LOGAN — My Fair Lady produced by Music Theatre West opened at the Ellen Eccles Theatre (a beautiful older theater with the baroque charm of a bygone era) on Friday November 6th directed by Karen Tuescher. The “loverly” performance was filled with excellent accents, witty dry humor, and a playful energy. The cast could certainly tell one another “You Did It” at the end of their engaging performance.
Editor’s Note: Production Photos have not yet been received by UTAJ. When they are, they will be added to this review. Photos can be provided through this form.
My Fair Lady, with the book by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, follows an egotistical phonetics professor, Mr. Henry Higgins, who believes that proper speech can transform a person from a beggar to a blue-blood in English society. Eliza Dolittle, an ambitious flower seller, seeks education in phonetics from Mr. Higgins to improve her opportunities. Higgins wagers with Pickering that he can change Eliza’s entire life and introduce her to the queen as a high society lady in six months time. As the two embark on their arduous language studies, an unconventional romance brews between them, something that neither can seem to put into words.
Tuescher’s direction utilized blocking for the entire stage in a way that felt organic and asymmetrical. Everyone seemed to have a place and things flowed naturally from scene to dance to scene. Even the scene changes are performed like a well oiled machine, which was impressive considering the amount of set dressing and furniture that was moved around.
The stars of the show are naturally Morgan Nadauld, playing Eliza Dolittle, and Craig Winder, playing Henry Higgins. Nadauld was skillful in her accent work, demonstrating the classic cockney before slowly transitioning to “proper” British. When she sang “Wouldn’t it Be Loverly?” her accent was charming and her vocals good, but when she transitioned into a “proper” tone just before “I Could Have Danced All Night” her voice was clear as crystal, with a sweet resonant quality. Winder stole the show with his witty dry humor. The way in which he delivered every line was precise, such as a casual flippant tone for weighty matters. It was his timing, facial expressions, and body language that sold the humor of lines I had never found funny before.
Easily the best part of the show was the live orchestra, which was directed by Trevor Tuescher. The orchestra kept an even tempo despite the changes between fast and slow songs. The live music added a wonderful energy while allowing the actors’ voices to remain heard. It is clear the actors and musicians are in sync with one another as they moved together through the songs with music direction by Logan Kelly. There were a few times when an individual actor’s microphone failed to turn on at the precise moment they began speaking, but overall this was a minor issue.
The set was another highlight of the show, with set designer Clara Baillio and set painter Lou Collins crafting a larger-than-life scenery. The stage’s high ceiling allows for a spacious feeling at the beginning when meeting Eliza on the streets of London. The pink and blue stage lights create a foggy morning, with a pencil sketch skyline of the city hazy in the background. Prop columns wheel into place, and painted shop signs fly down to create England’s historic capital city. These columns move about the stage to create different parts of London, with various signs flying in and out. Mr. Higgins study is even more impressive which uses multiple shelves filled to the brim with books, layers of window frames, and various scientific images of the vocal chords and ear. These flown in pieces are complemented by a wealth of furniture, a couch, armchair, desk, wet bar, and other elements. And every surface seemed filled with appropriate props designed by Jared Gregerson, teacups, whisky decanters, gramophones and more. With such a large space to fill, the set exuded a cozy maximalist vibe that fit the production perfectly.
The choreography by Emily Fuller featured classical ballroom waltzes and the typical group moves often seen in musical theater. The standouts are “With a Little Bit of Luck” and “Get Me to the Church on Time,” which both featured a fun, rambunctious atmosphere. Fuller’s choreography for both is inventive, with a congo line, a kick line, knee slaps, and heel clicks keeping the numbers playful and engaging.
Costumes were designed by Chloe Satern. Eliza wore a variety of gorgeous pieces beginning with her frumpy flower girl dress with beautiful layers of patterned fabric. Eliza’s look elevates to a more feminine blue dress with white lace, to the iconic black, white, and pink racing dress, then to a stunning sparkly white ballgown, and lastly a more modest purple and tan lady’s dress. The number of costume changes is impressive, especially with the fact that each maintained an overall level of quality. The lead gentlemen also wore a variety of period appropriate pieces which were tailored to each individual. While the ensemble costumes lacked uniformity, each piece showed character and fit the overall vibe of the show.
My Fair Lady is a naturally fun show, but Music Theatre West helped me see a new side to the classic musical. It has humor, wit, a great set and beautiful music. Fans of the classic musical will love this rendition, and those who’ve never seen this classic musical before will be treated to an especially fine introduction to it. Run to see My Fair Lady on time during its limited run at the Ellen Eccles Theatre.
MORE INFO: MY FAIR LADY is currently playing at Ellen Eccles Theatre (43 S Main St, Logan, UT 84321). Performances are held at 7:00 PM on select evenings, with a 1:30 PM matinee on Saturday) through November 14, 2026. Tickets for My Fair Lady typically range from $14 to $30. For the most up-to-date schedule, performance details, and official ticketing, visit the Music Theatre West website: https://www.musictheatrewest.org/
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