The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain (October 21, 2005)

Pleasanton Playhouse presents "My Fair Lady"

"My Fair Lady," one of the best loved and most enduring musicals of our time, is coming to Pleasanton this week courtesy of the Pleasanton Playhouse. The show opens tonight and runs until Nov. 6 at the Amador Theater.

Anna Cook leads the cast as Eliza Doolittle along with Paul Plain as Henry Higgins. Eliza, an impoverished woman who speaks with a heavy cockney accent, is selling flowers on the street when she encounters Higgins and his new acquaintance, Colonel Pickering. Higgins, an arrogant phonetics professor, boasts to Pickering that he could train anyone to speak properly and pass her off as a duchess, even Eliza. A wager is made and the rest of the story follows Higgins as he works to make Eliza a refined woman. The musical includes many songs that have become classics, including "The Rain in Spain" and "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face."

Alan Jay Lerner wrote the book and lyrics for the musical theater production that debuted in 1956 with music by Frederic Loewe. The musical was adapted from George Bernard Shaw's play, "Pygmalion," and was made into a movie in 1964 starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison. The movie was, and continues to be, extremely popular, winning eight Academy Awards including Best Picture. Julie Andrews first starred as Eliza Doolittle in the musical theater version and the decision to give Hepburn the movie role caused quite a stir at the time. However, despite that controversy, audiences fell in love with the music and the characters and Pleasanton audiences are sure to be just as delighted with this latest presentation.
Going to the show

When: 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 21-Nov. 6

Where: Amador Theater, 1155 Santa Rita Rd.

Cost: $28 for adults, $26 for seniors 60 and older, $20 for juniors 18 and younger, discounts for groups of 20 or more

Tickets: Call 462-2121 or visit www.pleasantonplayhouse.com

E-mail a friend a link to this story.