For Peter Stainton, not playing the lead character in My Fair Lady is something he'll enjoy this time around.
The Port Coquitlam actor and retired SD43 teacher has portrayed the phonetics professor Henry Higgins in the past.
But next month, for the Royal City Musical Theatre's production, he's cast as Harry, the drinking buddy of Alfred Dolittle, as well as a member of the ensemble. "This time, I have the chance to do all the other songs that Higgins doesn't do so it's a lot of fun to do some of the big numbers," Stainton said, noting his favourites Take Me to the Church on Time and With a Little Bit of Luck.
My Fair Lady is Stainton's fourth run with Royal City, having played with the company in its earlier shows of Anne of Green Gables, Brigadoon and Guys and Dolls. He's also appeared with Theatre Under the Stars, Footlight, Metro and, most recently, Fighting Chance Productions for Little Women.
Stainton won't be the only Port Coquitlam resident on the Massey Theatre stage in April: RCMT artistic director Valerie Easton is co-directing while Krista Wallace is playing Mrs. Pearce, Higgins' housekeeper.
Like Stainton, Wallace says her character also offers a bit of a punch to the production.
"She's very much an advocate for Eliza [Doolittle]," Wallace said. "Mrs. Pearce stands up for her to ask Higgins, 'What's going to become of her after you finish your teaching?'"
"Eliza" - the Cockney flower girl who's taken under Higgins' wing to learn how to speak properly, in a story largely based on Pygmalion - will be played by Tracy Neff while Warren Kimmel is cast as Higgins.
Also in the classic musical are Tri-City residents Daniel Cardosa, Lyndsey Britten, James Rha and Maddisson Popov.
Tickets for My Fair Lady start at $26. The show runs from April 9 to 26 at Massey Theatre (735 Eighth Ave., New Westminster), with opening night on Saturday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m. Call 604-521-5050 or visit masseytheatre.com.
