My Fair Lady facts for kids

Quick facts for kids My Fairy Lady
Program from Mark Hellinger Theatre
Music	Frederick Loewe
Lyrics	Alan Jay Lerner
Book	Alan Jay Lerner
Basis	Pygmalion, play by George Bernard Shaw Pygmalion, movie based on Shaw play
Productions	Broadway (1956) West End (1958) Movie (1964)
Awards	Tony Award for Best Musical

My Fair Lady is a very famous musical. A musical is a play that tells a story using songs, acting, and dancing. This musical is based on an old play called Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. It also took ideas from a movie version of that play.

The story and songs for My Fair Lady were written by Alan Jay Lerner. The music was created by Frederick Loewe. Together, they made a show that people still love today!

The Story of My Fair Lady

The musical tells the story of Eliza Doolittle. She is a young woman who sells flowers in London. Eliza speaks with a very strong "Cockney" accent.

A smart professor named Henry Higgins believes he can teach anyone to speak properly. He makes a bet with his friend, Colonel Pickering. Professor Higgins says he can teach Eliza to speak like a fancy lady. He wants her to be able to fit in with high society.

Eliza moves into Professor Higgins's house. She works very hard to learn new ways of speaking and behaving. It's not always easy, and there are many funny and touching moments. The musical asks if changing how someone speaks also changes who they are.

First Performances

My Fair Lady first opened on Broadway in New York City. The very first show was on March 15, 1956, at the Mark Hellinger Theatre. It was a huge success!

The show ran for a very long time, with over 2,700 performances. Famous actors like Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison played the main roles. Moss Hart was the director.

Two years later, on April 30, 1958, the musical opened in London's West End. This show also starred Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison. It was just as popular in London and ran for more than five years.

Main Characters

Here are some of the important characters from My Fair Lady and the actors who first played them on Broadway:

• Eliza Doolittle: A young flower seller from London. She learns to speak differently. – Played by Julie Andrews
• Henry Higgins: A professor who teaches people how to speak. – Played by Rex Harrison
• Alfred P. Doolittle: Eliza's father, who is a dustman (someone who collects trash). – Played by Stanley Holloway
• Colonel Hugh Pickering: Professor Higgins's friend and another language expert. – Played by Robert Coote
• Mrs. Higgins: Henry Higgins's mother, who is a very polite lady. – Played by Cathleen Nesbitt
• Freddy Eynsford-Hill: A young man who falls in love with Eliza. – Played by John Michael King
• Mrs. Pearce: Professor Higgins's kind housekeeper. – Played by Philippa Bevans

Awards and Movie

My Fair Lady was a very successful musical. It won the Tony Award for Best Musical. This is one of the biggest awards for plays on Broadway.

In 1964, the musical was made into a popular movie. Audrey Hepburn played Eliza Doolittle, and Rex Harrison played Professor Higgins again.

Images for kids

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  Program from Mark Hellinger Theatre

See also

In Spanish: My Fair Lady para niños