A twelve person cast is probably not what comes to mind when you think of the 1964 hit musical “Hello, Dolly!.”

But at the Ritz Theater in Northeast Minneapolis, Theater Latté Da is doing just that. Founded in 1998, the local theater produces exclusively musical theater content, performing both original and established shows, according to its website. The company is premiering an original musical, “We Shall Someday,” in April.

“Hello Dolly!,” directed by Kelli Foster Warder, has a talented twelve-person cast and four-person band that give the classic musical the sparkle it needs to justify its showing in the theater’s packed 2022-2023 season.

Understudy Deidre Cochran steps in for Regina Marie Williams as the widow and matchmaker Dolly Levi, belting out classics like ‘Put on Your Sunday Clothes’ and ‘Before the Parade Passes By.’ As for the rest of the cast, a strong ensemble showing keeps the dance numbers amusing and fun, even if the stage does feel empty with the small three person dance sequences.

Warder makes the bold choice of casting Cornelius and Barnaby (Reed Sigmund and Brian Kim McCormick) as nerdy thirty-somethings instead of innocent young adults, making for a hilarious-yet-somewhat-creepy moment when they declare to themselves that they have to find a girl to kiss before they leave New York.

The show somewhat slows in the first act in a sludge of conversations and character introductions, but picks up in Act 2 once our characters get to the big city.

The quadruple casted Sally Wingert was a highlight, constantly slipping into different costumes, culminating into a laugh-out-loud funny courthouse scene with Wingert as an old judge, fake mustache and all.

It’s in these moments of silliness that “Hello, Dolly!” really shines. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and leans into the ridiculousness of bits that might not have aged so well after eighty years.

All around, “Dolly!” reminds us of the power women have when they take control over their lives and how fast community can form through resilience. Even in its small scale, “Hello, Dolly!” makes me feel glad to be back in the theater.

“Hello, Dolly!” runs at the Ritz Theater until March 26.

Anya Capistrant-Kinney can be reached at capi2087@stthomas.edu.