My Fair Lady

Between hiring its first-ever artistic director (Jim Corti, who could host a sizable dinner party with only his Jeff awards as guests) and announcing a brand new Broadway subscription series, it's clear that the Paramount Theatre is going big for its 80th anniversary season.

Corti directs and choreographs "My Fair Lady" to usher in the new Broadway series, and the production is very much in keeping with the theme that size matters.

In Nathan M. Hosner, Corti has a Henry Higgins sized for the production (physically, vocally, and certainly in terms of acting chops). Hosner's charisma enables him to fully sound out the character's darker notes-which, after all, are very dark indeed-and still retain his appeal.

As Eliza, Andrea Prestinario holds her own opposite Hosner. Physically dwarfed by Hosner, Prestinario takes his lead and lets the audience see an Eliza who is openly terrified but brave, desperate for approval, but damned if she'll beg for the respect she's earned.

Given the strength of the performances by Hosner and Prestinario, some of the (presumably) directorial choices to oversell the romance are perplexing. Just before the "Rain in Spain," the blocking calls for Higgins to practically crawl up Eliza's body as she's draped over the top of the divan.

In the musical number itself, Higgins sweeps Eliza into a princess carry and twirls around with her; far more Johnny Castle than Henry Higgins and unnecessary with a pair of actors who are more than up to tackling the complex relationship between the characters.

In addition to great leads, Corti has, overall, a strong supporting cast with which to work. John Reeger's Colonel Pickering, Mary Ernster's Mrs. Higgins, and Paula Scrofano's Mrs. Pearce all deepen Hosner's characterization of Higgins with the respect -- even fondness for him -- they convey, even as they forcefully advocate for Eliza.

The group centered at 27A Wimpole Street is so well played and tightly directed that the more ancillary characters suffer a bit from it, though not from lack of talent on the part of the actors.

Andrew J. Lupp displays lovely comic timing as Alfred Doolittle, but by the time "Get Me to the Church on Time" rolled around in the second act, I'd almost forgotten about the character, let alone the musical number.

As Freddy, James Lee Glatz has a lovely voice, but no one seems to have invested much effort in characterization. The ensemble players handled Corti's demanding choreography (and the demands of Lerner and Loewe's book and score) well, but given the nearly 3-hour running time, I would not have been sad to see some of the expository choreography and a reprise or two go.

Being used to smaller venues and companies doing less with more, it took a while to adjust to the towering sets, splashy choreography, and super-sized ensemble, which bring to mind movie musicals in their heyday, but once I did, the scope of this production added tremendously to the fun. Jim Dardenne's scenic design is centered on three floor-to-ceiling movable pieces that are brick faced on one side, book-lined and wood-paneled on the other.

Set apart, the pieces function well to suggest congested London streets. Snapped together and masked by a pair of tormentors to suggest Henry Higgins' study, they have some shortcomings. Throughout the interior scenes, cast and crewmembers could be seen scurrying past the semi-transparent windows.

A steep staircase and narrow balcony give the study a much-needed second level, but any action on the balcony made the tops of the pieces sway visibly. To make matters worse, a recalcitrant pocket door on the upper level undermined a number of emotionally charged entrances and exits.

Melissa Torchia's costume design is as thoughtful as it is beautiful. Most of Eliza's costume pieces have girlish elements that play up Prestinario's slight figure, and she drapes Hosner in dark, squared off pieces (including a magnificent cloak for the ball) that make the most of the contrast between them. She has a large ensemble to outfit for both Ascot and the Embassy Ball, and the overall effect is just as it should be (with considerable help from Michael Rourke's lovely lighting design).

Rounding out the Paramount Theatre's commitment to BIG is a 21-piece orchestra led by Musical Director Shawn Stengel. Frederick Loewe's music is practically a Broadway sacred text, and the musicians here do it more than justice.