Review: Skylight Presents a Bloomin' Beautiful and Brilliant MY FAIR LADY

Assembling an amazing array of talent appearing on the Cabot Theatre Stage, the Skylight Music Theatre's My Fair Lady lingers in the audience's mind long after their standing ovations.---just as Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's magnificent musical did when the production first opened on Broadway in 1956. Bloomin' with classic melodies, enduring and memorable, the acclaimed Dorothy Danner directs this brilliant cast with beautiful, fantastical costumes (especially hats) fashioned by Chris March.

Based on George Bernard Shaw's novel "Pygmalion," which continues the Skylight's 'Strong Women" theme developed by Skylight Artistic Director Viswa Subbaraman, Eliza Doolittle powerfully resonates in the charming yet commanding actress Natalie Ford. Her chutzpah and gifted voice blossoms at every opportunity, whether she's singing "Just You Wait..Henry Higgins." or 'Show Me" to her young suitor Freddy.

Ford plays opposite Norman Moses' Henry Higgins that creates a paired tour de force in the Skylight's London staging of this classic musical. In a role that will come to define Moses in Milwaukee, Moses as Higgins delivers the professional and upper crust pomposity with a likeable persona so the unconventional "love story" appears genuine. With a timbre in his voice equal to his superb acting ability, Moses allows Higgins to be fully aristocratic, intelligent and human while still connecting to the iron willed, supposed guttersnipe Eliza.

A fabulous supporting cast includes Rick Richter's sympathetic Colonel Pickering, Tom Mulder's endearing Freddy Eynsford-Hill, and Joel Kopischke's completely in character Alfred P. Doolittle. David Flores (well known to Milwaukee theaters) and Kelly Doherty (who was a winning personality on stage at Northern Sky Theater this summer), stand out from the ensemble in several roles. Each cast member adds immeasurably to this production, as does the entire ensemble and technical team.

Scenic Designer Stephen Hudson-Mairet provides the sophisticated set amid a skeleton like, two story staircase, where the numerous London scenes and townhouses subtly swing in and out on stage without the audience even realizing these changes,. This happens in part because Pam Kriger's choreography, rivets the audience's attention to the acting and dancing, utterly mesmerizing with actors tap dancing on wooden barrels in "Get Me to the Church on Time."

Several stunning ensemble numbers, "With a Little Bit of Luck," and "Get Me to the Church on Time," thrill. In other scenes, the Ascot Gavotte and Embassy Ball, and the following Waltz, delight every sense, grow elegant and grand in the intimate Cabot theater. Music Director Shari Rhoads conducts the 13-piece orchestra with precision that keeps the Lerner and Loewe lyrics in the audience's heart. Even though one might whisper the words to these songs silently in the seats, the melodies enchant with iconic believability and strength.

Strength appears in this musical from the first moment Eliza steps on stage. Shaw's tussle of wills between a struggling lower class flower girt and a successful upper class professor rings true because education and language still demand respect. Eliza continually strives to be herself, to achieve what she desires for her life, despite what society deems appropriate, without the help of father or husband, and proves to be Henry Higgins' Achilles' heel.

When HIggins admits he is devastated by losing Eliza's soul instead of merely her voice, who but such accomplished women in the key leadership--Director, Choreographer and Music Director--could realize a My Fair Lady both "loverly" and intellectual, noticed in the final scene. With the production's feminine spirit matching the masculine, and the less fortunate circumstances equal in perseverance and wits to the prosperous, gender and social parity appear on stage because of theatrical skill that develops how love transcends culture and sex. .

Shaw believed "Dancing is a perpendicular expression of a horizontal desire"---In this Lerner and Loewe musical, Eliza "could have danced all night." and Henry finally understood he's "grown accustomed to her face." This unconditional and uncommon affections burst social conventions in the 1890's, 1950's and the 21st century, inspiring men and women to relish their differences. "Why can't a woman by more like a man?" Bloomin', no! Despite gender, language and social circumstances, GBS wrote "There is only one true happiness in life, to love and be loved."

Skylight's My Fair Lady will prove to be loved by all ages and generations, the fairest of all theater for Milwaukee's holiday season.

Skylight Music Theatre presents Lerner and Loewe's My Fair Lady in the Cabot Theare at the Broadway Theatre Center through December 27. Raffle tickets will be sold during intermission for a hat created by Costume Designer Chris March. For information, production special events and schedule or tickets, please call: 414.291.7800 or visit www.skylightmusictheatre.org.

To post a comment, you must register and login.