Adapted from “Pygmalion,”

the play by George Bernard Shaw

Book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner

Music by Frederick Loewe

Directed by Shaun Kerrison

Music Direction by Catherine Stornetta

Featuring a star-studded cast!

2004 Tony Award winner Jefferson Mays as Higgins

Timothy Jerome as Doolittle

Conrad John Schuck as Pickering

Nancy Dussault from TVs "Too Close for Comfort" as Mrs. Higgins

Gail Bennett as Eliza

JEFFERSON MAYS (Higgins) was recently on Broadway as “Henry Higgins” in Roundabout Theatre’s Pygmalion and in the Tony®-winning revival of Journey’s End. He won the Tony® Award in 2004 for I Am My Own Wife, and he and his wife, Susan Lyons, have since toured the production around the world from Krakow to Caracas, Berlin to Burrumbuttock. He appeared as “Throttlebottom” in Of Thee I Sing for “Encores!” at City Center, and has been in numerous plays in New York and across the country. Awards: Tony®, Drama Desk, Outer Critics’ Circle, Obie (1994 & 2004), Lucille Lortel, Jefferson, Helen Hayes, Elliott Norton, Theatre World, Drama League, Dramalogue and Australia’s Sir Robert Helpmann Award. Film and television include: “How To Lose Friends And Alienate People,” “Alfie,” “The Notorious Betty Page,” “Kinsey,” “Memoirs of my Nervous Illness,” “The Big Brass Ring.” “Cousin Bette,” “Liberty!” “Law & Order,” and “The Closer.” For my darling mother, Lynnabeth Olwin Mays (1930-2008).

GAIL BENNETT (Eliza Doolittle) is thrilled to be playing one of her all-time favorite roles here in paradise! She just spent the last year and a half playing the Brunette Usherette and Lick-me Bite-me in the Las Vegas production of Mel Brooks’ The Producers, roles she reprised in the North Shore Music Theatre’s production. Other regional favorites include Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun, Jellylorum in Cats, and Julia in The Two Gentlemen of Verona. She also loves working in film and voice-over. Gail starred in the recently released short film, “For Such A Time As This,” playing Queen Esther. This fall she will play Claudia in Nine at San Diego Starlight. sShe is married to actor Aaron DeJesus, the man of her dreams.

CONRAD JOHN SCHUCK (Pickering) began his 40 some year career at The Cleveland Play House. Since then he has acted in over 200 productions across the United States and Europe. Plucked from San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theatre in 1969 by Robert Altman to play “Painless,” in the original M*A*S*H motion picture, John began what has been a non-stop film and television career. His first screen kiss was with Elizabeth Taylor. He has starred with Charleton Heston, Bette Midler, Richard Burton, Peter Ustinov, Rock Hudson and Donald Sutherland to name a few. His most recent movies are Woody Allen’s, “The Curse of the Jade Scorpion!” and the award winning “String of the Kite.” On Broadway, he played Daddy Warbucks in Annie and reprised the role in the recent Broadway revival. More recently he was Buffalo Bill in Annie Get Your Gun with the highly acclaimed Reba McEntire, Captain Jack in JUNO, for Encores at New York City Center and Captain Brackett in SOUTH PACIFIC at Carnegie Hall. Off Broadway shows include The Exonerated and We The People. In Los Angeles he just completed Pippin, at Reprise. Television fans will remember John as Enright in “McMillan and Wife” starring Rock Hudson. John has guest starred in over 75 shows, most recently “Law and Order SVU” and “Star Trek: Enterprise.” John is married to the well known painter Harrison Houle. They designed and built their dream beach house together and still found time to smile and talk civilly to one another. Life is GOOD!

NANCY DUSSAULT (Mrs. Higgins) Broadway: Do Re Me, Bajour, The Sound of Music (replacing Mary Martin), Side By Side By Sondheim, and Into the Woods, garnering a Theatre World Award and multiple Tony® Award nominations for her work. Nancy appeared in the Off-Broadway revival of The Boyfriend, starred in Carousel and Finian’s Rainbow at the City Center; Street Scene, The Cradle Will Rock and The Mikado at the New York City Opera, Trelawny Of The Wells at Joseph Papp’s New York Public Theatre. Television: “The New Dick Van Dyke Show,” Co-Host of ABC Television’s “Good Morning, America,” “Too Close For Comfort;” her numerous guest starring appearances include episodes of “Barney Miller,” “Full House,” “The Love Boat,” “Hotel,” “Jack of Hearts,” “Matlock,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Dream On,” “Mad About You,” “Providence,” “Family Law,” “Judging Amy,” and “Alias.” An Emmy Award winner, for “Cabaret Tonight,” she continues to make cabaret and symphony appearances and in 1999, she founded the musical theatre program at UCLA. The past year has seen Nancy star in Sunday In The Park With George, at LA’s Reprise, and as “Toinette,” in San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theatre production of Moliere’s The Imaginary Invalid.

TIM JEROME (Doolittle) TIM JEROME – National Tour: My Fair Lady (Carbonell Award, Helen Hayes Award nom), Broadway: Phantom of the Opera, Me and My Girl (Tony and Drama Desk Award noms), Tarzan, Beauty and the Beast, La Boheme (Ovation Award), Grand Hotel, Cats, The Rothschilds, Man of La Mancha. Film: “Thirteen Days,” “Cradle will Rock,” “Husbands and Wives,” “Everyone Says I Love You,” “Billy Bathgate.” Regional: North Shore, Goodspeed, George Street, Phoenix, McCarter, Arena Stage. Eighteen episodes of Joe Frank’s award-winning NPR radio satire series (joefrank.com). Founding President: National Music Theater Network and New York Musical Theatre Festival (nymf.org). For mom and dad.

WILL RAY (Freddy) is excited to make his Ogunquit Playhouse debut in My Fair Lady.  He was recently seen Off Broadway as John Truit in the Irish Repertory’s production of Meet Me in St. Louis. Favorite regional credits include; Enjolras in Les Misérables and Lt. Cable in South Pacific (Sacramento Music Circus), Malcom in Full Monty (regional premiere), Smokey Joe’s Café (North Shore Music Theatre) and Jamie Lockhart in The Robber Bridegroom (Kennedy Theatre). Will has performed with such orchestras as the Cincinnati Pops and the Tokyo Phillharmonic.  He is a graduate of University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music and would like to thank his family for all of their support through the years.

JOE COOPER (Ensemble) A York, Maine native, Joe studied theatre, film and music at CUNY Hunter College in Manhattan. Recently you may have seen him in the ensemble of Fiddler on the Roof here at the Playhouse or as Moose in Crazy For You at The Palace Theatre. This spring Joe was awarded the Spotlight On The Arts Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Brad in The Rocky Horror Show at Seacoast Repertory Theatre. Thanks to Brad and Robert. Love and thanks to mom, dad and the core. Regional Credits: Dave Full Monty, Rapunzel’s Prince Into The Woods, Caleb The Spitfire Grill, Miles ...Forum. Joe was also a recurring extra on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.” J$. This season is for Nan.

BYRON ST. CYR (Harry, Ensemble) is excited to be making his Ogunquit debut after recently touring the nation in My Fair Lady. Other favorite credits include Miss Saigon (Nat’l Tour), Ragtime (PaperMill), Jesus Christ Superstar, and Beauty and The Beast (NSMT). BFA from NYU: Tisch School of the Arts (CAP21). “Thanks to my family and to Shaun.”

BILL DIETRICH (Jamie, Karpathy, Ensemble) Broadway: Jekyll & Hyde, original cast. National Tours: My Fair Lady, Evita, Les Misérables, Man of La Mancha, Annie, and Hello, Dolly! with Madeline Kahn. Regional: The Rocky Horror Show, The Wizard of Oz, Baby, Phantom, The Music Man, Peter Pan, South Pacific, Sweeney Todd, The Secret Garden and Cloud Nine. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music, Bill recently co-wrote and recorded a contemporary folk CD, “The Chillbilly Band/Back Home” with his writing partner Bradley Dean.

MEGHAN EATON (Busker, Servant, Ensemble) is originally from Hershey, PA and is delighted to make her debut at Ogunquit Playhouse. Meghan is a graduate of James Madison University where she received two degrees: Musical Theatre and Media Arts & Design. Most recently, Meghan was seen with the Prather Entertainment Group in Cabaret as Inga, Joseph… as Mrs. Potiphar, Cinderella as Cinderella and in White Christmas. Other favorite credits include: 42nd Street as Lorraine Fleming (Galveston Island Musicals), Hello, Dolly! (Granbury Opera House), and Anything Goes as Virtue. Meghan would like to thank her loving family and friends for supporting her dreams.

IAN R. GLEASON (Butler, Ensemble) appeared earlier this season as Lead Tenor in The Producers. His favorite roles include Ren, Footloose, (Lyric Theatre); Danny, Baby (Good Theatre Co); Officer Krupke, West Side Story (MSMT); Rooster, Annie (Portland Players/Lyric Theatre), and he was a five time cast member of the Best of Broadway in Portland, Maine. A Maine Native, Ian recently graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC, and can be seen this August on truTV’s “Forensic Files.” He would like to thank God, his family and friends, and mostly his fiance Alexandra for their love and support.

LIZ HELMS (Ensemble) was most recently seen as a showgirl in Ogunquit’s production of The Producers. She is so happy to continue her run at the playhouse and be a part of the My Fair Lady cast! Liz is originally from northern Virginia and attended Oklahoma City University. She has spent the last two years touring the United States and Canada with The Producers National Tour. Before that she performed as a showgirl in Jubilee! at Bally’s Las Vegas and in The Will Rogers Follies outside of Boston. Other favorites include Kiss Me Kate, The Merry Widow, and Anything Goes. Much love to my family and friends for all their support.

LUCY HORTON (Clara, Servant, Ensemble) is a graduate from NYU Steinhardt with a BM in Vocal Performance. Recent New York credits include Broadway’s Rising Stars II at Town Hall directed by Scott Coulter and Emily Skinner, the world-premiere musical Queen Esther (Jelvah) at Merkin Hall written by Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham, and The Boys from Syracuse (Adriana) directed by Dallett Norris. Favorite regional credits include Oklahoma! (Laurey), The Sound of Music (Maria), Candide (Cunegonde), and Sweeney Todd (Beggar Woman). Love and thanks to Mum, Dad and Jo! www.LucyHorton.com

BARBARA MARINEAU (Mrs. Pearce) returns to the Ogunquit Playhouse, having appeared here with John Raitt in Shenandoah over 30 years ago.  Broadway: The Women, Beauty And the Beast, King David, Christmas Carol, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Shenandoah.  National Tours: My Fair Lady (2007-8), Pippin (2006-7), Falsettos, Grand Hotel, Into the Woods, Robber Bridegroom (Florida’s Carbonell Award/Best Actress).  Lincoln Center: Man Of No Importance.  Goodspeed Opera House: Sweeney Todd (“Mrs. Lovett”-Connecticut Critics Circle Award/Outstanding Actress).  Cape Playhouse: No, No Nanette (“Pauline”).  Barn Theatre: Noises Off (“Dotty”).  TV: “Book of Daniel”, “Law And Order: CI & SVU,” “That’s on E-BAY” commercial. 

DUANE MCDEVITT (Hoxton Man, Quartet, Bartender, Angry Man, Servant, Lord Boxington, Ensemble) is thrilled to be making his Ogunquit Playhouse debut. Originally from Coatesville, PA, and a proud AEA member, his favorite roles include: Ravenal (Showboat, Allenberry Playhouse), Pirate King (Pirates of Penzance, NYGASP), Bill Sykes (Oliver, Beef and Boards), Papageno (Magic Flute, Temple Opera). Also: Camelot (national tour with Robert Goulet), Carnegie Hall soloist, Prince Music Theatre, San Diego Opera, Indianapolis Opera, Opera Pacific, Des Moines Metro Opera, Sacramento Music Circus. Duane and his wife Michele McConnell also work the boards cruising the Seven Seas performing their concert act on some of the finest ships afloat. www.duaneandmichele.com.

JEREMY MORSE (Busker, Selsey Man, Servant, Ensemble) is very excited to be working at the Ogunquit Playhouse this summer. In May, he graduated from the NYU Steinhardt Vocal Performance Program in Music Theatre where he was recently seen as Skeets Miller in Floyd Collins and as Frankie Epps in Parade. Earlier this summer, Jeremy was Assistant Director on The Black Suits at The Public Theatre, and later this fall he will be appearing as Norman in the Theatreworks National Tour of The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks. He would like to thank his mom, dad, friends, and family for all their love and support!

CATHY NEWMAN (Mrs. Eynsford Hill, Mrs. Hopkins, Servant, Ensemble) Just finished touring the country for the last ten months with The National Theatre of Great Britain/Cameron Mackintosh Production of My Fair Lady. Other National Tours: Les Misérables (twice!) – U.S. & China premiere with Colm Wilkinson and the final touring company, Deaf West’s Big River (Widow Douglas) and The Sound of Music (Frau Schmidt). Favorite regional credits: Annie (Miss Hannigan), Once Upon a Mattress (Queen Aggravain), The Music Man (Mrs. Paroo) and Oklahoma! (Aunt Eller). Thanks, Shaun for not making me audition again!

WENDY O'BYRNE (Ensemble) is thrilled to be performing with the talented cast of My Fair Lady. You can also see Wendy in Disney’s High School Musical here at the Playhouse. Favorite roles include Anne/Cagelle in La Cage Aux Folles, Tiger Lily in Peter Pan, and Delee in Smokey Joe’s Cafe. Wendy is also a member of MAVI Dance, B.A.D. Repertoire, and Ballet Lolita, all based out of the Boston area. Wendy would like to thank her mother, father, brother, and Joe for all their love and support.

ZAL OWEN (Quartet, Dr. Stephanos, Ensemble) is very excited to be continuing his first season at the Ogunquit Playhouse after having performed in Fiddler on the Roof (Mendel, u/s Motel) and High School Musical (Chad). Most recently, he made his Off-Broadway debut as Jozef in Last Jew in Europe and performed the role of Capek in The York Theatre Company’s reading of The ToyMaker. Regional

credits include Wuthering Heights at the Paper Mill Playhouse, Forever Plaid (Jinx), Titanic (Harold Bride), Jesus Christ Superstar (Simon). Training:

CCM. Zal would like to thank his Mom, Dad, family and friends for their constant love and support.

MARCI REID (Queen of Transylvania, Servant, Angry Woman, Lady Boxington, Ensemble) is ecstatic to make her Ogunquit debut. Proud Equity member: First national tour of Kiss Me, Kate; Goodspeed-Me & My Girl and Call Me Madam; Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Cincinnati Playhouse, and Great Lakes Theatre-She Loves Me; and Lincoln Center-The Last Empress. Other credits: Barrington Stage Company- Cabaret; Carousel Dinner Theatre- Sound Of Music and Footloose; and Trump Plaza in Atlantic City- Jekyll & Hyde. Performed 2 dream roles- Penelope Pennywise in Urinetown and Maggie Jones in 42nd Street. She is eternally grateful for her parents’ support.

ADAM RYAN TACKETT (Busker, Quartet, Ensemble) is thrilled to be a part of this production of My Fair Lady! Credits include National Tours of Joseph…Dreamcoat (Joseph), CATS (Skimbleshanks), and Singin’ in the Rain. Other credits: Radio City, Fairy Tale (Reading), Tokyo Disneyland, Holland America/Stiletto Ent., SSMT, Wayside Theatre, and NYOriginals. This holiday season Adam can be seen as a vocalist in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. B.F.A. in Music Theatre, Shenandoah Conservatory. Thanks to Mom and Dad, Brian, friends and family for constant love and support!

LILLY TOBIN (Flower girl, Mrs. Higgins’ Maid, Ensemble) is delighted to return to the Ogunquit Playhouse in My Fair Lady after playing Chava in Fiddler on the Roof earlier this season. Regional credits: Into the Woods (Little Red), Pirates of Penzance (Isabel), Biloxi Blues (Daisy) at Saint Michael’s Playhouse, A Chorus Line (Judy) at Stowe Theatre Guild. Favorite credits: Seussical (Gertrude McFuzz), You Can’t Take It With You (Essie), Midsummer (Hermia), Oklahoma! (Ado Annie). This fall Lilly will be entering her senior year at Wagner College in NYC. She would like to thank Robert, Brad, and Jen for another amazing opportunity, and family and friends for all the love, support and laughter. www.LillyTobin.com

BRADFORD T. KENNEY (Executive Artistic Director) continues his stewardship of “America’s Foremost Summer Theatre.” He is proud to include many wonderful theatrical productions and the guidance of some of the most significant theatre companies in New England as part of his career. Highlights include Ryan Landry and Eddie Mekka in Hairspray, Lorenzo Lamas in The King and I, Rue McClanahan in Crazy for You, Sally Struthers in Hello, Dolly!, Andrea McArdle in Cabaret and Leslie Uggams in Cinderella. While at Foothills Theatre in Worcester, MA, he produced such highlights as: Miss Saigon, Disney’s Beauty and The Beast, Proof, Cabaret (National Regional Premiere), Smokey Joe’s Café, Dick and Jimmy Van Patten in The Sunshine Boys, Romeo & Juliet, Titanic The Musical, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Regional Premiere), Macbeth, Ten Little Indians, Chicago, Gypsy, Our Town and Ragtime. He is also founder of the Wachusett Theatre Company in Massachusetts with shows such as The Sound of Music, Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Disney/Elton John’s AIDA (Northeast Regional Premiere), Ted Lange from “The Love Boat” in Damn Yankees; and Eddie Mekka from “Laverne & Shirley” in Fiddler on the Roof, among others. His children’s theatres have produced Disney’s Jungle Book Kids, Seussical TYA (Northeast Premiere) and Disney’s 101 Dalmatians Kids and the new production, Fairy Houses, The Musical. In addition to his producing credits, Brad has appeared on stage in the title role of Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Sorcerer with Salisbury Lyric Opera, Strephon in Lolanthe with the Savoyard Light Opera, Billy Bigelow in Carousel, Barrett the Stoker in Titanic, Eric Burling in An Inspector Calls, Christopher Wren in The Mousetrap, Bobby in Company, Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, the King in The King and I, Cornelius in Hello, Dolly! and Oberon in Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as many other roles in shows throughout New England. He is a fourth generation artist, having studied at Rhode Island School of Design, Heartwood College of Art and Maine College of Art. Bradford dedicates this time in the theatre to the memory of Ryan Francis Curtis.

ROBERT LEVINSTEIN (Director of Production) Broadway: Waiting in the Wings (with the legendary Lauren Bacall), Voices in the Dark, Parade (Lincoln Center). Off-Broadway: Clue: The Musical. Pre-Broadway Workshop: The Jazz Singer. National Tour: Disney’s Beauty and The Beast. Regional Tours: AIDA, Fame: The Musical, Regional Theatre: Resident PSM for North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, MA 2000/2001Seasons. Resident PSM for the Ogunquit Playhouse 2003/2005 seasons which included Always...Patsy Cline with the lovely Sally Struthers and Christa Jackson, Tale Of The AllergistsWifewith Karen Black and Auntie Mame with Charles Busch.

SHAUN KERRISON (Director) has recently directed My Fair Lady for its US Tour and was the Associate Director of the Broadway revival of Les Misérables at the Broadhurst Theatre. Previously Shaunwas Associate Director of Les Misérables at the Palace Theatre London and UK National Tour, My Fair Ladyat the National Theatre, Theatre Royal Drury Lane and UK Tour, Martin Guerre at the Prince Edward Theatre, Peter Pan and The Pirates of Penzance both at the Savoy Theatre, Resident Director of The Lion King at the Lyceum, Assisted Trevor Nunn on Acorn Antiques-the musical at the Theatre Royal Haymarket and Directed Baby at Mountview. His Concert Staging includes Assisting on the Les Misérables-10th Anniversary Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, later restaging this event in Chelmsford, Cardiff Castle, Tokyo and Japanese Tour and for a Gala to celebrate 100 years of the Entente Cordiale at Windsor Castle for Queen Elizabeth and President Chirac. Other Concert work includes “Hey Mr Producer!,” “The Hired Man”, “Cavalcade of Coward” and many cabaretand concert performances in London, New York and Nationally as both director and performer. As an actor Shaun played the title role in “Candide” -Riverside Studios, Pirates of Penzance-London Palladium, Marry Me a Little-Water Rats, Chicago-Leicester Haymarket, Sweeney Todd - Oldham, Rodgers and Hammersteins Cinderella- Tokyo, and Les Miserablés- Palace Theatre London.

JENNIFER WERNER (Choreographer) Jennifer is thrilled to return to the Ogunquit Playhouse for her third season. Jennifer’s diverse body of work includesABC’s “Ugly Betty;” NFL National commercials; As Long As We Both Shall Laugh (Roundabout Theatre); The Black Suits (The Public Theatre/SPF); The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks (Lucille Lortel Theatre/TheatreworksUSA); as well as numerous Regional productions of Cabaret. Jennifer’s credits an Associate Choreographer or Associate Director: Follies (Encores!); Winnie the Pooh (International Tour); La Cage Aux Folles and Fiddler on the Roof(Ogunquit Playhouse); and the U.S. and Australian Tours of Cabaret. She has had a long-standing relationship with New York University, choreographing Floyd Collins, A New Brain, Merrily We Roll Along, and Urinetown. Upcoming projects include choreographing Violet (NYU), Phantom (North Carolina Theatre), and performing in Minsky’s (Casey Nicholaw, Dir/Choreo,) at the Ahmanson Center in LA.

CATHERINE STORNETTA (Musical Director) is very excited to be back in Ogunquit after discovering its charms while here in May performing Forbidden Broadway, a show she has performed in many cities including New York, Boston, San Diego, and Miami, as well as in Japan, Australia, and Singapore, and on cruise ships circumnavigating the globe. She has also orchestrated and conducted the orchestral version with the Detroit, Minnesota, Winnipeg, North Carolina, Rochester, Hartford, and Adelaide (Australia) Symphonies. In addition, she composed the score for the Cable ACE-award winning documentary “Christa McAuliffe, Teacher in Space,” produced for the Arts and Entertainment Network “Biography” series, and she has written and produced two cabarets: Intriguing People for People Magazine, and 12 Angry Reindeer. She has worked extensively as a composer, musical director, arranger and teacher in Boston and in an increasingly confusing number of other locations about the country. For the last four years, she has been the musical director for Menopause, The Musical in Boston and New Haven. In her salad days, she was an occasional piano soloist with the Boston Pops.

RICHARD LATTA (Lighting Designer) has worked in NYC, Ogunquit and elsewhere for the past twenty-some years, designing countless Off-Broadway, regional, and industrial shows. Credits include: the Ogunquit Playhouse 75th Anniversary Season, Blithe Spirit (Bloomsburg, PA,) Tthe upcoming Nunsense25th Anniversary Tour starring Sally Struthers, Nunsensations (Tour and TV Special), Meshugganuns(Tour & TV Special.) As a Projection Design Photo Researcher: Thurgood with Laurence Fishburne (Broadway) Mazeppa Metropolitan Opera, Thurgood (original production with James Earl Jones-Westport), and Distracted (Mark Taper Forum). At the American Ballet Theatre, Mr. Latta has been a teaching professional for the school’s program since 2002, mentoring students at Newarks’ Arts High School, the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts and other New York City schools. Thanks to Brad and all responsible for sparking the amazing growth of the Playhouse over the past three years.

ADAM RIGBY (Sound Designer) is excited to be back in Ogunquit. He is looking forward to an exciting summer.

DONALD WILLIAM MYERS (Production Stage Manager) Don has been working On Broadway and Off-Broadway for more then two decades, stage managing all seven of Jackie Mason’s one-man Broadway shows. Most recently he stage managed Charles Busch’s Shanghai Moon and Die Mommie Die. J.A.P. Chronicles, The Last Session and Laughing Room Only. Other credits include Face Value, Company, and the national tour of The Wizard of Oz with Mickey Rooney. Don has also enjoyed working on several concerts and special events both in New York and on the road with the Broadway Tenors, National Dance Institute, Georgetown University, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Theatre Development Fund and the League of American Theatre and Producers. Don is a proud member of Actors Equity

FRED RUBINO (General Manager) joined the Playhouse staff as the project manager in 2006 overseeing major renovations to the electrical and theatre rigging systems. Fred is a member of the Playhouse Theatre Guild and has volunteered many hours working on the restoration of the Playhouse building as well as the Checkoway Pavilion and Children’s Theatre facilities. Fred was appointed General Manager in 2007. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and has extensive experience in financial management, human resources, and grant writing. Fred has lived and worked in the seacoast area since 1977. He retired after a 32-year career in law enforcement in which he was the Chief of Police for two local communities.

ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION (AEA), founded in 1913, represents more than 45,000 actors and stage managers in the United States. Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO, and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. The Equity emblem is our mark of excellence. www.actorsequity.org

The Ogunquit Playhouse Announces Cast for My Fair Lady

For Immediate Release:

August 1, 2008

The Ogunquit Playhouse is please to announce a star-studded cast for its stunning production of the magnificently romantic Lerner and Loewe musical, My Fair Lady, opening on August 13 and running through September 6. This beloved musical tells the tale of a stringent linguist, Professor Henry Higgins, who bets a colleague he can turn flower vendor Eliza Doolittle from a guttersnipe into a duchess.

Starring in the lead role of Eliza Doolitte is Gail Bennett who has just completed a year and a half run in the Las Vegas production of Mel Brooks’ The Producers. Her regional theatre credits include Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun, Jellylorum in Cats, and Julia in The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Tony Award winning actor Jefferson Mays is set to play Henry Higgins. Jefferson recently appeared on Broadway as “Henry Higgins” in Roundabout Theatre’s Pygmalion and in the Tony-winning revival of Journey’s End. He won the Tony Award in 2004 for I Am My Own Wife and has been seen in numerous productions New York and across the country. In addition to the Tony award for Best Actor in a Play, he has also garnered Drama Desk, Outer Critics’ Circle, Obie (1994 & 2004), Lucille Lortel, Jefferson, Helen Hayes, Elliott Norton, Theatre World, Drama League, Dramalogue and Australia’s Sir Robert Helpmann Awards.

Conrad John Schuck, who will take the stage as Pickering, began his 40 some year career at The Cleveland Play House. Since then he has acted in over 200 productions across the United States and Europe. Plucked from San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theatre in 1969 by Robert Altman to play “Painless,” in the original “M*A*S*H” motion picture, John began what has been a non-stop film and television career. His most recent movies are Woody Allen’s, “The Curse of the Jade Scorpion!” and the award winning “String of the Kite.” On Broadway, he played Daddy Warbucks in Annie and then reprised the role in the recent Broadway revival. More recently he starred as Buffalo Bill in Annie Get Your Gun with the highly acclaimed Reba McEntire, Captain Jack in Juno, for Encores at New York City Center and Captain Brackett in South Pacific at Carnegie Hall. Television fans will remember John as Enright in “McMillan and Wife,” starring Rock Hudson.

Playing Mrs. Higgins is Nancy Dusseault, who among her many theatre credits, has appeared on Broadway as Maria in The Sound of Music and has been nominated twice for a Tony Award - as Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for Do Re Mi and again for Best Actress in a Musical for Bajour. On television, she was a regular on “The New Dick Van Dyke Show,” played Ted Knight’s wife in the role of Muriel Rush on “Too Close for Comfort” and was the first actress to portray the mother of character Jamie Stemple Buchman, in season one of the long-running TV series, “Mad About You.” Nancy was also the first anchor of “Good Morning America” working with David Hartman when it began in 1975.

Timothy Jerome will play Alfred P. Doolittle. His Broadway credits include The Phantom of the Opera, Me and My Girl, for which he was nominated for both a Tony and Drama Desk Award, Tarzan, Beauty and the Beast, La Boheme, Grand Hotel, Cats, The Magic Show, Lost in Yonkers, The Rothschilds and Man of La Mancha. His film career includes, “Thirteen Days,” “Cradle will Rock,” “Husbands and Wives,” “Everyone Says I Love You” and “Billy Bathgate.” Timothy is the Founding President of the National Music Theater Network and the New York Musical Theatre Festival.

Will Ray makes his Ogunquit Playhouse debut as Freddy. He was recently seen Off Broadway as John Truit in the Irish Repertory’s production of Meet Me in St. Louis. His regional credits include; Enjolras in Les Miserables and Lt. Cable in South Pacific, Malcom in Full Monty, Smokey Joe’s Cafe and Jamie Lockhart in The Robber Bridegroom. Will has performed with such orchestras as the Cincinnati Pops and the Tokyo Philharmonic. He is a graduate of University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music.

Directing My Fair Lady for the Ogunquit Playhouse is Shaun Kerrison, who has staged the show all over the world, working with Trevor Nunn. Among Shaun Kerrison’s many achievements are positions as Associate Director of Les Misérables at the Palace Theatre in London and Tour Director for the national company, Associate Director of My Fair Lady at both the National Theatre and Theatre Royal Drury Lane, the Associate Director on J M Barrie’s original play of Peter Pan and The Pirates of Penzance, both at The Savoy Theatre, London, the resident director of The Lion King (Lyceum) and last year staged Les Misérables in concert for a special gala performance at Windsor Castle to celebrate 100 years of the Entente Cordiale, for Her Majesty the Queen and President Chirac.

My Fair Lady runs from August 13 to September 6 and is funded in part by a grant from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. Contact the box office at 207-646-5511 to order your tickets today or purchase online at www.ogunquitplayhouse.org.

When stringent linquist, Professor Henry Higgins, bet a colleague he could turn flower vendor Eliza Doolittle from a guttersnipe into a duchess, the stage was set for romance and glitter. Touted by many as the perfect musical, this dazzling production featured irresistible songs including “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly,” “I Could Have Danced All Night” and “On the Street Where You Live.” Henry Higgins, Professor of Phonetics, encountered Eliza Doolittle, a cockney flower girl, at Covent Garden Market. He declared to his friend Colonel Pickering that in three months he could transform Eliza into a duchess.

Over the course of the next several months Eliza, who moved into the Higgins household, was put through a grueling course of phonetics and elocution lessons by Higgins. When she was presented at the Embassy Ball, she was beautiful, elegant and well-spoken. Celebrating his victory, Higgins ignored Eliza’s feelings while failing to give her any of the credit for the transformation and hard work; and so she left him. The ups and downs and plot twists enthralled our audiences as Higgins got more than he bargained for along the way and watched as Doolittle taught the Professor a thing or two. “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face” betrayed Higgins’ character change at the hands of his pupil.