Broadway Scholar John Kenrick Explores Hit Musical "My Fair Lady" in Studio Talk at The Sembrich

Noted musical theater historian and New York University Professor John Kenrick will present an exciting exploration of the timeless Broadway hit My Fair Lady at The Sembrich on Wednesday, August 17 at 2 PM. In previous seasons, Kenrick has enthralled sold-out Sembrich audiences on topics ranging from Jerome Kern and operetta to Leonard Bernstein’s New York.

“We are pleased to welcome John Kenrick back to The Sembrich for this entertaining and enriching multimedia tribute to one of Broadway’s biggest hits,” says Artistic Director Richard Wargo. “From the original production starring Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews up to the present, this lively studio talk will explore how Lerner and Loewe turned George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion into the unlikeliest and most profitable musical stage hit of its time.”

John Kenrick combines a passion for entertainment history with the practical know-how earned while working on stage productions at every level from amateur to Broadway.

“There are few things I enjoy as much as sharing stories about My Fair Lady, my all-time favorite musical,” says John Kenrick. "I think show business history is the most fascinating subject in the world. My goal is simple: to make it as entertaining and exciting for others as it is for me."

John gives talks on theatre and film history, has appeared in numerous documentaries, and is the author of Musicals101.com, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Amateur Theatricals, and the textbook Musical Theatre: A History. His college courses have included the History of Musical Theatre, Great Broadway Songwriters, and Rodgers & Hammerstein. He has taught at New York University's Steinhardt School, The New School, Marymount College Manhattan, and The Philadelphia University of the Arts. He has also offered courses on Hollywood Legends, The History of Screen Musicals, and The Golden Age of MGM, among others. John has also lectured at Wagner College, Molloy College, and Pace University.

This event will take place inside The Sembrich Studio. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased online at TheSembrich.org/festival or by calling (518) 644-2431.