Sault Symphony Orchestra's THE KING AND I Opens 12/7
By: Kelsey Denette
The curtain rises on the Sault Symphony Orchestra's production of "The King and I" starting December 7 running through Sunday, December 11.
Audiences will be transported to another time and place in this renowned Rodgers and Hammerstein musical masterpiece through the powerful performances and the elaborate costumes and set pieces. This is one of the most powerful stage shows ever produced by The Sault Symphony.
This nine-time Tony Award and five-time Academy Award winning musical has been performed many times on both stage and screen since its Broadway debut in 1951. Meryle Secrest (Rodgers' biographer) summed up the musical as "a celebration of love in all its guises, from the love of Anna for her dead husband; the love of the King's official wife, Lady Thiang, for a man she knows is flawed and also unfaithful; the desperation of forbidden love; and a love that is barely recognized and can never be acted upon."
Jay Españo joins this grand production from Chicago, and stars as The King of Siam. Jay is a multi-talented international actor who is reprising this role for the third time (after Chicago and Phoenix). This production marks his Canadian stage debut. Dubbed as the "Perennial Leading Man of Philippine Theatre", Jay has worked extensively around the Asian region in more than 60 productions.
While he's been in Sault Ste. Marie preparing for "The King and I", Jay has been busy in the community. He has been leading classes in Musical Theatre with hundreds of students aged 5 – 55. He has visited numerous elementary and high schools, as well as hosting public workshops at Studio Dance Arts in conjunction with Li'l Buds Theatre Company from Chicago.
The role of Anna Leonowens is also a reprisal, as Louise Griffith Stephens takes the Kiwanis Community Theatre Stage once more in her favourite role. Louise has been a part of many theatre productions, but this role of Anna and the powerful story of "The King and I" is one that is very close to her heart.
In addition to Jay and Louise, audiences will enjoy the more than 120 people that have come together on the stage to make this production the biggest and most elaborate ever staged by the Symphony. The cast is comprised of talented performers as young as age 5. There are more than 35 dancers from Studio Dance Arts featured in the world-renowned ballet, "The Small House of Uncle Thomas" and of course, the entire Sault Symphony Orchestra will perform all of the music.
"The King and I" runs December 7 – 10 at 8:00pm with a matinee performance on December 11 at 2:00pm at the Kiwanis Theatre Centre. Tickets are available at the Station Mall Box Office, by phoning 705.945.7299 or online at www.kctc.ca.
For more information, please visit www.saultsymphony.com
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