Fair play
The best performance in Marion this past weekend didn't take place on a field or court, but it deserves to be recognized for the excellence it displayed.
I'm referring to the wonderful presentation by Marion High School of Lerner and Loewe's classic musical, "My Fair Lady."
Unlike sports, where my limited participation relegates my comments to the category of "fascinated observer," I've been active in theater much of my life.
I got my first lead role in eighth grade, playing blockheaded Charlie Brown in "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown." My friends swear it was typecasting.
I was active in music and theater as a student at Marion High and KU. As an adult, I performed community theater productions with numerous companies in Kansas City and St. Louis.
I won't presume to be a theater critic, but I will make a few observations.
Perhaps the biggest compliment I can pay these young thespians is this: I've never really cared for "My Fair Lady," but I loved this production!
Jordan Timm, as Henry Higgins, and Tedra Eis, as Eliza Doolittle, accomplished something I wouldn't have guessed possible. Within the first few minutes they were onstage, their acting was so engaging they made me completely forget about Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn. Getting me to forget about Hepburn, who I thought was the only saving grace of the movie, was quite something!
The entire cast and crew deserve accolades for their lively and captivating performance, and even more so for the manner in which they approached their endeavor.
I attended three rehearsals, and while they always seemed to be having fun, they worked as hard as any athletic team I've seen. These kids, along with the adults who guided them, were totally committed to putting on an excellent performance, and it showed.
This production would stand up quite well against most I've been involved in over the years. That says a lot when you stop to consider St. Louis, for example, with 2.5 million people in the metro area, has an extensive pool of seasoned performers from which to draw when casting.
People have told me how marvelous MHS plays have been in recent years, and I must admit I've chalked most of those comments up to hometown pride.
Now I've trained my own critical eye on one of those performances, and I couldn't be more impressed. If you didn't make it to this play, you missed out on something special. Plan to make the next one — you won't be disappointed.
