Braving jobs, school and time constraints, the cast and crew of The Des Moines Playhouse banded together to get the production of “Hello, Dolly!” ready for its opening night Friday.

With less than five weeks from the start of production to opening night — as opposed to the normal six or seven — the playhouse has been packed with people squeezing the almost-daily production schedule into their normal lives.

“My planner is insane,” says Holly Reese, junior in English, who plays Ermengarde in the musical.

During rehearsal, which was normally a three-hour block every weekday, plus Saturday rehearsals, Reese had to take summer classes and fit in work at the Raccoon River Brewing Company in Des Moines.

In juggling all of these responsibilities, it’s a lot of balls in the air, Reese says. To keep focus, she says she constantly has to focus on what needs to be done next and cutting out many of the unnecessary things, like television.

“Hello, Dolly!” centers around matchmaker Dolly Levi, who tries to set herself up with Yonkers merchant Horace Vandergelder while setting up Vandergelder’s two stock clerks. Comedic and romantic complications ensue throughout a trip to New York City.

Mary Bricker, 47, of Des Moines, plays Dolly. Bricker says she enjoys the rapid and honest dialogue as well as balancing the dramatic, comedic and musical aspects of her character.

“Watching it all come together in one character is exciting,” Bricker says.

Lenny Hout, junior in art and design, plays Cornelius Hackl. Hout says class has not been much of a factor during the summer and that he has been studying between classes in order to be ready for the almost-nightly performances.

“It’s simply utilizing time management,” he says.

The play’s director, Tony Humrichouser, says seeing people flooding every room of the playhouse, working diligently, energized him.

“It’s been a shot of adrenaline,” Humrichouser says.

Humrichouser says the musical will reflect on a spirit which has been permeating the country for the past few months.

“It’s a real salute to the American spirit,” Tony Humrichouser says.