Interview: Madeline Brennan of MY FAIR LADY at Ordway Center For The Performing Arts

Boasting classic songs like "I Could Have Danced All Night" and "On the Street Where You Live," My Fair Lady tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into his idea of a "proper lady." But, in this new staging of the show, brilliantly directed by Bartlett Sher, you might ask yourself who is really being transformed?

Lincoln Center Theater's new production of My Fair Lady is "thrilling, glorious, and better than it ever was," says The New York Times. Be our guest for the season finale of Broadway @ the Ordway and see what Entertainment Weekly says is "the most perfect musical of all time."

We chat with Madeline Brennan Off off Broadway: Little Women (Aunt March); Steel Magnolias (Clairee); Five Women (Elaine); 451 (Faber); Regional: Evita! (Eva); The Sound of Music (Elsa); Much Ado About Nothing (Dogberry).who plays Mrs. Pearce this production of My Fair Lady.

What is your favorite song in My Fair Lady?

The Overture! I loved many of the songs as a child, and the wit of Alan J. Lerner is inestimable, but you can't quite get past the misogyny of many of the song lyrics (e.g., Higgins, Doolittle). I love the overture because you can hear all of Fritz Loewe's incredibly memorable melodies and focus purely on the instrumentation and the magic of hearing a full, live orchestra :) That sound--that audiences today rarely hear--is your first encounter with the show, and it casts the magic you'll experience for the duration of the show :)

What is your favorite moment in My Fair Lady?

Bartlett Sher's ending (restored from GBS's Pygmalion :) When considering musicals to perform, I like those that bring something of value into the world. I really wasn't sure that I could promote an ending where a woman stays in a relationship with a man who--regardless of his reasons--can only take from her what he needs and has nothing emotionally mature to offer her. So when I heard that Bartlett Sher had restored GBS's ending (GBS had said himself that there was NO WAY Eliza should end up with Higgins), I was thrilled to be a part of it. She ends wanting herself--the self that she learned has and is of value--over wanting a relationship. So many women, in my opinion, still need to hear this message.

What have you enjoyed about touring with this production of My Fair Lady?

Growing into Mrs Pearce over more performances than I've ever done of a single role (it's a real test for an actor that film/television can't provide), living the way acting troupes dating back to Shakespeare did--traveling players! (except they didn't have hotels and buses ;), all the different performance venues, all the different cities/geography, visiting family and friends I haven't seen in years...so EVERYTHING. It'll be one of my life's most memorable adventures (besides the Peace Corps).

What do you hope audiences take away from seeing this production?

That you can sit in a theatre and be transported through a great script and a great score in a way no movie can transport you. I hope they'll rediscover the invaluable value of live theatre!

Have you been to Minnesota before? Any favorite places or places you're hoping to check out while you are here?

I was in St. Paul for my sister's wedding (she lives there!) and to bring my son to visit Macalaster U. I think it's a very progressive culture in many ways (e.g., mental health advocacy) and so I look forward to spending a whole week there! I love that there is a theatre company called Theatre 55 there--that my sister recently performed in -- that does full musical productions (recently RENT!) for actors 55 and over. Actors our age still have parts they want to play that they connect to, and still have great chops, and still want to show their chops in all manner of roles, and this company allows them to do that. I love that win-win concept and I've never heard of any other city having such a company.

I'd love a chance to tell people that you can be 59 years old and still have your dream come true; that your life can in fact be better than it's ever been at age 59. To me, that's exciting and I think others my age would find it inspiring.

Thank you Madeline for your time!

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