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"My Fair Lady" is a musical about talking. It's about class, and how the words we use -- and the way we use them -- signal who we are. 

, Jeff McCarthy, an American-born actor, was chosen for the role of Henry Higgins, a very proper English professor. The Guthrie's voice coach had his work cut out for him.

D'Arcy Smith is the resident voice coach at the Guthrie Theater and a lecturer at the University of Minnesota. He taught the show's actors the various dialects that are so essential to "My Fair Lady." 

On The Daily Circuit, he discussed the art of coaching people to speak in other dialects:

Guthrie Theater voice coach on the art of learning dialects by MPR News

, who plays Eliza Doolittle, showed us the differences between how cockney actually sounds compared to the way they use it on stage:

A real cockney accent vs. the 'My Fair Lady' stage accent by MPR News

Arts and Culture

In the Guthrie Theater's production, American-born actor Jeff McCarthy was chosen for the role of Henry Higgins, a very proper English professor.

In 'My Fair Lady,' a challenge of words

Joan Marcus

D'Arcy Smith, resident voice coach at the Guthrie Theater discussed the art of coaching people to speak in other dialects in an interview on The Daily Circuit July 24, 2014. Listen to the full discussion: http://www.mprnews.org/story/2014/07/24/daily-circuit-my-fair-lady-guthrie

On The Daily Circuit July 24, 2014, we talked about accents in the Guthrie Theater's production of 'My Fair Lady.' Helen Anker, who plays Eliza Doolittle, showed us the difference between a real cockney accent and the one you'll hear on stage. Listen to the full discussion: http://www.mprnews.org/story/2014/07/24/daily-circuit-my-fair-lady-guthrie

In the Guthrie's 'My Fair Lady,' a challenge to get cockney accent right

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