My Fair Lady is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion. It tells the story of cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle who takes speech lessons from professor Henry Higgins so she can pass as a lady. My Fair Lady first opened on Broadway in 1956 where it was a critical and box office success. It won 6 Tony Awards including Best Musical. An acclaimed film version was released in 1964 starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison. My Fair Lady remains one of the most popular and frequently performed musicals of all time. Its score contains beloved songs like “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “On the Street Where You Live,” and “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly.”
Upcoming Boston Production
A new production of My Fair Lady will run at the Citizens Bank Opera House in Boston from June 7 to June 19, 2022. This will mark the first time the musical has been performed in Boston since the national tour came through in 2019. The upcoming production is directed by Bartlett Sher who helmed the 2018 Broadway revival that won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.
Length of My Fair Lady
With a long history on both stage and screen, productions of My Fair Lady tend to run between 2 1/2 to 3 hours long including one intermission. The duration can vary slightly depending on pacing, scene changes, curtain calls etc. Here is a look at the approximate runtimes for major productions of My Fair Lady:
Original Broadway Production
The original Broadway production of My Fair Lady opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on March 15, 1956. It ran for 6 years and 2,717 performances before closing on September 29, 1962.
– Act 1: Approximately 1 hour 15 minutes
– Intermission: 15 minutes
– Act 2: Approximately 1 hour 15 minutes
Total runtime: Approximately 2 hours 45 minutes
1964 Film Adaptation
The acclaimed film adaptation starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison was released in 1964. It closely followed the story and songs from the stage musical.
– Total runtime: 2 hours 50 minutes
1976 Broadway Revival
The first Broadway revival of My Fair Lady opened at the St. James Theatre on February 20, 1976 and ran for 124 performances.
– Act 1: Approximately 1 hour 10 minutes
– Intermission: 15 minutes
– Act 2: Approximately 1 hour 5 minutes
Total runtime: Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes
1981 Broadway Revival
Another major Broadway revival opened at the Uris Theatre on August 18, 1981 and ran for 333 performances.
– Act 1: Approximately 1 hour 10 minutes
– Intermission: 15 minutes
– Act 2: Approximately 1 hour 10 minutes
Total runtime: Approximately 2 hours 35 minutes
1993 Broadway Revival
A limited engagement Broadway revival played at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in 1993.
– Act 1: Approximately 1 hour 15 minutes
– Intermission: 15 minutes
– Act 2: Approximately 1 hour 10 minutes
Total runtime: Approximately 2 hours 40 minutes
2001 London Revival
A popular West End revival opened at the Royal National Theatre in London on March 15, 2001 and ran for 117 performances.
– Act 1: Approximately 1 hour 15 minutes
– Intermission: 20 minutes
– Act 2: Approximately 1 hour 15 minutes
Total runtime: Approximately 2 hours 50 minutes
2018 Broadway Revival
The most recent Broadway revival opened at the Lincoln Center Theater on April 19, 2018 and ran for 548 performances.
– Act 1: Approximately 1 hour 20 minutes
– Intermission: 20 minutes
– Act 2: Approximately 1 hour 20 minutes
Total runtime: Approximately 3 hours
Upcoming Boston Production
While exact runtimes are to be determined, based on the length of previous productions, the upcoming Boston run at the Citizens Bank Opera House will likely have a total duration of 2 1/2 to 3 hours including a 15-20 minute intermission.
What Makes the Musical So Long
There are several key factors that contribute to the lengthy runtime of My Fair Lady:
Dense Source Material
The musical closely follows the story structure of George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion which has 3 acts and contains a substantial amount of plot and dialogue. Adapting this dense source material necessitates a longer stage musical.
Detailed Character Development
Unlike some musicals that have thin character development, My Fair Lady spends a lot of time evolving complex characters like Eliza, Higgins, and Colonel Pickering. Their emotional journeys unfold deliberately over the course of the story.
Large Cast
With a cast of 20+ named characters that each get their own moments and musical numbers, My Fair Lady has more moving parts than a smaller scale musical.
Several Settings
Instead of being set in just a few locations, My Fair Lady features scenes in Covent Garden, at Ascot, at 27A Wimpole Street, at the Embassy Ball, and more. The changes in setting require additional transition time.
Multiple Solo & Ensemble Numbers
In addition to beloved songs like “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly,” “On the Street Where You Live,” and “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face,” My Fair Lady contains complex production numbers like the Ascot Gavotte that take up meaningful stage time.
Intermission Provides Needed Break
The 2 1/2 to 3 hour runtime of My Fair Lady makes an intermission a necessity. Key reasons the intermission provides an important break include:
Lets Audience Refresh
After over an hour of sitting, audience members appreciate the opportunity to stretch their legs, use the restroom, and grab a drink before Act 2. This helps them re-engage for the second half.
Allows for Set Changes
The intermission enables crew members to change the elaborate sets and costumes needed to transition between the musical’s different settings and acts.
Dramatic Pacing Device
The intermission concludes Act 1 on a climactic moment as Eliza has just astonished everyone at the ball. This dramatic act break builds anticipation for Act 2.
Models a Five Act Structure
The intermission divide creates a classic five act dramatic structure – Act 1, Intermission, Act 2 Part 1, Intermission, Act 2 Part 2. This mimics the pacing of traditional plays.
Act | Runtime |
---|---|
Act 1 | Approx. 1 hour 15 minutes |
Intermission | 15-20 minutes |
Act 2 Part 1 | Approx. 50 minutes |
Act 2 Part 2 | Approx. 30 minutes |
Conclusion
With its long stage history, My Fair Lady consistently clocks in at 2 1/2 to 3 hours in length when performed with a full production. The dense source material, detailed character development, large cast, and multiple musical numbers all contribute to the extended runtime. While lengthy, the musical moves briskly and the intermission provides a necessary dramatic break before the final act. For musical theatre fans, the time commitment is well worth it to experience such an entertaining and brilliantly crafted show. The upcoming production at the Citizens Bank Opera House in Boston will surely continue the tradition of wonderfully long productions of My Fair Lady.