BECOMING ELIZA is Headed to Melbourne in August

Australian-grown international star soprano Anna O'Byrne brings her critically acclaimed one-woman show Becoming Eliza home to Melbourne for one performance only at the Comedy Theatre, on Saturday, 26 August 7.30pm.

In 2016, Anna O'Byrne won the role of a lifetime when she was hand-picked by Dame Julie Andrews to play Eliza in the 60th Anniversary production of My Fair Lady. After enchanting audiences nationwide and winning rave reviews along the way, Anna won the coveted Helpmann Award for her extraordinary performance.

In Becoming Eliza, Anna O'Byrne reflects on her unique experience. She shares stories about working intimately with an internationally adored icon, what it is to share a role created sixty years apart and the lessons she learned from Dame Julie and Eliza.

The show leaps to life with songs from Julie Andrews' extensive repertoire, including "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" and "My Favourite Things", spanning Mary Poppins to The Sound of Music and Camelot.

Anna O'Byrne says, "Being directed by Dame Julie Andrews in the iconic role she made famous was an experience beyond anything I could have dreamed. Julie showed me such warmth, wisdom, wit and, above all, generosity of spirit. I hope to share a little of this spirit with the audiences of Becoming Eliza. I'm thrilled to bring my little show to my hometown so Melbourne audiences can finally see it."

This generation's classic leading lady and currently starring in Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, O'Byrne is best known for her role as Christine Daaé in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, and the original Australian production of its sequel Love Never Dies, for which she was nominated for a Green Room Award, as well as the English National Opera's Sweeney Todd and Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Woman in White.

Becoming Eliza is produced by Enda Markey (Do You Hear The People Sing?) and with musical direction by Guy Simpson and direction by Sharon Millerchip, who says: "Anna O'Byrne's beautifully crafted script had me turning the pages eagerly. With humour and candour, Anna tells of her intriguing relationship with Julie Andrews and the challenges of inhibiting her own Eliza Doolittle. Add Anna's glorious soprano to this, and I'm sure the audience will be spellbound. I can't wait."

Becoming Eliza premiered at Sydney Opera House and comes to Melbourne as part of a national tour. The show will also play at Orange Civic Theatre, NSW, on 29 April and Geelong Arts Centre on 22 November.

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