Nell Carter Kicks Up Her Heels

H ello, Nell Carter.

Well hello, Nell Carter.

It’s so nice to have you back where you belong.

After concentrating on a career on the small screen for the past decade, Carter has decided to give herself a break from TV and return to her roots--the musical comedy stage. She’s starring opposite rhyming Nipsey Russell as the matchmaking widow Dolly Levi in the Long Beach Civic Light Opera’s production of “Hello, Dolly!”

“Dolly!” marks the first time Carter has performed on an L.A.-area stage since she reprised her Tony-winning role in “Ain’t Misbehavin’ ” nearly 12 years ago at the old Aquarius Theatre in Hollywood.

Carter is thrilled to be back on stage. “I love performing. I am going to kick up my heels as Dolly.”

When Carter was approached by producer Barry Brown to play Dolly, she insisted the cast be multiracial. Though there have been white and black versions of “Dolly!” during its 27-year history, this revival holds the distinction of being the first multiracial one.

“I didn’t want it to be an all-white or black cast and Barry was receptive to the idea” Carter says. “I didn’t want to do an all-black version because it would turn off some people. There are a lot of (white) people who don’t want to see a black version. And there are black audiences who don’t want to see an all-white show. I also figured this production would give work to everyone. If I needed to leave (the production) for some reason, anyone can step in.”