BWW Previews: Revival of Classic MY FAIR LADY OPENS at Straz Center

Coming to Straz Center at Carol Morsani Hall from April 26 through May 1 is the beloved revival of MY FAIR LADY.

With classic songs such as "I Could Have Danced All Night," "The Rain in Spain," "Wouldn't It Be Loverly," and "On the Street Where You Live," MY FAIR LADY tells a tale of transformation. Linguistics professor Henry Higgins takes a young Cockney flower seller under his wing and attempts to convert her into what he deems is a "proper lady."

In MY FAIR LADY, Leslie Alexander plays Mrs. Higgins, Henry's mother.

To help bring authenticity to her character, Leslie created a past for her.

"As an actor, we get to choose our character's history. We get to make up whatever we want to help develop the character more. I give her a history and a first name - things like that."

Leslie said besides hearing laughter and applause, that the beautiful music and costumes are what she loved about bringing the classic musical to life on stage.

Despite the age of the musical, which first debuted on March 15, 1956, the story is timeless and relatable from millennials to senior citizens.

"It's the story of the transformation of a young woman from a very poor working-class person into a lady. She learns to make a better life for herself because she finally can speak well," Leslie said. "I love this show because it is a major theatre portion of the American musical canon and it is a beautifully told story. I think the audience will love it for that reason and the wonderfully-performed music and stunning costumes."

A full orchestra complements the production.

"The sound is absolutely gorgeous. I think the audience will be entertained. It's visually, aurally stunning."

And there's a surprise, but Leslie refused to give but the tiniest of hints.

"The ending is different than what people tend to expect," she said. "A twist at the end, yes, indeed."

For tickets and more information, visit https://www.strazcenter.org/Events/Straz/Shows/2122_Broadway/My-Fair-Lady

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