MY FAIR LADY (2018) Previews

[Addison D.]

I'll be there tonight--really looking forward to it. 

The cast and creative team provide ample cause for optimism, IMO, and I love the enthusiasm I'm reading here but I must agree with bk that my enthusiasm/optimism was *not* fired up by the rehearsal video.  If anything, I am filled with alarm and despondency by the statement "Our main goal is to get people talking about how this piece relates to what's happening in our society and our culture right now..." 

Please, Lord, let that NOT be their "main" goal.  

[GeorgeandDot]

That's always been Sher's main goal with all of his revivals. That's why he's always able to make them seem so fresh and relevant.

[henrikegerman]

Addison D. said: "I'll be there tonight--really looking forward to it.

The cast andcreative team provide ample cause for optimism, IMO, and I love the enthusiasm I'm reading herebut I must agree with bk that my enthusiasm/optimism was *not* fired up by the rehearsal video. If anything, I am filled with alarm and despondency by the statement"Our main goal is to get people talking about how this piece relates to what's happening in our society and our culture right now..."

Please, Lord, let that NOT be their "main" goal."

Why not? 

 

[Addison D.]

I would prefer their main goal be to provide a night of beautiful music, wonderful performances and enthralling storytelling.

[henrikegerman]

MY FAIR LADY is enthralling storytelling when it succeeds in musically and dramatically telling a judicious variation of a great story:  Shaw's PYGMALION.

A major objective of the storytelling in both PYGMALION and MY FAIR LADY is precisely to get audiences thinking about how this tale of verbal, class and gender distinctions represents their society and how those distinctions impact everyone who lives in it.  

This was true in 1913.  It was true in 1956.  And it is true now.

[Addison D.]

Henrik--That's nicely said.

I remain leery of artists who prioritize polemics over form. Given your criteria that it must succeed musically and dramatically I don't think we disagree.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Addison D. said: "I would prefer their main goal be to provide a night of beautiful music, wonderful performances and enthralling storytelling."

I mean it's based on Shaw's work which was all about getting people talking about his point-of-view and his critiques of British society as he saw it at the time. A lot of the issues both Pygmalion and My Fair Lady brings up are highly relevant today. But I agree with you that My Fair Lady HAS to succeed in the execution and form as well as it is a musical and can't afford to fail to bring the songs, music, and story to life.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

What is worth noting is that today is the 62nd anniversary of when the original Broadway production of My Fair Lady first opened. Hopefully, that brings 'a little bit of luck' to everyone involved tonight.

[ColorTheHours048]

I don’t think anyone could ever accuse Bart Sher of prioritizing polemics over form. He is a master of unearthing relevancy while providing a sumptuous production at the same time. You will get gorgeous music, you will get beautiful singing, you will get a stunning design - but, hopefully, you will also walk away a little richer in spirit and more thoughtful about the world we live in.

[WhizzerMarvin]

ColorTheHours048 said: "I don’t think anyone could ever accuse Bart Sher of prioritizing polemics over form. He is a master of unearthing relevancy while providing a sumptuous production at the same time. You will get gorgeous music, you will get beautiful singing, you will get a stunning design - but, hopefully, you will also walk away a little richer in spirit and more thoughtful about the world we live in."

Agree 100%. Sher just gets these older shows and has found the perfect balance when bringing them to a 21st Century audience. 

[henrikegerman]

I agree that like Hammerstein, Sher is never timid when it comes to controversy, but is certainly no polemicist. 
But Shaw famously is one.   
What's more there is even polemic debate re: the changes made from Shaw's play to the libretto of MY FAIR LADY (as well as to the screenplay for PYGMALION).  

All of which only makes what Sher will do with MY FAIR LADY (including but by no means limited to the famous ending) all the more tantalizing.

[jayinchelsea]

I know that some of you on this board will be there tonight for the first preview, and yes, I can't wait to hear what you say. Whizzer, have great respect for your comments and insights, hope you will be one of them. This was my first OCR (I'm so old that I had the recording on 45 EPs) and I played it constantly, along with my MOST HAPPY FELLA set. Not a bad way to begin one's musical theatre education...

Realized only this morning that today was the original opening night in 1956!

[Musical Master]

That's a delightful coincidence, maybe they did that so they can have good luck for the first preview tonight; which I'm excited to hear people's first thoughts on.

[jacobsnchz14]

http://i66.tinypic.com/10hrb46.jpg

Merchandise display; the shirt hidden behind the hoodie says “I Could’ve Danced All Night”

[NYadgal]

I'll be there tonight, and I'm SO looking forward to it!!

(I have tickets for after it opens, but am so excited not to have to wait a moment to see this!)

[MCfan2]

All that merchandise looks so nice -- I'm probably going to clean out the stand when I go in August. Everyone who's going tonight, hope you have a great time. I can't wait to read your reports!

[the.hard.part]

Anyone who goes tonight please share the approx run time. Thanks!

[two ladies tickets]

Last evening’s invited dress rehearsal ran 3 hours and 40 minutes including a 20 minute intermission and 1 stop for technical difficulties. I’m assuming tonight’s first preview will be much shorter.

[Musical Master]

Can't wait to hear the first reports of the cast and designs, hopefully this revival will be something truly loverly.

[Someone in a Tree2]

"Last evening’s invited dress rehearsal ran 3 hours and 40 minutes".

Wow, maybe they've reinstated "Say a Prayer for Me Tonight", "Come to the Ball", and Eliza's transformation Ballet leading to the ball, like they had back in the original out-of-town New Haven version of the show. I'd pay good money to see THAT!

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Someone in a Tree2 said: ""Last evening’s invited dress rehearsal ran 3 hours and 40 minutes".

Wow, maybe they've reinstated "Say a Prayer for Me Tonight", "Come to the Ball", and Eliza's transformation Ballet leading to the ball, like they had back in the original out-of-town New Haven version of the show. I'd pay good money to see THAT!"

This is literally the first time I heard of any of that. I have no idea which rock was hiding under when I missed that information.

[Elegance101]

two ladies tickets said: "Last evening’s invited dress rehearsal ran 3 hours and 40 minutes including a 20 minute intermission and 1stop for technical difficulties. I’m assuming tonight’s first preview will be much shorter."

How long was the hold? Jesus, even with those two breaks, I can't imagine why it ran that long.

[degrassifan]

Someone in a Tree2 said: ""Last evening’s invited dress rehearsal ran 3 hours and 40 minutes".

Wow, maybe they've reinstated "Say a Prayer for Me Tonight", "Come to the Ball", and Eliza's transformation Ballet leading to the ball, like they had back in the original out-of-town New Haven version of the show. I'd pay good money to see THAT!"

That's what I'm thinking too!! I'd love for them to add back "Say a Prayer" and "Come to the Ball." 

[JIMG3]

Initial first impressions so far :orchestra sounds divine!! The sets seem to strike a balance between large and lavish, simple and intimate. Harry Haddon-Patton is supberb as Higgins. His voice is clear and resonant, his comic timing excellent. Lauren Ambrose sings beautifully but seems somewhat hesitant in the more intense moments.
 

[Addison D.]

Utterly delightful.