Loverly Return: Encore My Fair Lady season confirmed for 2017, Sydney

Anna O'Byrne as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady. Image by Lightbox Photography

Julie Andrews’ 60th anniversary production of My Fair Lady – the most successful show ever to play at the Sydney Opera House – has confirmed it will be returning to Sydney in 2017.

Reg Livermore as Alfred P. Doolittle in My Fair Lady. Image by Lightbox Photography

The major musical, starring Anna O’Byrne, Robyn Nevin and Reg Livermore, played its final performance at the Joan Sutherland Theatre yesterday (5 November) and producers John Frost from the Gordon Frost Organisation and Lyndon Terracini from Opera Australia confirmed this morning that the hugely successful musical will make its way back to the Harbour City after seasons in Brisbane and Melbourne next year.

Opera Australia and GFO’s first major musical co-production South Pacific broke box office records in 2012 and enjoyed a return season at the Sydney Opera House in 2013. In its 8-week 2016 season, My Fair Lady beat all box office records set by previous success stories (including South Pacific and The King and I) selling more tickets than any other production in the history of the Sydney Opera House. Although the Opera House will be out of action due to renovations in 2017, My Fair Lady will head to its new Sydney home – The Capitol Theatre – from August 24, with an opening night scheduled for August 27, 2017.

Anna O’Byrne and Alex Jennings in My Fair Lady. Image by Lightbox Photography

NSW Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events Stuart Ayres is thrilled to be welcoming the production back to Sydney, after patrons of the show contributed an estimated $7 million in overnight visitor expenditure for NSW during its run.

“The 60th Anniversary production of My Fair Lady has been a huge success for Sydney … I congratulate all involved and am delighted in the role the NSW Government has played in securing the production and to see that it will return to Sydney next year”, he said.

The full cast for the return Sydney season is yet to be confirmed.

Ticket prices for the Capitol Theatre start at $79.90 (a good deal cheaper than some of the seats at the Opera House) and tickets are on sale Monday November 7.

For more information visit myfairladymusical.com.au

Erin James

Erin James is AussieTheatre.com's former Editor in Chief and a performer on both stage and screen. Credits include My Fair Lady, South Pacific and The King and I (Opera Australia), Love Never Dies and Cats (Really Useful Group), Blood Brothers (Enda Markey Presents), A Place To Call Home (Foxtel/Channel 7) and the feature film The Little Death (written and directed by Josh Lawson).