After a big scare in Kalamazoo, MI, Carol Channing is back on track in the national tour of Hello, Dolly!, directed by and co-starring Lee Roy Reams.

Channing, 75, long known for her strict dietary habits, ironically missed four performances (Nov. 2-3) of Hello, Dolly! due to a stomach flu that was apparently going around Michigan.

"She was dizzy and throwing up," said associate general manager Rick Schulman (of Niko Associates), so she was taken to the emergency room, and they kept her in the hospital overnight."

Understudy Monica Wemitt, who normally plays the role of Ernestina, went on in Channing's stead.

Nevertheless, La Channing was well enough to continue the tour in Schenectady, NY, where she did eight shows (Nov. 5-Nov. 10). Nov. 12 brings the tour to Wallingford, CT, through Nov. 17. Here's the rest of the Hello, Dolly schedule: Ledyard, CT: Nov. 19-24
South Bend, IN: Nov. 26-Dec. 1
Raleigh, NC: Dec. 3-8
Clearwater, FL: Dec. 10-12
Sarasota, FL: Dec. 13-15
Melbourne, FL: Dec. 17-19
Fort Myers, FL: Dec. 20-22

After a three week Christmas holiday layover, the tour resumes:
Palm Desert, CA: Jan. 14-19
Cerritos, CA: Jan. 21-26
Phoenix, AZ: Jan. 28-Feb. 2
Sacramento, CA: Feb. 4-9
Jackson, MS: Feb. 12-13
Birmingham, AL : Feb. 14-16
Lubbock, TX: Feb. 18-20
Austin, TX: Feb. 21-23

The tour, which also features Jay Garner as Vandergelder and Jeanne Lehman as Irene, is scheduled to end with Austin. Asked by Playbill On-Line whether there would be further dates in the U.S. or abroad, Schulman laughed and said, "You never know with Carol Channing."

-- By David Lefkowitz