Hello, Dolly! photo by Julieta Cervantes
Murfreesboro native Analisa Leaming, who has starred on Broadway in shows like School of Rock and The King and I, will return home to portray Irene Molloy in the national tour of Hello, Dolly! starring Betty Buckley.
Analisa attended Bellwood Middle School, Riverdale High School and Tennessee’s Governor School at MTSU before traveling to New York to understudy the role of Irene Molloy on Broadway, where she got to work with Bernadette Peters and Bette Midler when they starred in the show.
The Hello, Dolly! touring production will make a stop in Nashville at TPAC from April 30 through May 5. The iconic musical, which follows matchmaker Dolly Levi, is based on the Tony-Award winning best musical revival that closed on Broadway last August. That Broadway run broke the record for the best first day of ticket sales in Broadway history when it opened in Spring 2017.
The touring production stars Broadway legend Betty Buckley in a musical the Los Angeles Times says “distills the mood-elevating properties of the American musical at its giddy best.” This tour of Hello, Dolly! pays tribute to the original work of legendary director and choreographer Gower Champion—hailed both then and now as one of the greatest stagings in musical theater history.
Leaming took a moment before the show opened in Nashville to share some of her experience with the Murfreesboro Pulse:
Murfreesboro Pulse: When did you first develop an interest in theater?
Analisa Leaming: I don’t remember a time when I didn’t want to perform. My parents met doing professional theater and while they both pursued other careers it was a part of my life from the beginning. My mother would tell me I was singing before I could speak.
What are some of the productions in Murfreesboro that you were involved in as a student?
I did Bye Bye Birdie at the Murfreesboro Center for the Arts. It was a wonderful experience. At Riverdale I did Dracula, Fame, Wizard of Oz, Dearly Departed and Bye Bye Birdie. I also did the Tennessee All-State Choir all through high school, winning first chair my senior year.
Photo by Julieta Cervantes
What city are you most looking forward to visiting during this extensive tour of Hello, Dolly?
Nashville, of course! I grew up seeing shows at TPAC and it will be my first time performing on that stage!
What do you like most about performing on stage?
Becoming engrossed in another world and living in that reality. Also, the feeling of music coming through me is unparalleled. Lastly, the energetic exchange with the audience. It’s an honor!
Do you expect some friends and family to be in attendance during some of the upcoming Nashville dates?
Yes! So far I have about 50 people coming and the number is going up by the day. I’ve been performing in New York City for the last five years so it’s great to be closer to home so people don’t have to travel so far!
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For tickets to Hello, Dolly! Visit tpac.org or call 615-782-4040; for more information on the tour, visit hellodollyonbroadway.com.
