'Fair Lady' ensemble shines

Saturday night's performance of "My Fair Lady" went off without a hitch, as do so many IU Auditorium productions. The backdrops fell noiselessly, props and sets changed smoothly, the costumes were everything one would expect from a professional group and Tom Henry played the role of Henry Higgins as if it were written for him. \nSitting in the dark, playbill in hand, it was easy to relax and let the musical based on George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion" unfold with its charming tunes and witty dialogue. Often imitated, but never duplicated, (with movies "Pretty Woman" and "She's All That") the show has kept its warmth and energy even after many years and many casts. \nAmid a long stage run, a well-known movie release and songs that have been the subject of countless parodies, how does the play manage to keep auditoriums filled year after year? Any spectator can readily answer that an original live performance is always superior to films and spinoffs, but why? The play used sets that were positively barren compared to the lush decorations used in the popular 1964 film. Some of the music sounded one-dimensional because the instrumentalists were playing behind the curtain rather than in the pit and relied on speakers. These were certainly not enough to impress the average audience. Still, no one could be seen leaving with so much as a frown. What was it that left stars in the eyes of so many theatre patrons this weekend?\nThe answer to this puzzle lies in the ensemble. So many times, these individuals are overlooked and underappreciated, but they are truly the ones who bring us back time after time to the theatre, whether we realize it or not. In the case of "My Fair Lady," the ensemble made up a small troupe of supporting roles dictated by the scene. In some scenes they were loveable ragamuffins pounding out rhythms with trash can lids and beer steins. In other scenes, they comprised the staff of Professor Higgins' home who scolded and celebrated in turn their master's attempts to make a princess out of a peddler. In one of the most amusing scenes they made the audience roll with laughter at their portrayal of stiff English nobility watching a horse race. \nThe ensemble managed to blend in and enhance the performance of the lead roles, but their performance consisted of some of the most impressive choreography, the highest high kicks, the tightest vocal harmonies and the greatest flexibility of any characters in the show. Even as they moved from one scene into the next, the ensemble entertained the audience with their fast-paced antics and acrobatics, even chattering among themselves during their curtain call. From saucy bar maids to barbershop-singing street urchins, the ensemble provided the show with a warmth and humor that was unbelievably subtle in its perfection. These men and women who went unnamed except in the program's pages changed effortlessly from one set of personalities to another, all the while maintaining appropriate accents and postures for their parts. \nEliza Doolittle herself did not have to change so drastically or so often as the people around her did for this show. \nThe next time you go to the theater, take this as your challenge: watch the supporting actors carefully and see if you don't think they deserve as much or more of your appreciation than the show's headliners. Such an examination of Saturday's performance revealed that "My Fair Lady" had more than "A Little Bit Of Luck" on its side ... it had a truly great ensemble of players.