To perform alterations on a classic musical and still keep the traditional style and form, one must recognize the underlying structure of the play and respect the show's greatest strengths.
This is exactly the approach that Michael O'Hara, associate dean of the College of Fine Arts and director of the upcoming Spring Semester musical "My Fair Lady" is working to achieve.
Based on the original work of George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion," "My Fair Lady" encompasses the themes of love and commitment and will be the theater department's "big, blow-out" production this year, according to O'Hara.
A devoted Shaw enthusiast, O'Hara is ecstatic to work with a script that began with an author he deems as "startlingly modern, with unorthodox humor and provocative insights."
Because the theater department had not completed a stock, or book musical, in quite sometime, O'Hara's request to direct any of Shaw's works was accepted. Giving up his guilty secret, he revealed that at the end of the day, he prefers musicals to traditional plays.
"There is a reason they don't do New York cheesecake like they do it in Chicago," O'Hara said, "there is no need to mess with perfection."
Although some may claim that classic musicals such as "My Fair Lady" are constantly overdone, O'Hara disagrees and says the level of talent and strong musical selections will captivate audiences in an instant, leaving them blinking in disbelief at the musical's conclusion.
O'Hara is also planning a special alteration for the ending of "My Fair Lady," in which he gives the leading female role Eliza Doolittle more influence in her situation. It will be a slightly comical resolution because the student playing Eliza will have a dominant position over Professor Henry Higgins, who will be played by Ball State University professor, Harold Mortimer.O'Hara developed a passion for theater during the early years of his childhood.
"My father loved American musical theater," he explains. "He used to take my mother to shows while they were dating."
O'Hara's family acquired a large collection of songs from Broadway shows, and he often listened to and memorized the musical numbers. His exposure to "My Fair Lady" impacted him greatly.
One evening during his youth, it was playing on TV. Although his mother always insisted on the entire family's presence at the dinner table for supper, she agreed to let him watch until the show was finished. This irregularity in his mother's rules keeps the memory of his first encounter with "My Fair Lady" fresh in his mind.
While working as a stagehand in Washington D.C., O'Hara was involved in he fourth national tour of the Broadway show "Cats." He had a friend who played keyboard in the production, who allowed O'Hara to play a few notes for "Mr. Mistoffelees." For this reason, O'Hara likes to state that he has, indeed, "played on Broadway." O'Hara has directed several other theater productions, his most memorable being "Children of a Lesser God," which was so momentous, O'Hara said, because there were enormous hurdles to overcome within the production, as well as problems out of his control.
With very little scenery, all original musical compositions and the replacement of the lead actor a week before the start of rehearsals, "Children of a Lesser God" was a true challenge to pull together. In addition, the entire cast had to learn sign language to tell their story. This feat is significant to O'Hara on a personal level because his younger sister is deaf.
O'Hara chose to learn sign language along with his cast and can now communicate with his sister on a more personal level. On opening night as he addressed the audience, O'Hara signed while an interpreter narrated: "Not only do we have to go on with our lives, but the show is perhaps more appropriate than we intended. It's the story of two worlds that collide. We hope that someday we can begin to understand one another, and with that hope let us share 'Children of a Lesser God.'" The show was sold out several nights in a row and O'Hara's large undertaking had been a success.
O'Hara plans on making a favorable impression with "My Fair Lady" this spring.
"There's a slew of extra-talented students," O'Hara said. "It will be a very strong cast."
Although the incoming seniors will be too busy with the senior showcase to participate in "My Fair Lady," O'Hara said he believes that this year's incoming sophomores and juniors have talent that will blow audiences away. O'Hara said he feels that he brings a deep appreciation for the play along with his age and experience. To further the notion that "My Fair Lady" will be an amazing production, O'Hara said that Robert Kvam, dean of the College of Fine Arts, will be directing the orchestra pit.
"I have no doubt that he will do a beautiful job," O'Hara said.
The one standout theme in "My Fair Lady," according to O'Hara is the heart of all human dreams - that people can change, they can transform themselves.
"I wouldn't be an educator if I didn't think people could change," he said.
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