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Arvada Center Brings 'Educating Rita' To The Stage

DENVER (CBS4) – The production of "Educating Rita" is underway at the Arvada Center for Arts and Humanities. "Educating Rita" is the story of a hairdresser who wants to get an education, and the relationship she develops with the professor who's teacher her. It's playing through November 11th in the Black Box Theatre.

LINK: For Tickets and Information about "Educating Rita"

"We have a young person, and an older person, and the two of them connect. And, the younger woman is seeking a way out of the life that she's in, and the older professor can help her do that. We're all trying to do that at some point, in different combinations of those characters," said John Hutton, who plays "Frank", the professor.

Educating Rita on set
CBS4's Joel Hillan with Emily Van Fleet and John Hutton on CBS4 News at Noon (credit CBS)

"Educating Rita is roughly based on George Bernard Shaw's play "Pygmalion", which is at the heart of the musical "My Fair Lady", and the movie "Pretty Woman". There are only two people in the cast.

"It's a good think I like him," said Emily Van Fleet, with a laugh. Fleet plays "Rita." "There has to be quite a bit of chemistry. We're very similar actors in a lot of ways, and we sort of understand how each other works," Van Fleet went on to say.

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"Educating Rita" (credit Arvada Center)

"Educating Rita" is playing in the Black Box Theatre at the Arvada Center, offering the audience a more intimate experience.

Educating Rita on set 3
Emily Van Fleet & John Hutton on CBS4 News at Noon (credit CBS)

"Black Box Theatre typically, and this one at the Arvada Center, is a more intimate space, so you're much closer to the performers and the story, and you get a real sort of inside look, like you're peeking in on a very intimate experience," Van Fleet told CBS4. "And it's also very unique because the Black Box at the Arvada Center uses all local talent, actors, designers, and directors. And so you really get to know the people that entertain you throughout the year, so it's wonderful."

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"Educating Rita" (credit Arvada Center)

"Educating Rita" is the latest offering in an exciting season at the Arvada Center, which includes:

"Elf – The Musical" – November 20 – December 23

"The Diary of Anne Frank" – February 1 – May 17

"The Moors" – February 22 – March 18

"Sin Street Social Club"  - March 15 – May 19

"Trav'lin – The 1930's Harlem Musical" – April 9 – April 28

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