My Fair Lady revival announces casting

Leeds Playhouse and Opera North have revealed the full creative team and casting for their co-production of Lerner and Loewe’s iconic musical, My Fair Lady.

Soprano Katie Bird and Poldark star John Hopkins will take on the roles of Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins, respectively. Directed by James Brining, the production will grace Leeds Playhouse’s Quarry Theatre stage from 31 May to 29 June.

The beloved classic, which was recently seen on tour and in the West End, follows a flower seller who is berated by an entitled man who attempts to alter her accent and comportment as part of a wager. It includes numbers such as “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?” and “I Could Have Danced All Night.”

The principal cast of nine includes performers from Opera North’s chorus, with the additions of Mark Burghagen (The Passing Bells) as Professor Zoltan Karpathy and Ahmed Hamad (Sunset Boulevard) as Freddy Eynsford-Hill. 

Richard Mosley-Evans, a long-standing member of Opera North’s chorus, takes on the role of Eliza’s father, Alfred P Doolittle, while Molly Barker, another member of Opera North, portrays Mrs Eynsford-Hill. Miranda Bevin, seen previously at Leeds Playhouse in A Little Night Music, assumes the role of Mrs Higgins, and Helen Évora (Into the Woods) will play Mrs Pearce. Dean Robinson (A Little Night Music) will play Colonel Pickering.

The creative team features set and costume designer Madeleine Boyd, choreographer Lucy Hind, musical director/conductor Oliver Rundell, lighting designer Guy Hoare and sound designer Seb Frost. The dialect coach is Eleanor Manners, associate choreographer Llandyll Gove, Rosie Kat assistant director, with Daniel Hogan as assistant conductor and Annette Saunders as chief repetiteur. Casting is by Annelie Powell.

This collaboration between Leeds Playhouse and Opera North continues their longstanding partnership, which has previously led to revivals of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods and A Little Night Music.

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