N.Y. Philharmonic to play 'Fair'
Fisher to conduct semi-staged production of musical
Rob Fisher, the veteran conductor of the Encores! series, conducts.
Legendary 1957 tuner replaces "Company," the 1970 Stephen Sondheim musical previously skedded for semi-staging this spring by the Philharmonic. (Orchestra's version was yanked in deference to helmer John Doyle's production of "Company," which bowed on Broadway in the fall and is still on the boards.)
"Lady" marks the latest in an irregular but noteworthy series of musicals presented by the Philharmonic for brief semi-staged engagements. Most recently the orchestra presented "Candide" in 2004, with Lonny Price directing Kristin Chenoweth and Patti LuPone; in 2000 the org played concert perfs of "Sweeney Todd" starring LuPone, George Hearn and Audra McDonald under Price's direction.
"My Fair Lady" hasn't been seen in Gotham for a while now. Last Broadway revival was a 1993 production toplining Richard Chamberlain and Melissa Errico.
Casting details are still being confirmed. Show runs March 7-10 at Avery Fisher Hall.
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"Mayumana's Be," an Israeli rhythm-dance-performance amalgam, begins perfs at Off Broadway's Union Square Theater in February.
A hybrid of music, movement and percussion a la "Stomp" or Blue Man Group, "Be" fills the vacancy left by "Slava's Snowshow," which ends a 2½-year run at the Union Square on Sunday.
Off Broadway has had good luck with performance spectacles that aren't English-centric -- both "Stomp" and the Blue Man Group's show are among Off Broadway's longest-running offerings. De La Guarda's "Villa Villa" and "Slava" found similar success with the formula.
"Mayumana," from the Hebrew word for "skill," was created by Eylon Nuphar and Boaz Berman in Tel Aviv in 1996, and has since toured internationally. "Be" is a new version that will preem in New York.
Show begins perfs Feb. 23 for a March 13 opening. Marc Routh, Thomas Viertel, Roy Ofer, NBO, Pamela Cooper and Annette Niemtzow produce.
