Armidale Drama & Musical Society
'My Fair Lady'
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Town Hall, Armidale - October 1975
Stage Direction by Barry Richardson
Musical Direction by Keith Aubrey
Choreography by Betty Dizick
Adapted from George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. Book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. Music by Frederick Loewe. By arrangement with J. C. Williamson Theatres and Tams-Witmark Music Library of New York.
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SYNOPSIS
While selling flowers outside Covent Garden Theatre in 1912, Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney, is criticised for her poor speech by Professor Henry Higgins, a speech expert. Eliza overhears him speaking to Colonel Pickering when Higgins mentions the fact that, with training, Eliza would pass as a Duchess.
Eliza's ambitions is to be a nicely spoken flower seller in a shop, so she goes to Higgins' home to ask for speech training. Her father, Alfred, also visits Higgins' home, but meets his match with Henry. After intensive training, Higgins finally feels Eliza is ready to make her debut, at Ascot, but sheer excitement causes her downfall.
After more intensive training Eliza is again taken into Society, this time to the Embassy Ball, where she is an instant success. After the Ball, Higgins and Pickering forget Eliza and congratulate one another on their success. Poor Eliza, she turns first to Freddy Eynsford-Hill, then her father, who is about to marry, and lastly to Higgins' mother who not only listens sympathetically but offers some sound advice.
As to how the story ends, well, we all have our own ideas.
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MUSICAL NUMBERS
Act 1
'Why Can't the English?' - Higgins, with others
'Wouldn't It Be Loverly?' - Eliza and Male Chorus
'With a Little Bit of Luck' - Doolittle, Jamie and Harry
'I'm an Ordinary Man' - Higgins
'With a Little Bit of Luck' - Doolittle and Chorus
'Just You Wait' - Eliza
'Poor Professor Higgins' - Maids, Higgins and Eliza
'The Rain in Spain' - Eliza, Higgins and Pickering
'I Could Have Danced All Night' - Eliza, Two Maids, Mrs Pearce
'Ascot Gavotte' - Chorus
'On the Street Where You Live' - Freddy with Mrs Pearce
'Eliza's Entrance' - Orchestra
'Introduction and Promenade' - Orchestra
'Embassy Waltz' - Orchestra
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Act 2
'You Did It' - Pickering, Higgins and Maids
'Just You Wait' - Eliza
'On the Street Where You Live' - Freddy
'Show Me' - Eliza with Freddy
'The Flower Market' - Male Chorus with Eliza
'Get Me to the Church on Time' - Doolittle and Chorus
'A Hymn to Him' - Higgins, with Pickering
'Without You' - Eliza, with Higgins
'I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face' - Higgins
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SCENES
Act 1
Scene 1: Outside the Opera House, Covent Garden. A cold March night.
Scene 2: A Tenement Section, Tottenham Court Road. Immediately following.
Scene 3: Higgins' Study. The following morning.
Scene 4: Tenement Section, Tottenham Court Road. Three days later.
Scene 5: Higgins' Study. Later that day.
Scene 6: Near the Race Meeting, Ascot. A July afternoon.
Scene 7: Inside a Club Tent, Ascot. Immediately following.
Scene 8: Outside Higgins' House, Wimpole Street. Later that afternoon.
Scene 9: Higgins Study. Six weeks later.
Scene 10: The Promenade of the Embassy. Later that night.
Scene 11: The Ballroom of the Embassy. Immediately following.
Act 2
Scene 1: Higgins' Study. 3 o'clock the following morning.
Scene 2: Outside Higgins House, Wimpole Street. Immediately following.
Scene 3: Flower Market of Covent Garden. 5 o'clock that morning.
Scene 4: Upstairs Hall of Higgins' House. 11 o'clock that morning.
Scene 5: The Conservatory of Mrs. Higgins' House. Later that day.
Scene 6: Outside Higgins' House, Wimpole Street. Immediately following.
Scene 7: Higgins' Study. Immediately following.
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CAST (In order of appearance)
Buskers: Kim Levett, Betty Dizick, John Herlihy, Mrs Eynsford-Hill: Pauline Fuller, Eliza Doolittle: Julie Weisfelt, Freddy Eynsford-Hill: Tony Macpherson, Colonel Pickering: George Pittendrigh, A Bystander: David Lennon, Henry Higgins: Hugh Burrows, Selsey Man: John Leslie, Hoxton Man: Greg Retallack, Another Bystander: John Herlihy, First Cockney: Martin Dolan, Second Cockney: Alan Wilkinson, Third Cockney: Mark Hewitt, Fourth Cockney: David Lennon, Bartender: Martin Dolan, Harry: John Leslie, Jamie: John Herlihy,Alfred P Doolittle: John Armbruster, Mrs Pearce: Frances O'Brien, Mrs Hopkins: Yvonne McLeod, Butler: Alan Wilkinson, Servants: Claudia Kiernan, Paula Walker, Rosalyn Brady, Mrs Higgins: Els Coventry, Chauffeur: Mark Hewitt, Footmen: Alistair Arthur, Lord Boxington: John Leslie, Lady Boxington: Yvonne McLeod,Constable: Bruce Moon, Flower Girl: Linley Curtis, Sir Reginald Tarrington: Greg Retallack, Lady Tarrington: Christine Pulley, Zoltan Karpathy: Jerry Fletcher, Dr Themistocles Stephanos: Allan Portell, Queen of Transylvania: Valerie Rae, Consort: Al Ritchie, Ambassador: John Herlihy, Bartender: Allan Portell, Mrs Higgins' Maid: Sylvia Herlihy
Singing Ensemble: Alan Wilkinson, Alistair Arthur, Allan Portell, Bettina Holmes, Betty Dizick, Bruce Moon, Christine Beesley, Christine Pulley, Claudia Kieman, David Lennon, Gai Wratten, Greg Retallack, Gwenda Hardie, Jennifer Moon, John Herlihy, John Leslie, Joy Denham, Kim Levett, Linley Curtis, Lyn Forbes, Lyndall Fuller, Mark Hewitt, Martin Dolan, Nancy Evans, Paula Walker, Peter Kerr, Rosalie Wilson, Rosalyn Brady, Roslyn Nash, Sharon Hoswell, Sylvia Herlihy, Trudie Waters, Valerie Rae, Yvonne McLeod
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THE ARMIDALE ORCHESTRA
Violin 1: Laurie Pulley, Mother Cecelia, Eunice Allingham, Ted Kearns, Colin Sholl, Violin 2: Elfi Sturmer, Florence Brereton, Joan Milner, Richard Milner, Maxine Kirk, Viola: Megan Crew, Norman Tullett, Cello: Susan Metcalfe, Roeland Weisfelt, Flute: Carol Clark, John Clack, Clarinet: Elizabeth Macdonald, Anne Fletcher,Oboe: Susan Erbacher, Bassoon: Narelle Williams, John Fletcher, Trumpet: Danny Kirk, Thomas Mackerras, Peter Robertson, Horn: James Ridsdill-Smith, Karl Merton, Percussion: Joanne Griffiths, Piano: Richard Marshall
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PRODUCTION TEAM
Producer: Barry Richardson
Musical Director: Keith Aubrey
Stage Manager: Ron Vickress
Choreography: Betty Dizick
Lighting/Sound Effects: David Pitt
Prompt: Barbara De Lange
Costuming: Sylvia Pink
Properties: Nerida Curtis and Barbara McConville
Makeup: Diedre Vickery
Posters: Gwenda Hardie
Repetiteur: Richard Marshall
Publicity: Pat Kerr
Photography: Frank Anderson
Front of House: Laurie Leask, John Coventry
Business Manager: Peter Robertson
Catering: Pat Smith
Ushering: Pam McWatters
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THANKS TO
Armidale College of Advanced Education for rehearsal facilities.