celebrate 70 years since its historical Broadway debut

Celebrating 70 dazzling years since its glorious Broadway debut, Lerner and Loewe’s iconic My Fair Lady will be the first major musical to perform at Arts Centre Melbourne’s refurbished Ian Potter State Theatre when its season opens in November 2026.

From its groundbreaking Broadway debut to the iconic Oscar‑winning film, My Fair Lady remains one of the world’s most enduring and loved musical treasures, with this lavish recreation based on the 2016 Australian production which was directed by Julie Andrews.

“Presenting this special anniversary production of My Fair Lady alongside Opera Australia give me immense pride, and I’m delighted that such an iconic performance, featuring one of the world’s greatest scores, will be the first musical to return to the rejuvenated and beloved Ian Potter State Theatre in Melbourne,” said Producer John Frost.

In keeping with the anniversary milestones, Opera Australia is also marking its platinum 70th anniversary this year, making it an extra special double celebration with My Fair Lady in 2026.

Opera Australia CEO Alex Budd said, “When it premiered in 1956 My Fair Lady was hailed as ‘wise, witty and winning,’ a musical that felt nothing short of miraculous and set a new standard for the art form, and seventy years on, its brilliance continues to shine. To once again present this beloved work with Producer John Frost in Opera Australia’s platinum anniversary year, is to honour a landmark of musical theatre that has delighted generations and continues to enchant audiences today.”

A heartwarming story of identity and change, My Fair Lady brims with razor sharp wit, unforgettable characters, and a stunning score including ‘Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?’, ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’ and ‘Get Me to the Church on Time’.  

When Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe premiered their brilliant adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion in 1956, it became an instant classic — hailed as “the perfect musical” and winning six Tony Awards. This production broke box office records when it premiered at the Sydney Opera House for its 60th anniversary in 2016.

A 20-year-old Julie Andrews was catapulted to superstardom when she originated the role of Eliza Doolittle — an irrepressible Cockney flower girl who transforms into a lady of society. The man attempting to remake her? The appealingly arrogant phoneticist Henry Higgins, who may just be the one who is transformed.

Julie Andrews has been a beloved and much-honoured star of stage, screen and television for more than half a century. She created the role of Eliza Doolittle in Lerner and Loewe’s Broadway musical My Fair Lady, which became an instant classic and the longest-running musical of its day. Andrews also won a New York Drama Critics Award and garnered a Tony Award nomination for her performance.

She made her feature film debut in 1964’s Mary Poppins which brought her an Academy Award®, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award. She earned a second Oscar® nomination and won another Golden Globe Award for her unforgettable portrayal of Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music plus a third Academy Award® nomination and another Golden Globe Award for her “dual” role in Victor/Victoria.

Opera Australia and John Frost for Crossroads Live present:

My Fair Lady
Arts Centre Melbourne, State Theatre
From November 2026
Book & Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by Frederick Loewe
Adapted from George Bernard Shaw’s play and Gabriel Pascal’s motion picture Pygmalion
Based on the 2016 production by Julie Andrews
Directed by Karen Johnson Mortimer

For further information, visit the MyFairLady website.