‘Wouldn’t It Be Lovely’ to see
Pittsburgh Public Theater’s Production of My Fair Lady?
By Megan Grabowski
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Benjamin Howes as Henry Higgins and Kimberly Doreen Burns as Eliza Doolittle |
The unforgettable musical score by
Lerner and Lowe is just what the soul needs as a pick me up during a long
dreary Pittsburgh winter. From the
overture through the final number the lightheartedness of the music fills the
O’Reilly Theater with instant warmth of familiarity and enduring notes. Audience members will have no difficulty
transcending everyday strife and the drudgery of work and familial obligations
to lose themselves in 1912 London. The captivating cast of characters charms the
audience with the carefree musical score and heartwarming rags to riches story.
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| First row left to right: John Little, Kimberly Doreen Burns, Susan McGregor-Laine, Benjamin Howes |
It took a handful of lines before my
mind adjusted to the eruption of cockney accents on stage but Eliza Doolittle,
played by Kimberly Doreen Burns, easily glides between two worlds; one the
disenfranchised flower- girl, the other, a lady who manages to jump beyond the
bourgeois class and directly into the upper echelons of society by means of rigorous
training provided by linguist Henry Higgins, played by Benjamin Howes and
Colonel Pickering, portrayed by John Little.
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| Left to right: Benjamin Howes, Kimberly Doreen Burns, John Little |
A bet is made between Higgins and
Pickering. Within six months’ time the
professor of phonetics will transform Miss Doolittle from gutter girl into a
respectable aristocrat. The final test
will be to pass her off as a duchess at the Embassy Ball. The compassionate
Colonel and the harsh
Higgins get right to work, drilling Miss Doolittle night and day, around the
clock, until her phonetics become articulate and proper. Miss Doolittle, physically and mentally
exhausted, finally reaches her turning point when she annunciates, “The rain in
Spain stays mainly on the plain” with exaggerated long A’s. This scene is most memorable as two highly
recognized songs, ‘The Rain in Spain’ as well as ‘I Could Have Danced All
Night’ follow each other in a succession of musical sweetness.
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| Center: Bill Nolte |
What is so special about My Fair Lady?
After all, it’s the classic story retold over and over throughout theater, film
and literature,
the underprivileged gets a lucky break and a taste of the good
life through some type of alteration.
It’s a feel good story, with some old- fashioned humor which further
enhances its’ charm. If the audience is
not familiar with the era or not ready to lose themselves in the manner of the
musical, some lyrics could cause a raised eyebrow or two, such as the in the
songs, ‘I’m an Ordinary Man’ and ‘A Hymn to Him’. Not for a moment does this stop me from humming
along to the catchy melodies, or admiring the wonderful harmonizing of the
ensemble. Burns voice is delightful,
whether
Directed
and choreographed by Ted Pappas, well acquainted with Pittsburgh winters, he
chose a cheery musical that will surely seize the spirit and, if for just a few
hours, take our minds off the snow and bleakness waiting outdoors.
‘With a Little Bit of Luck’, you will
make it to the Pittsburgh Public Theater for a performance of My Fair Lady. The
show runs from January 22 through February 22, 2015 at the O’Reilly Theater.
Tickets can be purchased here http://www.ppt.org/
Reviewed by Megan GrabowskiPositively Pittsburgh Good News Reviewer, Professional writer, Social-Media Junkie, Community Fundraiser and Pittsburgh Enthusiast.
