THE CHARACTERS

Characters and Actors (Playing ages are an indication only, but also illustrate the age relative to other roles)

PROFESSOR HENRY HIGGINS (male identifying)— (35-50) He is an unconventional man, impatient with high society, forgetful in his public graces, and poorly considerate of normal social niceties--the only reason the world has not turned against him is because he is at heart a good and harmless man with the soul of a child. His biggest fault is that he can be a bully, but he doesn’t know he is being one.

ELIZA DOOLITTLE (Female Identifying)— (18-30) Eliza is a sassy, smart-mouthed kerbstone flower girl with deplorable English who is transformed into a (still sassy) regal figure fit to consort with nobility. Basically, three accents will be needed 1) total Cockney 2) total Lady 3) somewhere in between.

COLONEL PICKERING (male identifying)— (50-60) The Colonel is a match for Higgins (although somewhat less obsessive) in his passion for phonetics. But where Higgins is a boorish, careless bully, Pickering is always considerate and a genuine gentleman.

ALFRED DOOLITTLE (male identifying)— (50-60) Alfred is Eliza's father, a vigorous dustman who "seems equally free from fear and conscience." Through Higgins' joking recommendation, Doolittle becomes a richly endowed lecturer to a moral reform society, transforming him from lowly dustman to a picture of middle class and he hates every minute of it. A Cockney accent is needed for Alfred.

MRS.  HIGGINS (female Identifying)— (60-70) Mrs. Higgins is a stately woman, and Henry’s mother, who sees the ‘Eliza Doolittle’ experiment as idiocy, and Higgins and Pickering as senseless children.  She grows to like Eliza and does take her under her wing and picks up where her son leaves off in the training. A very upper crust British / second or third generation.

FREDDY EYNSFORD-HILL (Male identifying)— (20-30) In the opening, Freddy is a lackey to his mother and sister. Later, he is comically bowled over by Eliza and becomes lovesick for her and courts her with flowers and letters. Private schools, when they had money. Educated accent is needed – not fully Cambridge or Eton, but close.

MRS. EYNSFORD-HILL (Female Identifying)— (40-50) Freddy’s mother and a lady of the upper-middle class who is in a rather impoverished condition but is still clinging to her gentility. Second generation.

CLARA EYNSFORD-HILL (Female Identifying)— (20-30) Freddy’s snooty sister and the accent should show this. She tries to act the role of the modern, advanced young person, but is far from it underneath. (very stuck up over the top posh accent here-putting on airs)

MRS. PEARCE (female identifying)— (40+) This woman basically runs the household for Henry Higgins, in fact she probably runs him as well. A friendly woman who does end up taking a shine to Eliza and wanting her to have the best. (Working class accent, but not Cockney – more ‘back stairs’)

ENSEMBLE— (various ages) The characters in Scene One will range from the Covent Garden workers to the audience coming from the Opera and have no lines but are used as atmosphere. The opening scene does have four male speaking parts belonging to local workers and tradesmen. There is also a Constable with lines in Act Two and numerous maids and butlers throughout, a few with lines. These actors will also help change the sets (in character) when needed.