Opening night for Scarborough Players’ production of Pygmalion is this Friday

Scarborough Players’ production of Pygmalion opens on Friday, June 27, at the Scarborough Village Theatre.

In George Bernard Shaw’s timeless play, it’s “challenge accepted” by Henry Higgins as he faces the ultimate test of his linguistic prowess by agreeing to transform unrefined flower girl Eliza Doolittle into a polished lady.

The play explores class in Edwardian society, moral responsibility and the possibility for growth and change. Scarborough Players invites audiences to join them for this unforgettable clash of class and wit.

Pygmalion is the play that inspired the much-loved musical My Fair Lady.

And it all starts with a bet. Brilliant phonetics professor Mr. Higgins makes a wager with Colonel Pickering that he can turn a lowly flower girl, Doolittle, into a lady who could pass as a duchess.

Thus begins a series of speech and etiquette lessons that sculpt Eliza into Higgins’ vision of a proper lady.

Unlike her mythic counterpart, Galatea, (Pygmalion within Ovid’s Metamorphoses), Eliza is street-smart, scrappy and dares to dream of a better life for herself. She is all for the challenge and stands up for herself in a world determined to maintain its rigid class systems.

While Pygmalion remains the ultimate makeover story, it also offers theatre goers a chance to laugh at the dazzling wit of characters of all walks of life, and prompts audiences to think about class, identity, moral responsibility and what transformation really means.

Enjoying all the fun is a most talented cast: Misha Harding as Eliza Doolittle; Holm Bradwell as Henry Higgins; Bil Antoniou as Col. Pickering; John Pirker as Alfred P. Doolittle; Alma Sinan as Mrs. Pearce; Catherine Lenihan as Mrs. Higgins; Carolyn Kelso-Bell as Mrs. Eynsford Hill; Rod Cook as Freddy Eynsford Hill; and Jasmina Brar as Clara Eynsford Hill.

Kevin McDonnell, Vivian Lockton, Ariel Miskin, Kieran Ramos, Piranavan Vivekanantharajah and August Peters round out the marvelous ensemble cast.

For this production, a talented Scarborough Players’ team has gathered to recreate the streets and homes of Edwardian London.

Returning are props designer, Eileen Dalton; sound designer, Guy Kersey; lighting designer, Jennifer Bakker; the costume squad of Taylor Markwell, Mary Nowlan and Andra Bradish; and painters led by set designer, Greg Nowlan.

All this is held together by director, Larry Westlake; producers, Bodene Corbin and Katherine Turner; and stage managers June Watkins and Teresa Bakker.

Pygmalion will be on stage from June 27 to July 12. Scarborough Village Theatre is located at 3600 Kingston Rd.

The production is recommended for audience members age 12 and up.

To order tickets, or for more information on show times, please visit https://theatrescarborough.godaddysites.com/ or call 416-267-9292.