NORWICH – Learning both Cockney and proper British accents, acting much older and learning to waltz are just some of the challenges the cast of Norwich High School’s upcoming musical, “My Fair Lady,” had to surpass.
According to music teacher and play director Mark Sands, the effort was worth enduring. “The cast worked very hard and did an awesome job,” he said.
Audiences will witness for themselves as the show is presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5, and again at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 6 in the school’s auditorium on Midland Avenue.
This is Sands’ fourth encounter with the Broadway smash hit, and he’ll be the first to say it isn’t his favorite. (He played the violin in the pit the first three times, as he will again this weekend.) However, after considering the show’s many popular musical numbers, “Wouldn’t it be Loverly,” “With A Little Bit of Luck,” “The Rain in Spain,” “I Could have Danced all Night”, “On the Street Where You Live,” “Get Me to the Church on Time” and others, he said he knew that he had to produce it.
“My Fair Lady” is based on the George Bernard Shaw play “Pygmalion.” It was one of the longest running shows of its time, opening on March 15, 1956 and playing 2,717 performances. The play made Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews famous, and later, Audrey Hepburn, who starred in the movie adaptation.
Several of the principal cast members said they watched the movie at least twice to get a feel for their roles – except for sophomore Chris Kappel, who stars in his first leading role on the Norwich High School stage. Kappel said he wanted his character, Henry Higgins, to flow from his own creation. “I watched the film once. I wanted a little bit of Rex Harrison, but worked to create my own character,” he said.
Among many performances, Kappel is perhaps best remembered for his role as Mr. Mushnik in last year’s musical, “Little Shop of Horrors.”
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