PCRT to Present MY FAIR LADY This Fall

Pacific Coast Repertory Theatre will present the classic musical My Fair Lady with Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and Music by Frederick Loewe.

My Fair Lady is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons from Professor Henry Higgins, a phoneticist, so that she may pass as a lady. The original Broadway, London and film versions all starred Rex Harrison and featured classic and iconic songs as Wouldn't It Be Loverly, The Rain in Spain, I Could Have Danced All Night and On the Street Where You Live.

The musical's 1956 Broadway production was a momentous hit, setting a record for the longest run of any major musical theatre production in history. It was followed by a hit London production, a popular film version, and numerous revivals.

Award winning, professional Director Daren A.C. Carollo, will direct this classic musical at the Firehouse Arts Center. Carollo explains that My Fair Lady is often referred to as a flawless musical, due largely to a book based on George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. However, the story is often lost to the grand and memorable score and the outsized character of "Professor Higgins" created by Rex Harrison. His vision for the show is to return focus to the original tale of Pygmalion and the themes of respect and equality. The intimate setting of the Firehouse Arts Center is the perfect space to accomplish this goal and audiences will be swept away by both the story and the music of My Fair Lady.

He will be supported in bringing this vision to the Firehouse stage by professional musician/conductor, Brett Strader, Musical Director; professional choreographer/director, Christina Lazo, Choreographer; along with Pat Brandon, Scenic Designer and Mike Oesch, Lighting Designer.

Bay Area actress Josselyn O'Neill heads the cast of My Fair Lady as "Eliza Doolittle", having last been seen on the PCRT stage in Enchanted April. Ms. O'Neill holds a BA in both Music and Theatre from Chapman University, from which she went on to perform with Shakespeare Orange County and Disney California Adventure, and has been seen in CenterRep's A Christmas Carol. In addition, Edward Hightower* will appear as "Professor Higgins". Holding a BFA in Theatre from The Boston Conservatory, Mr. Hightower was seen most recently as "Lord Farquaad" in Shrek at Woodminster and as "Clown 2" in The 39 Steps at San Jose Stage. Lee Strawn* will appear as "Colonel Pickering", Ron Pickett as "Alfred P. Doolittle", and Nathaniel Rothrock as "Freddy Eynsford-Hill". A very talented group of professional and regional actors complete cast and ensemble. [*Member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers]

My Fair Lady is Directed by Darren A.C. Carollo, Musical Direction by Brett Strader, Choreography by Christina Lazo, Scenic Designs by Pat Brandon, Lighting Design by Mike Oesch and Costumes by Margaret daSilva.

During the run of the show, theatre lovers can also enjoy a special opportunity to interact with the actors:

A Free Inside the Show discussion with the actors and director will take place after the Sunday Matinee performance on November 6, 2016.

The show will run from November 5 through November 20, 2016: Friday, 11/18 at 8pm; Saturdays, 11/5 & 11/12 & 11/19 at 8pm; Saturday matinees, 11/12 & 11/19 at 2pm; and Sunday matinees 11/6 & 11/13 & 11/20 at 2pm. All performances will take place at Firehouse Arts Center, located at 4444 Railroad Avenue located in Pleasanton, CA. Tickets are $19-$40 each, and are available at the Firehouse Arts Center Box Office, by phone at (925) 931-4848, or online at www.pcrtproductions.org or www.firehousearts.org.

Pacific Coast Repertory Theatre celebrates human life by engaging audiences with Professional, Innovative and Inspiring theatre in the Firehouse Arts Center, Pleasanton.

The Firehouse Arts Center is dedicated to inspiring passion through the arts. In the Firehouse Arts Center, we combine the sophistication of the culturally rich Bay Area arts landscape with the intimacy of our own hometown to achieve the ultimate representation the best features of our Pleasanton community.

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