'My Fair Lady' comes to Phillips Center Nov. 23

November 16, 2011

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Henry Higgins, Eliza Doolittle and the rest of the iconic characters from “My Fair Lady” will transport theatregoers back to 1912 London in this Broadway classic, produced by Big League Productions Inc. at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 23 at the University of Florida’s Phillips Center for Performing Arts.

Hailed as the standard by which all other musicals are judged, this international treasure, upon which the classic 1964 Audrey Hepburn movie was based, will serve as a perfect start to the holiday season.

Based on George Bernard Shaw’s 1912 play “Pygmalion,” “My Fair Lady” is regarded as one of the most beautiful stories ever told about language and clash of cultures. It follows the relationship between Eliza Doolittle – a Cockney flower girl – and the snobbish and misogynistic professor Henry Higgins – a phoneticist – who wagers that he can turn Eliza into a “proper lady” in three months’ time.

When the show first opened on Broadway in 1956, starring Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews, critics described it as “legendary” and “one of the greatest musicals of the century.” “My Fair Lady” went on to win six Tony Awards, and in 1961, became the longest-running production in Broadway history at that time.

“My Fair Lady” features book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, and includes the classic songs “The Rain in Spain,” “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” and “Get Me To The Church On Time.” Often called “the perfect musical,” “My Fair Lady” is an unforgettable experience with beautiful music and exquisite costumes that reminds us why musical theater was born.

The 2011-12 national tour of “My Fair Lady” features Aurora Florence as Eliza Doolittle; Chris Carsten as Henry Higgins; Joyce Bohus as Mrs. Higgins; Daniel Cardenes as Freddy Eynsford-Hill; Richard Springle as Colonel Pickering; and Arthur Wise as Alfred P. Doolittle.

Tickets are on sale and available for this performance. Call 352-392-ARTS (2787) or 800-905-ARTS (toll free within Florida), or visit www.performingarts.ufl.edu for more information. Visit www.myfairladyontour.com for more information about the performance.