Taylor Theatre presents Thornton Wilder’s “The Matchmaker” April 28-29 and May 5-6 at 7:30pm, April 30 and May 7 at 2pm at Taylor University’s Mitchell Theatre. Purchase tickets through Taylor University Theatre’s website, Facebook and Twitter pages, or contact the box office: 765-998-5289 and boxoffice@taylor.edu.
Before the world fell in love with “Hello, Dolly!”, Thornton Wilder’s uproarious play “The Matchmaker” introduced Ms. Dolly Gallagher Levi: a cunning, crafty, and thoroughly modern woman who knows a good catch when she sees one. When the wealthy Horace Vandergelder hires matchmaker Ms. Levi to find him a wife, Dolly doesn’t need to look far to find his perfect mate. While Dolly is “arranging things” for Mr. Vandergelder, the young, hopeless romantics of Yonkers reap the rewards of Dolly’s generosity.
When asked what drew her to “The Matchmaker” for this theatre season, artistic director Tracy Manning smiled: “The 1890’s—a time of immigrants streaming into the halls of Ellis Island in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty, crossing a nation of growing cities, participating in this experiment that was the United States of America—seems a period worth exploring as we continue the American experiment today. To do so with a play that makes us laugh is a treat. Wilder is distinctive among the great 20th century playwrights for not only moving audiences with his plays’ dramatic landscapes, but also for offering practical advice for living. His advice: stabilize your life, suffuse it with contemplation and surety, but be sure to step out now and again for some excitement. The world is full of wonderful things, and we all should enjoy ‘just the right amount of sitting quietly at home and just the right amount of adventure.’ Balance. A good message for us 21st century inhabitants.”
