The surprise of “My Fair Lady” is its universality.

‘My Fair Lady,’ a musical about a Cockney woman’s quest to become a lady, has resonance at the University, thanks to its themes of personal resilience and accomplishing goals in the face of adversity. Courtesy ‘My Fair Lady’

Putting hard work into the pursuance of a goal is a familiar story for college students, said Daniel Cardenas, who plays Freddy Eynsford-Hill in the show.

The story of Eliza Doolittle — a working-class girl with dreams of becoming a lady despite her harsh Cockney accent -— is pertinent to the plight of University students.

“The play sends a message of hope that anybody can improve their standing in life based on hard work and determination,” Cardenas said. “Eliza is a relatable character.”

Cardenas’ character offers Doolittle a quick fix to her dream — an alternative path — but she passes him by with hardly a glance.

“He’s there to offer Eliza a way into society because she wants to become a lady; it’s a very easy way to enter the wealthy class,” Cardenas said.

But the play is not all hard work. Lively musical numbers lighten the plot.

And in the half-century-old story, ambitions are realized — but not in the traditional manner.

The story, however, is more an exploration than a chronicle in musical form. Doolittle works hard, but in the end she comes to the realization that perhaps her dream is not all that she imagined it would be.

“What Eliza learns is that in order to be a lady she doesn’t need wealth,” Cardenas said. “It’s about love and respect and being treated as a human being.”

In real life Cardenas chose to follow the path of Doolittle by making his own way through his determination.

“I come from a family who none of them went to college,” Cardenas said. “I moved out to New York on my own to improve my life and therefore help all of those around me.”

His arc mirrors pieces of the play, strengthening Cardenas’ own connection to the material.

“I love the play. It’s a beautiful story,” Cardenas said. “It’s a lot of fun to be involved in it. The thing I like most about it is the song ‘Get Me to the Church.’ I’m not involved in it , but the energy everyone puts into it is wonderful. I get to watch it every night — to watch Eliza realize she is her own person. I still get chills at some of the lines.”

The energy put into this climactic number does not die through the show or night-after-night.

“It does not get tiring, surprisingly,” Cardenas said. “The whole cast stays excited and upbeat. There is a lot of excitement.”

Cardenas hopes the cast’s energy will transfer to the audience each night.

“The show is absolutely relevant because of its underlying message of hope and bettering yourself,” Cardenas said. “That’s something people look to do every day of their life. I hope they walk away feeling inspired by the good message and had a better night for seeing the show.”

‘MY FAIR LADY’

When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: Classic Center

Price:  $10 to $65