Exclusive! Donna Murphy Discusses Her 'Heavenly' Broadway Return in Hello, Dolly!

It only takes a moment, and Donna Murphy is certainly having one! As previously announced, the two-time Tony winner will be filling in for Bette Midler on Tuesday evenings in the eagerly anticipated revival of Hello, Dolly! from June 13, 2017. The hot ticket is set to start performances on March 15 at the Shubert Theatre, and audiences are not the only ones excited to put on those Sunday clothes. We recently caught up with Murphy to discuss her Great White Way return.

“It’s such a good fit with my life. The show is such a joyful expression of surviving and believing that there’s places your life can go that you can’t really foresee," Murphy told Broadway.com. "I’ve been—I won’t say ‘obsessed’ with Bette—but an ardent fan for many years. The thought of coming on board as a partner of sorts in this incredible production is amazing."

Murphy won the Tony for Passion and The King and I, and was last seen on the Great White Way in The People in the Picture in 2011. Her husband, fellow Broadway performer Shawn Elliott, sadly passed away this past March.

"My goal was to find work that would be a good fit with parenting my daughter," said Murphy. "My husband passed away recently, and we have to readjust to our life moving forward. I want to be very present for her. That’s been a challenge. This job kind of descended from heaven.”

What can we Dolly diehards expect from this revival, which is the first Main Stem mounting since 1995? "There’s a real wanting to honor [original choreographer] Gower Champion’s vision and style. At the same time, Warren Carlyle, who is choreographing, is getting to do some of his own work, interweaving it," the Broadway vet revealed. "It’s not a cartoon. There’s a lot of real people, real stories investing in this journey."

We can't wait to see Murphy and Midler take the stage this spring!