The eternally popular musical Hello, Dolly! opened on Broadway in 1964. It wouldn’t surprise me if it were running a hundred years from now on the moon. With music and lyrics by Jerry Herman and book by Michael Stewart, the show is based on The Merchant of Yonkers, Thornton Wilder’s 1938 comedy, and The Matchmaker, his 1954 rewrite. Wilder himself was inspired by an 1835 British comedy plus a Viennese farce. 

Now playing at The Shedd in a joyfully buoyant production directed by Kirk Boyd, the show, set at the end of the 19th century, focuses on Dolly Gallagher-Levi. As played with grand panache by Vanessa Greenway, clever Dolly is a widow who makes a living by matchmaking and general meddling. Her current project is ostensibly to find a wife for Horace Vandergelder, a Scrooge-like half-a-millionaire who owns a feed shop in Yonkers. Dolly immediately informs the audience that she is the intended bride, but keeps it a secret from Horace, played by the multi-talented William Hulings as a bitter old grump. 

With music direction by Robert Ashens and choreography by Richard Jessup, the show offers good singing and dancing roles for featured players and an ensemble of all ages. Essentially, it’s about the wonder of finding love, which we witness through the pairing of eight individuals into four happy couples. Horace’s teenage niece (Wilder Teague) loves a young artist (Owen Colley). Of course Horace won’t give his blessing because artists can’t make a living. 

But Horace must go to New York to see a prospective bride. Now is the time for his hardworking senior clerk, Cornelius (Tate Foshay), and junior clerk, Barnaby (Shae Brodsky), to hop the train for their first trip to New York City. There they meet Irene Molloy, Horace’s would-be bride, a kind, sensible milliner well played by Hannah Rudkin, and Minnie, her giddy young assistant, portrayed by the exuberant Hanna Foshay. Many adventures ensue.

What’s wonderful about the two clerks, and to a lesser extent the milliners, is their extreme innocence. Out in Yonkers romance seems to be a limited commodity. Cornelius and Barnaby have seen girls, but have never really spoken to them. Now they find themselves conversing with two lovely ladies in New York. It’s paradise! 

Although much of the show is irresistibly silly, it does touch upon the wisdom learned by Dolly in her struggle to survive her widow’s grief and to make a living on her own. And since it’s a mirthful musical, everyone gets to sing about their desires and emotions. The title song, of course, is an inescapable ear worm. You’ll be singing it for days. The next most popular song, “Before the Parade Passes By,” comes in a close second.

Strong contributions to the production quality are due to the beautifully painted scenery designed by Jim Ralph and Connie Huston, and the colorful period costume designs by Anna Bjornsdotter.

Hello, Dolly! is playing at The Shedd through Oct. 6; times and tickets through The Shedd ticket office at 541-434-7000.