Julie Andrews Directs ‘My Fair Lady’ Play That Led To ‘Mary Poppins’ & ‘Sound Of Music’ Stardom [Video]

Julie Andrews will direct My Fair Lady to mark the 60th anniversary of the beloved drama. Julie played the role of Eliza Doolittle in 1956 on Broadway, and now, Andrews will direct another actress in the role that turned Julie into a legendary star, reported Yahoo.

To be produced at the Sydney Opera House, My Fair Lady was originally produced by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. It’s based on the classic George Bernard Shaw tale of Pygmalion.

But for Julie, that play became her ticket to ride to fame, from acting in plays to films to television. Now, Andrews will take a backstage role as director, including casting another Eliza this year.

“I am thrilled to have been asked to direct My Fair Lady at the Sydney Opera House in August 2016,” said Julie.

Andrews’s first film role won an Oscar, when she portrayed the stern, spoonful-of-sugar nanny in Mary Poppins.

“I look forward to coming to Sydney this November to cast the production and begin the process of bringing this great musical to life once again,” added Julie.

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Andrews will take her role of director along with producer John Frost and Opera Australia artistic director Lyndon Terracini. In addition to the critical role of Eliza, who went from an impoverished, Cockney-speaking flower girl to a regal beauty, Julie and the producers will need to find a linguist to take on the challenging role of Henry Higgins.

“To think that Broadway’s original Eliza Doolittle, Julie Andrews, will direct our new production at the Sydney Opera House 60 years later will, I’m sure, excite both Australian and international audiences,” predicted producer Frost.

In addition to leading to Julie’s success as an actress, My Fair Lady provided fame for Audrey Hepburn, who played Eliza in the 1964 movie version with Rex Harrison as her Henry Higgins, reported the BBC.

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Audrey and Rex led the cast to Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, and more, totaling eight awards.

Julie will be joined for the new theater version of My Fair Lady, with an expert to take on the challenge of choreography. Andrews, as director, will interact with Tony-award winning choreographer, Christopher Gattelli.

As the Inquisitr reported, Lady Gaga and Julie Andrews recently bonded.

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The social media hills came alive with the sound of Andrews praising Lady Gaga. It may seem like the most unlikely pairing, since Lady Gaga teamed up with Tony Bennett, but Gaga dared to defy how others viewed her by singing “Sound Of Music” at the Academy Awards.

Not only did she compliment Gaga on her Oscars performance, but Andrews confessed that she’s been a fan for a long time. She also expressed appreciation for the Academy Award’s decision to pay tribute to the movie that made her famous, The Sound of Music.

[Photo by David Buchan / Getty Images]