Lyme-Old Lyme High School Students Bring Humor and Heart to ‘Hello, Dolly!’
With 11 weeks from auditions to curtain call, students, staff, and theater professionals have been working to bring a classic musical comedy to the Lyme-Old Lyme stage.
Editor’s Note: This article was contributed by Charlotte Thuma, a Lyme-Old Lyme High School sophomore who is performing in “Hello, Dolly!” as a member of the ensemble.
LYME/OLD LYME, CT – Lyme-Old Lyme High School is proud to present “Hello Dolly!,” bringing charm, humor, and heart to the stage from Thursday, Feb. 5, through Saturday, Feb. 7.
Evening performances will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, with shows on Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
“Hello, Dolly!” is a classic musical comedy centered on Dolly Levi, a spirited widow and professional matchmaker who meddles in the romantic lives of others while quietly plotting her own happiness. As Dolly orchestrates love for a wealthy businessman, his family, and a pair of young clerks, her schemes lead to comic mishaps and heartfelt moments.
Featuring songs like “Hello, Dolly!” and “Put On Your Sunday Clothes,” the show celebrates love, optimism, and second chances. Many may also recognize music from the show featured in Disney’s “WALL-E.”
Auditions were held in November and the cast and crew began rehearsing just days later. With only 11 weeks from auditions to opening night, students balanced full school days with demanding three hour rehearsals, learning music, choreography, and staging at a fast pace.
The musical is directed by choir teacher Kristine Pekar, with band teacher Jacob Wilson leading the pit orchestra.
Last week, Pekar reflected on the process of putting on the musical.
“Working with these students is what I love most about directing our musical productions,” she said. “Their dedication, curiosity, kindness, and willingness to support one another make every rehearsal something to look forward to.”
Professional choreography is provided by Emily Kramm, costume design by Denise Golden and set construction by Michelle Lea, along with set design by junior Cara Paonessa. Set painting is led by art teacher Will Allik with the help of art students from the high school.
Math tutor Katherine Thuma is the show’s producer, overseeing the program and coordinating advertising support from local businesses.
The leads this year are senior Julia Clark as Dolly Levi, senior Andrew Taylor as Horace Vandegelder, first-year student Collin Langley as Cornelius Hackl, sophomore Kayden Koproski as Barnaby Tucker, senior Maggie Thuma as Minnie Fay and junior Elsa Jungkeit as Irene Molloy.
Taylor said there are many traditions that make it enjoyable to perform in the school musical year after year.
“Tech week is filled with all sorts of stuff that you wouldn’t normally think of and, in general, keeping the same musical traditions alive that I participated in when I was a freshman is super cool.”
For Maggie Thuma, the musical has become one of her favorite parts of high school.
“I have made some of my best friends through the musical and it really bonds people. I can’t wait for everyone to see ‘Hello, Dolly!’ and see all of the hard work that we have all put into this show,” she said.
Dance captains Gabi Clark, a sophomore, and Addison Arndt, a junior, have worked closely with the choreography team, including Kramm and senior Thomas Kelly, to support the ensemble and featured dancers.
In addition to entertaining audiences, the production will again be evaluated by the Stephen Sondheim Awards and the Halo Awards programs. Judges from the programs, which honor outstanding performances, technical achievement and overall production quality, have been invited to Lyme-Old Lyme High School productions for many years. Nominees are invited to attend award ceremonies later in the season.
Lyme-Old Lyme High School’s 2025 awards for “Newsies” included Best Contemporary Musical and a Best Actor nod for then-senior Dominic Clark. Thomas Kelly, who was a junior at the time, won the Dance Molinar Scholarship. Beth Viera, who was also a junior, won Best Standout Performance in “The Drama Department.”
Tickets are available online and may be purchased at the door. The cost is $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors.
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