Theatre in my life
We have season tickets to the Merrimack Repertory Theatre and it’s been a great investment. We’ll be there tonight for the preview of The Missionary Position, a satiric comedy that mixes politics and religion—especially timely for the primaries, not to mention the youth-enhancing benefits of laughter. (I’m also planning to swing by Winterfest for soup tasting before the show—more on that later.) Seeing all the MRT plays has required some schedule juggling, but we’ve enjoyed every production immensely. It has also made me realize the great gift of experiencing live theatre regularly. With that in mind, I took my 11-year-old daughter to the Boston Opera House Tuesday (children free with an adult) for opening night of My Fair Lady. Because I only had to pay for my seat and she got the one next to me, I opted for premium seats (second row center orchestra), which was wise for a venue that large. I guess I’ve grown accustomed to the intimacy of the MRT…Speaking of accustomed, My Fair Lady was fantastic (“awesome” says my daughter). I was especially thrilled to hear again the classic songs I know so well, and the memories they evoked of my mother singing, “I could have danced all night” while washing dishes, or “All I want is a room somewhere, far away from the cold night air,” or “With a little bit of luck,” and “Get me to the church on time!” Who could forget Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison in the film version of this great, 50-year-old musical, although the current cast of British actors does a fine job. I especially enjoyed Lisa O’Hare as Eliza Doolittle with her expressive face and great voice, as well as the spirited performance of Tim Jerome as Alfred P. Doolittle, whose blue eyes literally sparkled out at the audience mischievously.