Cast sparkles in My Fair Lady

Talented cast sparkles in My Fair Lady

Alfred Doolittle (Lenny Wolpe, Left) tries to sell his daughter to Professor Higgins (James Brennan, Right) as a horrified Colonel Pickering (Tom Toner) looks on in the Sacramento Music Circus production of My Fair Lady, It plays under the tent through Aug. 17. Photo by Steve Kolb

    When the character of Henry Higgins uttered, "Where's my slippers," to end Monday's opening of My Fair Lady at Sacramento's Music Circus, the audience had a tough decision to make.
    Surprisingly (or maybe not so), as the cast made its way back under the lights, the crowd began to stand for one of the supporting characters, even before the main characters reached the stage.
    My Fair Lady presented Sacramento with such a magical performance that it was tough to decide who the favorites were.
    Sarah Tattersall (surely soon to move on to bigger and better things - is that Broadway on the phone?), was captivating in the role of Eliza Doolittle, the London flower girl who is plucked off the streets by a self-centered professor and turned into a Lady.
    This was Tattersall's third time in the role at Music Circus (also in 1989 and 1993), and she has improved each time, casting a spell over the audience with a performance that will not soon be forgotten.
    Tattersall also played the dual role of Lilli Vanessi and Katharine in Kiss Me Kate in last year's Music Circus and is quickly becoming a favorite with Sacramento theatre audiences.

Professor Higgins (James Brennan, Left) and Colonel Pickering (Tom Toner, Right) get ready to take Eliza (Sarah Tattersall) to the Embassy Ball - her ultimate test in polite society. Photo by Steve Kolb

    Eliza's professor, played perfectly by James Brennan, was so good the audience didn't know whether to love him or hate him, as he treated Eliza like the flower girl she was rather than the Lady she had become.
    Brennan has seen the Broadway stage in a number of roles, including Bobby Child in Crazy For You, and Billy Lawlor in 42nd Street.
    In the supporting role of Prof. Higgins' colleague and friend Colonel Pickering was Tom Toner, another returning cast member from previous performances of My Fair Lady. He was the perfect counter to Higgins' gruff, self-centered persona, treating Eliza with kindness and like the Lady she was.
    Music Circus regular Lenny Wolpe was perhaps the big surprise of the night, however.
    An eight-appearance veteran of the Circus, with roles including Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof and appearances in The Sound of Music, Hello Dolly and The Wizard of Oz, Wolpe stole the show with his portrayal of Eliza's father Alfred P. Doolittle (a role he also played in the 1993 production).
    Wolpe's song and dance routine, "With A Little Bit of Luck," accompanied by some of his drinking buddies was a delight to watch and quickly endeared the veteran performer to the audience.
    As the cast took the stage for their final bows, Wolpe's efforts were rewarded by some of the crowd starting an early standing ovation.
    The bulk of the applause was, of course, reserved for the two main stars - Brennan and Tattersall - but it was clear the audience was in love with Tattersall's voice and elegance on stage.
    I certainly hope she will return to Sacramento many more times, as she is truly one of the finest performers to grace the stage in our city.
    And let us not forget the fabulous music by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. Songs like "Wouldn't It Be Loverly," "With A Little Bit Of Luck," "The Rain In Spain," "I Could Have Danced All Night" and "Get Me To The Church On Time" have become some of the most loved classics in all of theatre.
    My Fair Lady will make you laugh. It will make you cry. It will leave you with a happy feeling inside. If you haven't visited the Music Circus yet this season, go see it. And if you are a regular to the tent you are in for a treat!
    My Fair Lady runs through Aug. 17, with performances through Saturday at 8 p.m. and a performance Sunday at 7:30pm.
    Tickets are available at the Music Circus box office, 1419 H Street, (916) 557-1999, or any BASS outlet, (916) 923-BASS. Ticket prices range $20-$38.

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