My Fair Lady at CPT

Last night I went with my Mom and both of my sisters to see My Fair Lady at CenterPoint Theatre and all four of us had so much fun (especially my Mom). This production is loverly! When Professor Henry Higgins (Andrew Heyward) and Colonel Pickering (Kevin Burtenshaw) encounter a flower girl named Eliza Doolittle (Sarah Jane Watts) outside Covent Garden,  Higgins boasts that he could pass her off as a Duchess at the Embassy Ball within six months by teaching her to speak properly! Even though Eliza is a success at the Embassy Ball, she becomes a true lady when Higgins treats her like one. I was really impressed with the cast of this show. I am always amazed at the caliber of the talent that CPT is able to recruit because it is a community theatre and the actors are all volunteers. Watts is a delightful Eliza and her renditions of "Just You Wait," "Show Me," and "Without You" are feisty while "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" and "I Could Have Danced All Night" are incredibly joyful. I loved Heyward's characterization of the curmudgeonly Higgins. His inflections are hilarious, especially in "Why Can't The English?," "I'm an Ordinary Man," and "A Hymn to Him." His version of "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" is so poignant that it brought a tear to my eye. My favorite actor in this show was Christian Lackman as Freddy Eynsford-Hill because he has a beautiful voice but he is also so funny. I always think that "On the Street Where You Live" is incredibly romantic but Lackman is absolutely twitterpated. His facial expressions made me laugh out loud. The choreography is a lot of fun, especially in "With a Little Bit of Luck" and "Get Me to the Church," and I loved it when Eliza dips Freddy in "Show Me." The set for Higgins' study is pretty spectacular, particularly the spiral staircase to the second level. Finally, the costumes are amazing! The black and white gowns in the "Ascot Gavotte" are quite elaborate and Eliza's gown at the Embassy Ball is simply stunning. Every aspect of this production is superb and I highly recommend it (go here to purchase tickets) but it closes on Saturday so you need to hurry!

Note: I have had lots of opportunities to see My Fair Lady this year!  I saw the Academy Award-winning film adaptation as part of the TCM Big Screen Classics series and I saw the concert version performed by the Utah Symphony.