Henry Higgins, an arrogant, irascible professor of phonetics boasts to fellow linguistic, Colonel Pickering that he can train any woman to speak so properly that he could pass her off as a duchess. What Higgins hadn't taken into account when making this bet with Pickering was the hot-headed nature of his new student.

The story of Eliza Doolittle's transformation from common Cockney flower girl to distinguished lady of the Embassy Ball has warmed the hearts of Broadway and West End audiences for decades and features much loved songs such as; 'Wouldn't it be Loverly', 'I Could Have Danced all Night' and 'On the Street Where you Live'.

My Fair Lady is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The show's 1956 Broadway production was a smash hit, setting a new record for the longest run of any major theatre production in history. It was followed by a hit London production, a popular film version, and numerous revivals. It has been called "the perfect musical." It was recently revived at the Royal National Theatre by Cameron Mackintosh and later the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, with Martine McCutcheon as Eliza Doolittle and Jonathan Pryce as Professor Henry Higgins. This revival won three Olivier awards.

The cast for this production has many new members playing their first show with the "Light'; some of them are taking the principal roles. Eliza Doolittle will be played by Rachel Reynolds; Rachel is reprising the role she first performed with Pickering Musical Society. Colonel Pickering is newcomer Ian Small. Ian is best known as a regular performer with York Opera. The trio of Principal newcomers is completed by Alfred P Doolittle, Eliza's father, played by Craig Kirby; this will be Craig's second show with the Company, although he has had plenty of experience with other companies whilst working in the South of the UK. Professor Henry Higgins will be performed by company stalwart, Rory Mulvihill, whose principal roles with the company are too many to list here; he was last seen as Darryl Van Horne in 'The Witches of Eastwick'. The show is being given a fresh slick look by Director, Martyn Knight. it will sound good and look great.

My Fair Lady is one of very few musicals the Light Opera has performed twice, indeed the first time 1976 the company was lucky to be one of the first societies to be granted amateur rights. Eliza, in this premier production, was performed by Hazel Burrows; she joins the cast again, this time to play Henry's mother Mrs Higgins.

Over many years York Light Opera Company have enjoyed many shows at York Theatre Royal including; Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Witches of Eastwick, Jesus Christ Superstar and Anything Goes. -- www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk