My Fair Lady is a classic musical that stands the test of time, and doesn't feel dated due to its evergreen themes of class and gender dynamics, especially with more attention given to Eliza's perspective in recent years. It may seem like an odd choice for Theater Latte Da, that usually choses more rare or edgy works. But like last year's
Cinderella, they put their own unique spin on a beloved classic that isn't drastically different, but makes it feel fresh and modern. Everything about this production is perfectly loverly - a superstar local cast, luscious costumes, ingenious set design, and a gorgeous rendering of the beloved score with just two pianos and 11 human voices.
It's playing through the end of the year so you really have no excuse not to see this yummy production of a classic that deserves the title.
This is a story that's been retold many times, from the original Shaw play Pygmalion, to the Julia Roberts movie Pretty Woman. A gentleman takes a lower-class woman and transforms her into a "lady." In this case, the gentleman is Professor Henry Higgins, who studies phonetics and is intrigued by "flower girl" Eliza's poor accent, and makes a bet with his colleague Colonel Pickering that he can transform her into a lady in six months' time. Eliza does indeed learn to be a "lady," but retains her spirit and even teaches 'enry 'iggins a bit about being a human being in the process.*
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Eliza in her "one enormous chair" (Anna Hashizume with
Keegan Robinson and Richard Rigmaiden, photo by Dan Norman) |
Artistic Director Justin Lucero directs the show, and describes his vision in a note in the program: "For me, this story is far more than a fairy tale about manners or transformation. It's about two outsiders negotiating who they must become to survive in a society built to exclude them both. It's about the emotional and political cost of assimilation, about the layers of identity stripped away in the name of 'refinement.' It's about the voice as a symbol of power… and the right to define your own." All of that is evident in the show, as it flows really smoothly from scene to scene, never losing momentum (although I still maintain that this musical is too long at nearly three hours, but there's not much you can do about that, other than take a pre-show nap or have a coffee). He's tapped a cast that's sheer perfection and chock full of talent, down to the last ensemble member. The quality over quantity theory works well here: this hard-working cast of 11 human souls is just a third of the size of 2018 Broadway revival cast, but they fill out the story completely and leave nothing lacking.
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| at the races (photo by Dan Norman) |
As our fair lady, Anna Hashizume seems born to play this role, which belies the amount of work that I'm sure goes into a seemingly effortless performance. Fresh off her eight-month run as Rizzo in
Chanhassen Dinner Theatre's Grease, which was the most pop musical thing I've seen this trained opera singer do, she is able to use her full range of talents in portraying Eliza. She displays gorgeous vocals on beloved songs like "I Could Have Danced All Night," and also brings us through Eliza's full emotional journey from "guttersnipe" to duchess to finding herself somewhere in between. Combined with her skills in comedy, dancing, and these very specific accents (kudos to dialect coach Gillian C. Rosewell), it's a well-rounded performance that's a joy to witness.
Returning to #TCTheater for the first time since the pandemic, after making his Broadway debut in the Pulitzer and Tony-winning musical A Strange Loop, Jon-Michael Reese is a much younger and more vibrant Henry Higgins than we typically see in this show. It's a very physical performance as he bounds up and down the stairs and across the stage, and he somehow makes the character endearing despite his harshness. Rounding out this fantastic trio of leads is Tod Petersen, who is very much in his element as the charming Colonel Pickering.
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"with a little bit of luck" (Adan Varela with
Keegan Robinson and Richard Rigmaiden, photo by Dan Norman) |
Highlights in the strong ensemble include Adan Varala, a hoot as Eliza's pop, Felix Aguilar Tomlinson, pulling double duty as Freddy (beautifully singing "On the Street Where You Live") and the eccentric Hungarian at the ball, and Norah Long as Henry's tough by loving mother. They all also play other roles, along with ensemble members Corissa Bussian, Katie Bynum, Kiko Laureano, Richard Rigmaiden, and Keegan Robinson.
Walking into the Peter Rothstein Stage at the Ritz Theater, you might think there's not much room on the stage for the actors; the space is dominated by a huge circular structure with multiple levels. But Eli Sherlock's scenic design has hidden surprises. The center of the piece is dominated by two pianos, and it's soon revealed that the outward circle rotates, one side more open with stairs on either side, the other side containing the Higgins home that, despite being confined to a narrow space, feels lush and elegant.
Those two pianos comprise the entirety of the orchestra, giving it a more streamlined and classical feel, and I didn't miss the other instruments. Music director Denise Prosek has passed off the on-stage conducting duties to Joshua Burniece, who performs on dueling pianos with Wesley Frye. There's some fun musical banter between the two, and they also both have a line or two in the show to augment the small cast. The pianos and the set very cleverly mimic the two levels of the story - Joshua playing a grand piano in a tux with tails, Wesley playing a humble upright piano on a lower level, dressed in street clothes. They fit right in with the cast's costumes, which range from the elegant gowns and suits of the upper class to the earthy and earth-toned clothes of Eliza and her friends on the street. The dancing follows suit, from the elegant ball to the rowdy street. (Costume design by Amber Brown, choreography by Abby Magalee.)
My Fair Lady continues at the Ritz Theater through December 28.
*Plot summary borrowed from my previous reviews of other productions.
