Laura Michelle Kelly, Jonathan Pryce and Michael York to Lead Kennedy Center’s My Fair Lady

The Kennedy Center just raised the stakes for Clive Davis’ upcoming My Fair Lady revival, because the famed venue has assembled a truly talented cast for a one-night-only concert presentation of the classic musical. Two-time Tony winner Jonathan Pryce (Miss Saigon) will star as Henry Higgins opposite Olivier Award winner Laura Michelle Kelly (Mary Poppins) as Eliza Dootlittle during the May 5 event, which marks the Kennedy Centers' annual spring gala. 

The performance of My Fair Lady will also co-star Michael York (Cabaret) as Colonel Pickering, Tony winner Gregory Jbara (Billy Elliot) as Alfred P. Doolittle, Oscar winner Cloris Leachman (TV's Raising Hope) as Mrs. Higgins, Tony nominee Mary Beth Peil (Follies) as Mrs. Pearce and Max von Essen (Evita) as Freddy Eynsford-Hill.

Originally adapted from George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion, My Fair Lady is the story of a poor Cockney flower girl (Kelly) who takes speech lessons from a snobbish phonetics professor (Pryce) in order to pass for a lady in high society. The show's beloved score includes classics like “Wouldn't It Be Loverly,” “I Could Have Danced All Night” and “Get Me to the Church on Time.”

Both Kelly and Pryce previously played their roles in the West End. Check out performances from the 2001 revival below, featuring Pryce tackling "The Rain in Spain" at the 2:30 mark.