Santino Fontana begins performances as Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly!

Tony Award nominee Santino Fontana steps in for Tony Award winner Gavin Creel in the hit Broadway revival.

Whilst Tony Award winner Gavin Creel takes a temporary leave of absence from the Tony Award-winning revival of Hello, Dolly! to recover from back surgery, Tony Award nominee Santino Fontana steps into the role of Cornelius Hackl and begins performances at Broadway's Shubert Theatre tonight.

Mr. Fontana earned a Tony nomination in 2013 for his performance as Topher in Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella and has previously appeared on the Great White Way in Act One, The Importance of Being Earnest, A View From the Bridge, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Billy Elliot - The Musical, and Sunday in the Park with George. He is also set to take on the title role of Michael Dorsey (and Dorothy Michaels)  in the Broadway-bound musical adaptation of Tootsie.

The principal cast of Hello, Dolly! also includes two-time Tony Award winner Bernadette Peters (as Dolly Levi Gallagher), four-time Tony Award nominee Victor Garber (as Horace Vandergelder), Olivier Award nominee Charlie Stemp (as Barnaby Tucker), Tony Award nominee Kate Baldwin (as Irene Molloy), Molly Griggs (as Minnie Fay), Will Burton (as Ambrose Kemper), Melanie Moore (as Ermengarde), and Tony Award nominee Jennifer Simard (as Ernestina).

The Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly! originally began previews on March 15, 2017, and officially opened on April 20.

The classic musical features a book by Michael Stewart, with music & lyrics by Jerry Herman.

Directed by four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks, this production features choreography by Tony Award winner Warren Carlyle, based on the original work by Gower Champion.

Synopsis: "At the turn of the 20th century, all of New York City is excited because widowed but brassy Dolly Gallagher Levi is in town. Dolly makes a living primarily through matchmaking and 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."

The creative team aslo features scenic & costume design by Santo Loquasto, lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design by Scott Lehrer, music direction by Andy Einhorn, orchestrations by Larry Hochman, vocal arrangements by Don Pippin, and dance arrangements by Glen Kelly.

At the 71st Annual Tony Awards, the production took home the trophy for "Best Revival of a Musical," as well as "Best Costume Design of a Musical," "Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical" (for Gavin Creel) and "Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical" (for Bette Midler).

Hello, Dolly! first premiered on Broadway at the St James Theatre in 1964, picking up a grand total of 10 Tony Awards, including "Best Musical." It has since been revived three times - 1975 at the Minskoff Theatre, and 1978 and 1995 both at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. A film adaptation was released in 1969, directed by Gene Kelly and starring Barbra Streisand.

Hello, Dolly! Tickets are available now for performances through to July 15, 2018.