My Fair Lady (musical)
"My Fair Lady" is a musical adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's play "Pygmalion," created by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. The story revolves around Henry Higgins, an arrogant speech instructor, and Eliza Doolittle, a spirited cockney flower girl whom he attempts to transform into a refined lady as part of a bet. Initially titled "Lady Liza," the musical took its final title from a traditional nursery rhyme, "London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady." The narrative explores themes of class, transformation, and the complexities of relationships, culminating in a revised ending where Eliza and Henry reconcile, a departure from the more ambiguous conclusion of Shaw's original play.
Premiering in the 1950s, "My Fair Lady" became a landmark in American musical theater, celebrated for its sophisticated libretto and memorable score. The production won nine Tony Awards and ran for an impressive 2,717 performances on Broadway from 1956 to 1962, solidifying its status as one of the longest-running shows in the history of the theater. The musical's impact continues to resonate, reflecting the cultural dynamics of its time while offering a narrative that engages with issues of identity and social class.
My Fair Lady (musical)
Identification Broadway musical about an English speech professor who transforms a Cockney flower girl into an aristocratic lady
Date Premiered on March 15, 1956
Place Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York City
Authors Book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, music by Frederick Loewe
This musical adaptation of a play by George Bernard Shaw set a record as the longest-running musical in the history of the American musical theater to its time.
Key Figures
Alan Jay Lerner (1918-1986), lyricistFrederick Loewe (1901-1988), composer
Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe’s musical version of George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion (pr. 1914) focuses on the relationship of Henry Higgins, an egotistical speech teacher (played by Rex Harrison), and Eliza Doolittle (Julie Andrews), the cockney flower girl whom he transforms on a bet into the belle of a society ball. Initially called Lady Liza, the musical finally took its title from the lyrics of an old nursery rhyme: “London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady.” The title of Shaw’s play in turn is a reference to a classical myth that tells the story of an ancient king of Cyprus who fell in love with the statue of a beautiful maiden, which he had carved out of ivory and which Aphrodite then brought to life in answer to his prayer.
During the 1930’s, Shaw himself worked on the script of the screen version of Pygmalion (1938). In the film, Shaw allowed the ending of his play, in which the estranged couple do not kiss and make up at the final curtain, to be altered so that Eliza and Henry are clearly reconciled before the final fade-out. It is this latter ending that Lerner incorporated into his script for the stage production of My Fair Lady. This happy resolution to the plot does not do violence to Shaw’s play, as some critics have charged, since the original ending of Pygmalion was arguably ambiguous and did not close off entirely the possibility of an eventual reunion between Henry and Eliza.
Impact
My Fair Lady was a milestone in the American musical theater during the 1950’s. Lerner’s sophisticated libretto set a new standard for a musical play and the musical was punctuated with a singable score and several sumptuous production numbers. The show won nine Tony Awards for 1956, and its 2,717 performances between 1956 and 1962 established it as one of the longest-running shows in Broadway history.
Bibliography
Flinn, Denny. Musical! A Grand Tour. New York: Schirmer Books, 1997. A very readable account of the musicals that have influenced the development of this genre in the United States.
Ganzl, Kurt. The Musical: A Chronicle. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1997. A historical study of the American musical theater, highlighted by hallmark musicals over the years.