SHE was the Australian soprano hand-picked by Dame Julie Andrews to play Eliza Doolittle in the 60th-anniversary production of My Fair Lady, now Anna O’Byrne is coming to Coffs Harbour with a show of her own.

In Becoming Eliza, at the City of Coffs Harbour’s Jetty Memorial Theatre on 20 July, O’Byrne performs songs from Andrews’ extensive career in film and Broadway, in her sublime soprano.

She also reflects on her unique experience working with an internationally adored icon, and the lessons she learned from both Dame Julie and Eliza.

Playing Eliza Doolittle in the 60th-anniversary production of My Fair Lady was the role of a lifetime for O’Byrne, who got to spend countless hours of rehearsal with Andrews, coached through every breath, every note, every nuance of the famous Eliza.

“She understood the role on such a cellular level – Julie’s in the DNA of My Fair Lady,” explains O’Byrne.

Learning the role of Eliza Doolittle was as much a process of learning to become Andrews.

“You can’t do [the role] and not pay homage to her,” she said.

Becoming Eliza brings audiences behind the scenes and into the life of a thespian, telling “the story of the good times and the hard times and the challenging times”.

It’s a show about showbiz: a performance about the art of performing.

“It’s funny because Julie herself is funny, I couldn’t not acknowledge that,” she said.

Becoming Eliza is playing at the City of Coffs Harbour’s Jetty Memorial Theatre on Saturday, 20 July at 7:30pm