The full cast for Chichester Festival Theatre’s debut production of My Fair Lady has been announced, with performances running from 6 July to 5 September. This marks the musical’s first appearance at the venue, featuring the professional debut of Keziah Ibe as Eliza Doolittle.

Chichester Festival Theatre will present its inaugural production of My Fair Lady in the Festival Theatre from 6 July, with a press night on 15 July and a closing performance on 5 September. Directed by Rachel Kavanaugh, the show is based on George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 play Pygmalion, telling the story of a flower seller coached to elevate her social status.

Hadley Fraser returns to Chichester to play the role of Henry Higgins, while newcomer Keziah Ibe makes her professional stage debut as Eliza Doolittle. The cast also includes Ben Culleton as Freddy Eynsford-Hill, Tony Jayawardena as Colonel Pickering, Belinda Lang as Mrs Higgins, Gary Milner as Alfred Doolittle, and Finty Williams as Mrs Pearce.

The ensemble brings together a wider company including Jonathan Bourne, Nic Cain, Shani Cantor, Mark D’Arcy, Talia Duff, Nicholas Duncan, Zack Guest, Joe Henry, Jennifer Louise Jones, Ella Kora, Reuben Lally, TJ Lloyd, Maggie Lynne, Anna McGarahan, Kody Mortimer, Rachel Stanley, and Jessica Vaux.

My Fair Lady features book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, adapted from Shaw’s Pygmalion and the Gabriel Pascal film. The musical originally opened on Broadway in 1956 and later inspired the 1964 Academy Award-winning film adaptation.

Rachel Kavanaugh’s creative team includes set and costume designer Peter McKintosh, choreographer Stephen Mear, musical supervisor Stephen Ridley, musical director Cat Beveridge, lighting designer Howard Harrison, sound designer Ian Dickinson for Autograph Sound, and casting director Stuart Burt CDG.

The production will offer a dementia-friendly performance on 29 July and a relaxed performance on 1 September. Additionally, a summer gala on 28 August will support the theatre’s Stage the Future fundraising initiative aimed at nurturing new theatre talent.

Kavanaugh is well known at Chichester, having directed previous productions including The Music Man, Shadowlands and Half a Sixpence. This My Fair Lady marks the theatre’s commitment to broadening its musical theatre offerings alongside its established repertoire.