My Fair Lady expert takes audiences on an illuminating musical journey

Dr Dominic McHugh from the Department of Music has drawn on extensive research to curate an exhibition of My Fair Lady in the foyer of the Crucible Theatre.

Dominic’s exhibition is helping audiences to the Crucible’s current production of My Fair Lady to contextualise the new production and reflect on the show's longevity and lasting impact.

Dominic, who lectures on American musicals and the history of Western art music in the Department of Music, said: "It seemed like the perfect opportunity to reach a new audience with my research. I hope that the opportunity to see the journey that the musical has come on since its debut in 1956 will enhance theatregoers' appreciation of the new production – and remind us why My Fair Lady continues to resonate with us so strongly, more than fifty years after its premiere."

To curate the exhibition, Dominic has drawn on research carried out for his book Loverly: The Life and Times of My Fair Lady, published last year.

The exhibition deals with the show's legacy on Broadway, in London and internationally, and includes rare items such as a copy of the Original Broadway Cast album signed by Dame Julie Andrews, who was the first Eliza Doolittle in the musical.

Audiences will be able to view the exhibition free of charge in the theatre's foyer until the end of the show's run on 26 January.

The project has been made possible through funds from the Arts and Humanities Faculty's Arts Enterprise fund (HEIF).

Dominic said of the exhibition: “It contains rare items such as a copy of the iconic Original Broadway Cast recording signed by Julie Andrews, who was the star of the first production, posters of the Broadway production, and letters and documents that are referred to in my book. So it's like the exhibition of the book and tells a strong story about the show's gradual journey around the globe as it became the most successful musical of its day.”

Dominic explained how the collaboration with Sheffield Theatres came about: “Through the University’s Arts Enterprise's HEIF fund, I was able to take the project from an idea to reality. When I found out the Crucible were doing My Fair Lady only a few months after the publication of my book on the subject, I immediately started exploring ways I could become involved.

“The exhibition is in three large cabinets in the foyer of the theatre so audiences will see it as they enter the building. Because my focus is on the show's legacy on Broadway, in London and internationally, I hope the exhibition will help audiences contextualise the new production and reflect on the show's longevity and lasting impact. This is a great example of how scholars can have an impact on audiences beyond academia without scaring them off with traditional academic apparatus such as lectures or journal articles; since the exhibition is visually appealing, it should be a great way to speak to them.”