(courtesy SNP Online)
6-13 July 2005 - By Kevin Corvo


(News photo by Ben French)
Greg Kembitzky and Emily Wright play Professor Higgins and Eliza Doolittle, respectively, in the Hilliard Arts Council production of My Fair Lady.

Professor Henry Higgins will again try to teach Eliza Doolittle to speak the King's English this weekend at Hilliard Davidson High School.

The Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe musical My Fair Lady is the Hilliard Arts Council's summer production for 2005.

The production is directed by Robin Brenneman, who this spring retired after 30 years with Hilliard schools, where she directed thousands of students in theatrical productions.

This summer's performance will reunite Brenneman with 1983 Hilliard High School graduate Greg Kembitzky, who played the role of Higgins under Brenneman's direction during his senior year.

"She's a little more relaxed with me now," Kembitzky said.

"He's knows his lines better," Brenneman replied.

Kembitzky's opposite, Eliza Doolittle, will be played by 2001 Davidson graduate Emily Wright.

Brenneman's husband, Ken, is the musical director of the show, and Diana Vance is the technical director.

Kembitzky, a mathematics teacher and associate theater director at Davidson, has been performing with the arts council for 13 years. In addition to working with students at Davidson, Kembitzky volunteers with the 12th Step Thespian Group, teaching adults theater as part of the Alcoholics Anonymous program.

Set in England, My Fair Lady centers on a wager made by Higgins, an arrogant professor of phonetics. Higgins bets a colleague that he can transform a common woman with a working-class accent into a lady who could blend into English high society.

The woman he trains is Eliza Doolitle.

"Eliza wants to become a lady and approaches Higgins, who finally agrees," Kembitzky said.

Wright described her character, Doolittle, as "a little rough around the edges."

Wright, 22, received a bachelor's degree in musical theater from Bowling Green State University. She has performed with the arts council since she was in the eighth grade.

Julie Andrews played Doolittle and Rex Harrison portrayed Higgins in the original Broadway production, which opened in 1956. The musical made it to the silver screen in 1964, though with the better-known Audrey Hepburn replacing Andrews as Doolittle.

Musical numbers include I Could Have Danced All Night, The Rain in Spain and I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face.

Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday in the Performing Arts Center at Davidson High School, 5100 Davidson Road.

Tickets are $10, $8 for senior citizens and members of the Hilliard Arts Council.

The Hilliard Arts Council will present My Fair Lady at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at Hilliard Davidson High School, 5100 Davidson Road. Tickets are $10, $8 for senior citizens and council members.

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