My Fair Lady UK and Ireland tour announces casting

Initial casting has been confirmed for the  UK and Ireland  tour of My Fair Lady.

The Lincoln Center Theater production,plays its final performance at the London Coliseum this Saturday, followed by a tour which will open in  Bradford on 9 September 2022

The cast will be led by Michael D Xavier (Sunset Boulevard) as Henry Higgins, Charlotte Kennedy (Les Misérables) as Eliza Doolittle, Adam Woodyatt (EastEnders) as Alfred P Doolittle, Heather Jackson (The Phantom of the Opera) as Mrs Higgins, John Middleton (Emmerdale) as Colonel Pickering, Lesley Garrett (The Messiah) as Mrs Pearce and Tom Liggins (who made his professional debut in the Coliseum run of My Fair Lady) as Freddy Eynsford-Hill.

Award-winning West End and Broadway star and two-time Olivier Award nominee Michael D. Xavier will play Henry Higgins. Most recently Michael starred on screen with recurring roles in Grantchester (ITV), Outlander (Amazon), Gentleman Jack (BBC) and in The Blacklist (NBC). Michael spent an incredibly successful year on Broadway in 2017, reprising his role as Joe Gillis opposite Glenn Close in Sunset Boulevard and in Hal Prince’s hit show Prince Of Broadway. Michael was nominated for two Olivier Awards in 2011; ‘Best Supporting Performance in a Musical’ (Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince – Into The Woods at The Open Air Theatre) and ‘Best Actor in a Musical’ (Oliver – Love Story at The Duchess Theatre & Chichester Festival Theatre).

Charlotte Kennedy will star as Eliza Doolittle. Charlotte made her professional debut in Les Miserables in the West End and most recently played the role of Cosette.

Best known for playing Ian Beale in EastEnders, Adam Woodyatt will play Alfred P. Doolittle. Ian has played the character of Ian Beale since the programme started in 1985 appearing in over 3460 episodes. Before joining EastEnders as a 16 year old, Adam had enjoyed a successful start to his career in the theatre with roles in Oliver! (Albery Theatre now Noel Coward), On the Razzle (National Theatre) before playing Shiner in the Baker Street Boys (BBC) and Dave Firkettle in Witches and the Grinnygog (TVS).

Heather Jackson will reprise her role as Mrs Higgins which she is currently playing at the London Coliseum. Star of multiple roles all over the UK and Europe, Heather played the part of Madame Giry in the West End production of 'The Phantom of The Opera' for a total of nine years, leaving the show in 2009.

John Middleton will play Colonel Pickering. John is best known for his part in ITV’s Emmerdale as Ashley Thomas, a role which he remained in from 1996 to 2017. After this he starred in a highly successful theatre tour of Strangers on a Train where he appeared as the American detective Arthur Gerard, alongside Christopher Harper, Jack Ashton and Hannah Tointon.

Opera superstar Lesley Garrett will play Mrs Pearce. Lesley is Britain’s best-known soprano, regularly appearing in opera, musical theatre, concert, on television and CD. For more than 30 years she has enjoyed one of the most successful and idiosyncratic careers of any modern-day, classically trained soprano, winning both critical acclaim and the affection of many fans and music lovers through the breadth and diversity of her work. Internationally Lesley has performed throughout Europe, the USA, Australia, Russia, Brazil, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan and South Korea.

Tom Liggins made his professional debut in the West End run of My Fair Lady at the London Coliseum. On tour he will play the role of Freddy Eynsford-Hill

 

The company also includes ensemble members Dammi Aregbeshola, Bernadette Bangura, Joseph Claus, Jordan Crouch, Jamie Cruttenden, Francessca Daniella-Baker, Barry Drummond, Bethany Huckle, Emma Johnson, Sinead Kenny, Jenny Legg, Rebekah Lowings, Carl Patrick, Tom Ping, Dominique Planter, Joseph Poulton, John Stacey, Joshua Steel, Oliver Tester, Adam Vaughan, Annie Wensak and Paul Westwood. Additional casting will be revealed in due course.