Hello, Dolly!

ACT ONE

At the turn of the 20th century, New York City is abuzz because brassy widow Dolly Gallagher Levi is in town (“Call on Dolly”). Dolly supports herself by “meddling” - providing matchmaking and other services such as dance instruction and mandolin lessons (“I Put My Hand In”). Currently, Dolly is on the lookout for a wife to match with grumpy Horace Vandergelder, a well-known half-a-millionaire. Despite her intentions to look, it becomes clear that Dolly would like to marry Horace herself. Horace’s weepy niece, Ermengarde, is being pursued by a young artist, Ambrose Kemper. However, Horace opposes their match as he doesn’t believe Ambrose's profession will earn a steady income. Ambrose seeks Dolly’s help to plead his case, and the two travel to Yonkers, New York to visit Horace, who owns Vandergelder’s Hay and Feed store in Yonkers.

At the store, Horace explains to his clerks, Cornelius Hackl and Barnaby Tucker, that he will be getting married because he needs a woman to keep