting his freshman year of high school and proceeded to graduate high school at the end of season 4. He goes to fictional East Indiana State University on a football scholarship and becomes a business major. He starts dating Lexie in the season 8 episode "The Par-Tay", and graduates college in season 8's "The Final Final".
Eden Sher as Sue Sue Heck, the socially awkward middle child of Frankie and Mike. Her genuine nature, bubbly personality, and persistent sunny optimism tend to make others view her as annoying and makes her an object of ridicule, especially by her older brother. As of season 3, Sue was starting her freshman year of high school and proceeded to graduate from high school at the end of season 6, going to East Indiana State University on a financial aid package. Sue has a crush on Sean Donahue (Beau Wirick). As of season 9, she is presumably a Junior pursuing a degree in Hospitality and Hotel Management.
Atticus Shaffer as Brick Ishmael Heck, youngest of Mike and Frankie's children. He loves to read and is very intelligent, but is also introverted, odd, and often easily distracted. Occasionally, while speaking, he will lower his head and repeat the last word spoken in an audible whisper. In season 1, Brick was starting second grade. He is a sophomore in high school as of the season 9 premiere.
Chris Kattan (regular seasons 1–2, recurring season 3, guest seasons 4 and 5) as Bob Weaver, Frankie's co-worker and friend at Ehlert Motors, where Frankie works for the first three seasons. After she gets fired in season 4, Frankie and Bob lose touch.

tag: ul

text: Recurring[edit]

text:
Don Ehlert (Brian Doyle-Murray) (season 1–6) is the owner of Ehlert Motors, where Frankie works for the first three seasons before she gets fired in early season 4. He is a crass, slightly overweight man that seems to be rude to Frankie because she is female, often referring to her as "Frances" instead of her preferred name. He likes Mike as the two often talk about sports.
Pete Miller (Peter Breitmayer) (seasons 1–4) is Ehlert Motors' best salesman and star employee. He is disliked by Frankie and Bob for his continuous boasting and teacher's-pet relationship with Mr. Ehlert.
Edie and Ginny Freehold (Jeanette Miller and Frances Bay) are Frankie's elderly great-aunts who are heavy smokers and drinkers. Throughout the series, it is heavily hinted that none of the Hecks enjoy looking after them. Both characters die off-screen. Ginny dies in season 3 (following Bay's death) and Edie in season 6 (after Miller retired from acting).
Brad Bottig (Brock Ciarlelli) is Sue's flamboyant, theater-loving, tap dancing, and slightly camp "boyfriend" in season 1. After she catches him smoking at his house, they split up but remain close friends. In season 7, he comes out as gay to Sue in a passive way but she already knew and is happy for him. They remain close friends after graduation, meeting up when they can. They both spent summer 2016 (between seasons 7–8) working at Dollywood. In season 8, Brad transferred to East Indiana State because he disliked NYU.
Carly (Blaine Saunders) (season 1–6) is Sue's best friend in school, and for a while is her only close female friend. The two girls are extremely alike but lose contact after graduation.
Sean Donahue (Beau Wirick) is one of Axl's best friends, teammate on the high school football team, and Nancy Donahue's only son. He is outwardly complimentary and polite to the Hecks, but also supports many of Axl's schemes. He takes on a "hippie" persona in season 7 while in college at the University of Notre Dame, but has reverted to a clean-cut look in season 8. It is revealed in season 8 that he has a crush on Sue.
Nancy Donahue (Jen Ray) is the Hecks' idyllic neighbor of whom the Hecks are shown to be jealous. Frankie is shown trying to imitate Nancy's parenting, but mostly fails.
Ron Donahue (Sean O'Bryan) is the Hecks' neighbor, Nancy's husband, and Sean's dad.
Darrin McGrew (John Gammon) (seasons 1–6) is Axl's dimwitted other best friend and teammate, and becomes Sue's boyfriend in season 4. They break up and get together again, then finally decide to split up in season 6 after Darrin proposed marriage and Sue declined. The character has not appeared since.
Paula Norwood (Julie Brown) is another of the Hecks' neighbors.
Bill Norwood (Pat Finn) is Paula's husband and one of the Hecks' neighbors.
Michael "Big Mike" Heck Sr. (John Cullum) is Mike's reclusive, man-of-few-words, hoarder father.
Orville "Rusty" Heck (Norm Macdonald) is Mike's unreliable, silly, yet optimistic and cheerful younger brother. He sometimes lives with Big Mike and started a diaper business with Mike.
Pat Spence (Marsha Mason) is Frankie's mother. She is keen to help the Hecks in any way she can and spoils the kids, much to Frankie's annoyance.
Tag Spence (Jerry Van Dyke) is Frankie's father and Pat's husband. He seems to like Mike a lot and spends a lot of time with him, much to Mike's annoyance.
Janet (Molly Shannon) is Frankie's perfectionist sister who has so far only appeared in two episodes of the entire series (S3E10 "Thanksgiving III" and S4E18 "The Name") but is referenced a lot.
Reverend Timothy "Tim-Tom" Thomas (Paul Hipp), is a musical, charismatic/hip-to-the-kids youth minister at the Hecks' church whom Sue deeply admires for his meaningful and jolly songs about the difficulties of teenage life. He has appeared in at least one episode each season.
Rita Glossner (Brooke Shields) is the Hecks' uncouth and troubled neighbor. She is the single mother of three stealing, rude sons but apparently is not aware of their nastiness as she describes them as "good boys." The Season 8 episode "Trip and Fall" reveals that Rita has a fourth son, Rodney, her oldest child who has just made her a grandmother.
Derrick Glossner (David Chandler), Wade Glossner (Parker Bolek), Diaper Glossner (Gibson Bobby Sjobeck), and an unnamed girl make up the dreaded Glossner children, Rita's rowdy, foul-mouthed, rude, burglarizing offspring.
Zack (Andrew J. Fishman) (season 1–3) is Brick's friend from the socially challenged class. He sometimes acts like a cat, meowing and wearing oven-mitts.
Matt (Moisés Arias) is a boy on the wrestling team at Sue and Axl's school who likes Sue and becomes her first real boyfriend in season 3.
Ashley "Weird Ashley" Wyman (Katlin Mastandrea) is Axl's weird classmate who has twice been his accidental date to prom. She is also on Sue's wrestlerette team. She transfers to East Indiana State in season 6, surprising Axl at his college home.
Courtney and Debbie (Brittany Ross and Natalie Lander) (season 3–7) are two think-alike cheerleaders in Axl and Sue's high school who date Axl as one. They later work as assistant cheerleading coaches at Orson High after graduating and hint at a mutual hatred of each other.
Becky (Jessica Marie Garcia) (season 3–6) is a rough-and-tumble girl in Axl and Sue's high school who is on Sue's wrestlerette team.
Ruth (Grace Bannon) (season 3–6) is another of Sue's co-wrestlerettes; she is depicted as extremely religious.
Mrs. Tompkins (Krista Braun) is Brick's social skills mentor and guidance counselor.
Dr. Chuck Fulton (Dave Foley) is the school therapist who works with Mrs. Tompkins and counsels Brick. He is also portrayed as lonely and lives with clowder of cats. It is also implied that he has an unhealthy attachment to an ex-girlfriend named Shelley (who never appears onscreen but is referenced occasionally).
Arlo (Nick Shafer) is Brick's odd friend whom he meets during the second season.
Dr. Ted Goodwin (Jack McBrayer) is a smiley, optimistic dentist who hires Frankie as a hygienist in season 4.[9] His dental practice is taken over by Smile Sensations in season 7 but he still recurs thereafter.
Cassidy Finch (Galadriel Stineman) is Axl's tutor and later girlfriend in season 4. She's described by Axl as the first girl he's ever loved. They break up when she is accepted by a college 800 miles away.
Kenny (Tommy Bechtold) (seasons 5–8) is Axl's college roommate who does nothing but play World of Warcraft. He is very rarely known to talk, and when he does, it always comes as a shock to Axl and Hutch.
Charles "Hutch" Hutchinson (Alphonso McAuley) (seasons 5–8) is Axl's football teammate, best friend, and eventual roommate at college.
Edwin (Jimmy Bellinger) is Sue's manager at Spudsy's, where she works, starting in season 5.
Devin Levin (Gia Mantegna) (season 6–8) is a relative of Frankie's hairdresser who becomes Axl's girlfriend in season 6. They break up in season 7 after mutually agreeing they should see other people during their college years.
Cindy (Casey Burke) is a strange classmate of Brick's who becomes his girlfriend in season 6. She is part of Brick's posse (Brick, Cindy, and Troy) in season 7. In the season 7 episode "Halloween VII", it is implied that Brick and Cindy eventually marry and start a family. In season 9 Brick breaks up with Cindy, but they get back together.
Dave (Malcolm Foster Smith) is one of Mike's employees.
Jim (Troy Metcalf) is one of Mike's employees.
Chuck (Greg Cipes) is one of Mike's employees.
Troy (Jovan Armand) is Brick's large classmate who initially protects him from bullies at school, then later becomes his friend.
Logan (David Hull) is Sue's love interest beginning in late season 6. They then break up in mid season 7, as he says that he's changing his major to religious studies and wants to become a priest.
Lexie Brooks[10] (Daniela Bobadilla) is Sue's best friend and later college roommate, beginning in season 7. She is a nice, wealthy young woman (21) who shares a lot of Sue's interests and occasionally thinks others can afford the same luxuries she can and that her family's wealth is really no big deal when it actually gets pretty insane. She has a big crush on Axl, which Axl finally reciprocates in the Season 8 episode "The Par-tay".
Jeremy (Will Green) is a hardcore environmentalist and anti-capitalist whom Sue initially meets in season 7 when he is chained to a tree on campus. The two later begin dating, but Sue breaks up with Jeremy early in season 8.
Tyler (Keaton Savage) is the young man who drives the safe ride cart on the East Indiana State campus. He becomes Sue's brief love interest in Season 8.
April (Greer Grammer) is Axl's former girlfriend, introduced in the season 8 premiere. April is a pretty blonde, but disliked by most of the Heck family since she's very ditzy. Later in the season they elope off-screen. They quickly have the marriage annulled after Axl realizes his mistake, but continue to date, before breaking up in the episode "Exes and Ohhhs".
Coach Tink Babbit (Brooke Dillman) is the Volleyball coach at Orson High School.

text: Development and production[edit]

text: The series was originally developed in the 2006–07 development cycle and was to star Ricki Lake as Frankie.[8] Atticus Shaffer was the only actor to retain his role when the show was re-developed.[11] The series was created by Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Heline (who is from Muncie, Indiana)[12] and the pilot was directed by Julie Anne Robinson.[13]

text: Though based on Jasper, Indiana, Orson is actually a studio lot in Los Angeles. Set director Julie Fanton shops at traditionally mid-western places, such as Target and Kohl's, so the show appears to have a realistic middle-class look.[12]

text: The series was picked up for a full season of 24 episodes after airing just two episodes.[14] On January 12, 2010, ABC Entertainment President Steve McPherson announced that he was renewing The Middle for a second season.[15][16] The show was renewed for a third season. The third season premiered with a one-hour episode on September 21, 2011. On May 10, 2012, ABC renewed the show for a fourth season,[17] which premiered with a one-hour special on September 26, 2012. The show was renewed for a fifth season on May 10, 2013. ABC confirmed on May 9, 2014 that the series was picked up for a sixth season of 22 episodes,[18] and officially ordered an additional two episodes in October of that year, bringing the season six total to 24.

text: On May 8, 2015, ABC officially picked up the series for a seventh season, renewing the contracts of the main cast at the same time. ABC renewed the series for season eight with a 22-episode order, later expanded to 23 episodes in December 2016.[19]

text: On January 25, 2017, ABC renewed The Middle for a ninth[2] and final[4] season.

text: Reception[edit]

text: Critical reception[edit]

text:
Season
Critical response

Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes – audience score
Metacritic

1
74% (19 reviews)[20]
82% (42 reviews)[20]
70 (25 reviews)[21]

2
N/A
84% (27 reviews)[22]
N/A

3
N/A
87% (24 reviews)[23]
N/A

4
100% (5 reviews)[24]
76% (27 reviews)[24]
N/A

5
N/A
81% (71 reviews)[25]
N/A

6
N/A
80% (50 reviews)[26]
N/A

7
N/A
86% (40 reviews)[27]
N/A

8
N/A
92% (31 reviews)[27]
N/A

9
N/A
100% (7 reviews)[28]
N/A

text: The Middle has received positive reviews, citing its unique and original characters along with critics praising the show's consistent standard and its realistic portrayal of lower-middle-class families. It holds a score of 71 on the review aggregator website Metacritic as of April 1, 2011.[29] Critics praise the show's good timing, writing, and acting, with Robert Bianco of USA Today saying, "...This series seems to more assuredly offer a first-class version of what so many viewers say they want: a humorous, heartfelt, realistic look at middle-class, middle-America family life."[30] The praise has been, so far, consistent, with Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker saying that, in season two, The Middle continues to be "...a rock-solid show, the saga of a family struggling to keep their heads above the choppy economic waters..."[31] In the 2009–2010 season, The Middle ranked number six on Metacritic's "Best Reviewed New Network Show" list.[32] Airing behind the quickly cancelled Hank during its first season, ratings were not initially impressive, averaging fewer than 7 million viewers. At the start of the 2010/2011 season, ABC moved the show to the beginning of its prime time block (8:00 pm EDT) and ratings increased substantially, with the show usually ranking second in its time slot to CBS's Survivor.

text: Ratings[edit]

text:
Season
Timeslot (ET)
Episodes
Premiered
Ended
TV season
Rank (viewers)
Rank (demo)
Viewers
(in millions)
Demo (18-49)

Date
Premiere viewers
(in millions)
18–49 rating
Date
Finale viewers
(in millions)
18–49 rating

1
Wednesday 8:30 pm
24
September 30, 2009
8.71[33]
2.6[33]
May 19, 2010
7.55[34]
2.5[34]
2009–10
68[35]
63[35]
6.69[35]
2.3[35]

2
Wednesday 8:00 pm
24
September 22, 2010
8.81[36]
2.7[36]
May 25, 2011
7.33[37]
2.2[37]
2010–11
51[38]
59[38]
8.08[38]
2.4[38]

3
24
September 21, 2011
9.74[39]
3.1[39]
May 23, 2012
6.52[40]
2.0[40]
2011–12
60[41]
63[41]
8.08[41]
2.5 [41]

4
24
September 26, 2012
9.16[42]
2.9[42]
May 22, 2013
7.70[43]
2.0[43]
2012–13
45[44]
44[44]
8.42[44]
2.5[44]

5
24
September 25, 2013
8.94[45]
2.5[45]
May 21, 2014
7.85[46]
2.1[46]
2013–14
44[47]
N/A
8.24[47]
N/A

6
24
September 24, 2014
7.59[48]
2.2[48]
May 13, 2015
7.03[49]
1.8[49]
2014–15
53[50]
41[50]
8.68[50]
2.4[50]

7
24
September 23, 2015
8.21[51]
2.1[51]
May 18, 2016
6.73[52]
1.6[52]
2015–16
53[53]
34[54]
8.15[53]
2.2 [54]

8
Tuesday 8:00 pm
23
October 11, 2016
6.78[55]
1.8[55]
May 16, 2017
5.27[56]
1.2[56]
2016–17
53[57]
43[57]
7.02[57]
1.8

9
Tuesday 8:00 pm
Tuesday 8:30 pm (April)
24
October 3, 2017
6.21[58]
1.6[58]

2017–18

text: The season 3 episode "Halloween II" was the most watched episode so far, viewed by 10.16 million viewers.[59]

text: Awards and nominations[edit]

text: In 2011, The Middle received a Gracie Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.[60] The 1st Critics' Choice Television Awards nominated the series for Best Comedy Series, Patricia Heaton for Best Actress in a Comedy Series, and Eden Sher for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

text:
Year
Award
Category
Recipients and nominees
Outcome

2010
Young Artist Award[61]
Best Recurring Young Actor 14 and Over
Brock Ciarlelli
Nominated

Best Recurring Young Actress
Eden Sher
Nominated

Humanitas Prize
30 Minute Category
Episode: "The Block Party"
Nominated

2011
Gracie Award[62]
Outstanding Comedy Series

Won

1st Critics' Choice Television Awards[63]
Best Comedy Series

Nominated

Best Actress in a Comedy Series
Patricia Heaton
Nominated

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Eden Sher
Nominated

Young Artist Award[64]
Best Guest Starring Young Actor Ten and Under
Parker Contreras
Won

Mason Cook
Nominated

Best Recurring Young Actor
Brock Ciarlelli
Won

Best Guest Starring Young Actress 11–15
Kelly Heyer
Nominated

Best Recurring Young Actress 17–21
Blaine Saunders
Nominated

Outstanding Young Ensemble in a TV Series
Eden Sher, Atticus Shaffer, and Charlie McDermott
Nominated

2012
2nd Critics' Choice Television Awards[65]
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Eden Sher
Nominated

1st PAAFTJ Television Awards[66]
Best Comedy Series

Nominated

Best Actress in a Comedy Series
Patricia Heaton (Episode: "Thanksgiving III")
Won

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Eden Sher (Episode: "The Test")
Nominated

Best Production Design in a Comedy Series
Episode: "The Map"
Nominated

Young Artist Award[67]
Best Recurring Young Actor 17–21
Brock Ciarlelli
Won

Best Guest Starring Young Actress 17–21
Katlin Mastandrea
Nominated

Best Guest Starring Young Actress Ten and Under
Marlowe Peyton
Nominated

Primetime Emmy Award[68]
Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic)
Episode: "The Play"
Nominated

Humanitas Prize
30 Minute Category
Episode: "The Map"
Nominated

TV Guide Award
Favorite Comedy Series

Nominated

Online Film & Television Association Award[69]
Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Whoopi Goldberg
Nominated

2013
Young Artist Award[70]
Best Recurring Young Actor 17–21
Brock Ciarlelli
Won

Best Recurring Young Actress 17–21
Katlin Mastandrea
Nominated

3rd Critics' Choice Television Awards[71]
Best Comedy Series

Nominated

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Eden Sher
Won

2013 Teen Choice Awards[72]
Choice TV Female Scene Stealer
Eden Sher
Nominated

TV Guide Award
Favorite Comedy Series

Nominated

2nd PAAFTJ Television Awards[73]
Best Comedy Series

Nominated

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Charlie McDermott
Nominated

Best Artistic/Visual Achievement in a Comedy Series
Episode: "Hallelujah Hoedown"
Nominated

EWwy Awards[74]
Best Actor in a Comedy Series
Neil Flynn
Nominated

2014
Young Artist Award[75]
Best Recurring Young Actor 17–21
Brock Ciarlelli
Nominated

Best Recurring Young Actress 17–21
Katlin Mastandrea
Nominated

EWwy Awards[76]
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Eden Sher
Won

ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards[77]
Top TV Series
Joey Newman
Won

Humanitas Prize[78]
30 Minute Category
Episode: "Halloween IV: The Ghost Story"
Nominated

2014 Teen Choice Awards[79]
Choice TV Scene Stealer: Female
Eden Sher
Nominated

TV Guide Award
Favorite Comedy Series

Nominated

2015
5th Critics' Choice Television Awards
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Eden Sher
Nominated

Young Artist Award[80]
Best Recurring Young Actor 17–21
Brock Ciarlelli
Won

Best Guest Starring Young Actress 14–16
Ava Allan
Nominated

Kids' Choice Awards[81]
Favorite TV Actor
Charlie McDermott
Nominated

Online Film & Television Association Award[82]
Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Dick Van Dyke
Nominated

2016
6th Critics' Choice Television Awards[83]
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Eden Sher
Nominated

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Neil Flynn
Nominated

Humanitas Prize[84]
30 Minute Category
Episode: "The Graduate"
Won

Young Entertainer Awards[85]
Best Recurring Young Actress – Television Series
Casey Burke
Nominated

Best Guest Starring Young Actor – Television Series
Matt Cornett
Won

text: Syndication[edit]

text: On March 6, 2012, it was announced that ABC Family (now Freeform) obtained the rights to The Middle, which began airing the series on September 9, 2013.[86]

text: Hallmark Channel also acquired The Middle for syndication, which began airing in March 2014.[87] In addition, the series debuted in local syndication on September 16, 2013.[88] As of September 2017, the show is no longer available for local syndication.[89]

text: DVD distribution[edit]

text: In region 1, seasons 1–4 have had an official retail release. Starting with season 5, the series has been released as a MOD DVD-R via the Warner Archive Collection.[90] The Canadian releases continue to be traditionally manufactured and sold, but are otherwise identical to their American counterparts.[91] Distribution for regions 2 & 4 ended after the fourth season.

text: Broadcast[edit]

text: This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: The Middle premiered in the U.S. on September 30, 2009, on ABC. The Middle has aired on City (Formerly Citytv) since the third season in Canada.[92] Previously, the show aired on A (Now CTV Two) during its first season.[93] In Australia, the show premiered on December 7, 2009, on Nine Network. The New Zealand premiere was on May 8, 2010, on TV2. In India, the show premiered on January 5, 2015 on Romedy Now. In the UK, it premiered on August 29, 2010, on Sky1. Season 5 premiered on Comedy Central, UK on January 21, 2014, and in Ireland on April 16, 2014, on TV3. It has also been adapted in Hindi on Reliance Broadcast Network comedy channel BIG MAGIC as Tedi Medi Family. It's is also being broadcast on the Neox Channel in Spain.[citation needed]