Lyric Opera of Chicago announced today that Tony Award-nominated Kate Baldwin and Paolo Montalban will star as Anna Leonowens and the King of Siam in Lyric's grand-scale production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I, April 29-May 22, 2016 (press opening April 30). A graduate of Northwestern University, Baldwin last appeared onstage in Chicago in the Broadway-bound musical Big Fish. Montalban has been seen in Broadway productions of Pacific Overtures and The King and I, and is best known for starring as the Prince in ABC's telefilm of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, alongside Brandy and Whitney Houston.
Today in 1985, the second Broadway revival of THe King and I opened at the Broadway THeatre, where it ran for 191 performances. The King and I is the fifth musical by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The work is based on the 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon and derives from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, who became governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s. The story deals with the experiences of the British schoolteacher, who is hired as part of the King's drive to modernize his country. The relationship between the King and Anna is marked by conflict through much of the play, as well as by a love that neither is able to express. The musical premiered on March 29, 1951 at Broadway's St. James Theatre.
Musical Theater Heaven.The Lincoln Center Theater Review Spring 2015 Issue 65: The King and I states that 'Rodgers & Hammerstein's The King and I embodies theater's power to transform-both by drawing audiences into a time and place and by telling compelling stories that make us feel and think deeply about the world of the play and about our own world. A particular alchemy of creativity and vision is essential to achieving such a transformative act.'
BroadwayWorld has just learned that Lincoln Center Theater's Tony Award winning production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's THE KING AND I will be the only Broadway production performing on New Year's Eve - Thursday, December 31, at 7:00 pm. In honor of the holiday, Lincoln Center Theater will offer complimentary glasses of Champaign to patrons prior to the performance that evening.
The King could soon be traveling from Siam to Anna's world in Britain! The Daily Mail writes that Tony winner Kelli O'Hara might be leading Broadway's THE KING AND I across the pond late next year or in early 2017, with the Drury Lane Theatre rumored as the musical's new home.
The world premiere of a new North Korean story from award-winning playwright In-Sook Chappell, P'yongyang opens at the Finborough Theatre for a four week limited season on Tuesday, 5 January 2016 (Press Nights: Thursday, 7 January and Friday, 8 January 2016 at 7.30pm).
Musicals Tonight! continues its ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys, Understudies and Alternates with its next edition of AT THIS PERFORMANCE… to be held on Sunday, November 1st at The Lion Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street at 7 PM.
The Denver Center for the Performing Arts has just announced the headliners for its 36th annual signature fundraiser, SATURDAY NIGHT ALIVE, on March 5, 2016: THE KING AND I's Kelli O'Hara and SOMETHING ROTTEN!'s Brian d'Arcy James.
The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, in partnership with Mark Cortale, has added two new leading ladies to the line-up of Seth Rudetsky's Broadway Concert Series, for the 2015-16 season. Performances by Tony-Award winners Kelli O'Hara and Sutton Foster have been added due to popular demand, completing the roster of Broadway powerhouses to perform with Sirius XM star Seth Rudetsky. The series kicks off with Tony-Award winner Audra McDonald on Wednesday, October 7. Additional performances in the series will take place on Friday, January 29 (Kelli O'Hara), Thursday, March 3 (Sutton Foster), and as previously announced, Thursday, May 5 (Megan Hilty). All performances will be held at the Merriam Theater at 8:00 p.m. In this unique series, Rudetsky will serve as pianist and host, engaging in intimate and witty conversations with the Broadway stars, all while presenting an evening of stellar performances of musical theater favorites.
Kelvin Moon Loh took to Facebook this week to share his strong feelings about an incident which occurred during the second act of Wednesday's matinee performance, involving a child in the audience with autism.
Celebrity Series of Boston has announced that Broadway star Kelli O'Hara will be added to the 2015-2016 season in An Evening With Kelli O'Hara on Sunday, February 28, 2016 at 7pm at Sanders Theatre, Memorial Hall, Harvard University, 45 Quincy Street, Cambridge.
BroadwayWorld recently announced a new partnership with renowned caricature artist Ken Fallin, a life-long theater enthusiast, who has drawn many Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. Fallin previously drew for BroadwayWorld and our readers have long wanted his return, so it is with great pleasure that we welcome him back! Be sure to check back for more of Ken's exclusive art.
Below, check out his illustration of Kelli O'Hara and Ken Watanabe in The King and I!
Chicago stage, TV and film star Michael Shannon did the honor of announcing the nominees for the 2014-2015 Equity Jeff Awards. A video of the presentation is available at www.JeffAwards.org.
100-year-old actress Patricia Morison, who originated the role of 'Kate' in Broadway's KISS ME KATE, and took over the role of Anna in the 1954 Rodgers and Hammerstein production of THE KING AND I, shared a special performance of 'Shall We Dance' in honor of her fellow Anna, Kelli O'Hara.
Kelli O'Hara might be the reigning queen of Broadway, but another Anna Leonowens might give her a run for her money. Below, watch as 100 year-old Patricia Morison, who played the role opposite Yul Brynner in the original 1954 production, sends a special greeting to O'Hara!
Check out the video below, featuring members of the cast, crew, and team of THE KING AND I lip synching to lip-synch to the iconic tune, 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough.'
