THE KING & I Starring Ramon Tikaram & Josefina Gabrielle to Tour UK

Music & Lyrics has announced a national tour of Leicester Curve's acclaimed production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's smash-hit musical THE KING AND I, opening at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre on 17 December 2011, with previews from 14 December 2011. Ramon Tikaram will play the role of ‘The King' and Josefina Gabrielle will play the role of ‘Anna'.

THE KING AND I tells the heart-warming story of the British governess brought to the court of Siam to tutor the King's many children, told using one of the most beautiful scores ever written with sweeping melodies such as ‘Shall We Dance', ‘I Whistle A Happy Tune', ‘Hello Young Lovers', ‘The March of the Siamese Children' and the unforgettable ‘Getting To Know You'.

This new production from Leicester Curve, directed by Paul Kerryson, is a lavish, grand-scale spectacle with giant gold Buddhas, sumptuous costumes, a chorus of adorable children, acrobatic dancers and a ten-piece orchestra. THE KING AND I is widely regarded as one of the greatest musicals of all time. Seen by millions of people across the world since it was first performed in 1951, when it was showered with awards and became the blockbuster Hollywood movie, its glorious soundtrack is still a bestseller today.

Ramon Tikaram is a stage and screen actor who is probably best known as ‘Ferdy' in the BBC drama "This Life", and can currently be seen playing ‘Qadim' in "EastEnders". His other TV credits include "Casualty", "Primeval", "Wired" and "The Mighty Boosh". Ramon's West End theatre credits include "Bombay Dreams", ‘Judas' in "Jesus Christ Superstar", ‘Gaddafi' in "Gaddafi - A Living Myth" at English National Opera, ‘Genie' in "Aladdin" at The Old Vic Theatre and ‘Rama' in "Ramayana" at The National Theatre.

Josefina Gabrielle is a double Olivier Award-nominated stage and screen actress, whose career spans the West End and Broadway. Josefina most famously starred alongside Hugh Jackman in Trevor Nunn's iconic National Theatre production of "Oklahoma!", receiving an Olivier Award-nomination for ‘Best Actress in a Musical' for her performance. She later starred in the same production when it transferred to the West End and Broadway. Most recently in the West End Josefina has played ‘Lily' in "Park Avenue Cat", ‘Nicky/Ursula' in "Sweet Charity", ‘Annabella Schmidt/Pamela/Margaret' in "The 39 Steps", ‘Roxie Hart' in "Chicago", ‘Alex Spofford' in "The Witches of Eastwick" and ‘Iris' in the original cast of "Fame". Her many other stage credits include ‘Irene' in "Hello Dolly" at Regent's Park, ‘Cathy' in "Singin' in the Rain" at Sadler's Wells, ‘Cassie' in "A Chorus Line" at Sheffield Crucible, ‘Dot' in "Sunday In The Park With George" at Leicester Haymarket and "Carousel" at The National Theatre.
The cast also features Claire-Marie Hall as ‘Tup-Tim', Adrian Li Donni as ‘Lun-tha', Maya Sapone as ‘Lady Thiang', Nicholas Goh as ‘Kralahome', and Gary Wood as ‘Prince Choulalonghorn'. The rest of the cast includes Craig Turbyfield, Rowan Lewis Mitchell, Aiko Kato, Makato Leahy, Charlotte Humphrey, Naomi Bailie, Farrah Hussain, Kaho Uchida, Misa Koide, Adam Denman, Matthew Cheney, Lori Hayley Fox, and Yuki Ikezawa.

THE KING AND I is directed by Paul Kerryson, with choreography by David Needham and musical direction by JulIan Kelly. Designed by Sara Perks with lighting design by Philip Gladwell and sound design by Ben Harrison. It has original orchestrations by Robert Russell Bennett and new orchestrations by JulIan Kelly. The King and I is based on the novel ‘Anna and the King Of Siam' by Margaret Landon, and is presented by arrangement with Josef Weinberger Limited on behalf of R&H Theatricals of New York.

THE KING AND I is produced by John Stalker for and on behalf of Music and Lyrics Limited, a new nationwide consortium comprised of the UK's major independent touring theatres. It aims to champion musical theatre in all its forms and provide extended life to productions created by the UK's major producing theatres. For The King and I, Music and Lyrics has received generous financial support from Arts Council England to support a major audience development project aimed at young audiences and non-traditional theatres goers.

2011/2012 NATIONAL TOUR

14 DECEMBER 2011 - 7 JANUARY 2012
EDINBURGH Festival Theatre
ON SALE NOW - Box Office 0131 529 6000 | www.fctt.org.uk

TUESDAY 10 - SATURDAY 14 JANUARY 2012
LLANDUDNO VENUE CYMRU
ON SALE NOW - Box Office 01492 872000 | www.venuecymru.co.uk

TUESDAY 17 - SATURDAY 21 JANUARY 2012
SHEFFIELD LYCEUM
ON SALE NOW - Box Office 0114 249 6000 | www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

TUESDAY 24 - SATURDAY 28 JANUARY 2012
NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL
ON SALE NOW - Box Office 0844 8112 121 | www.theatreroyal.co.uk

TUESDAY 31 JANUARY - SATURDAY 04 FEBRUARY 2012
BELFAST GRAND OPERA HOUSE
ON SALE NOW - Box Office 028 9024 1919 | www.goh.co.uk

TUESDAY 07 - SATURDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2012
NORTHAMPTON ROYAL & DERNGATE
ON SALE NOW - Box Office 01604 624811 | www.royalandderngate.co.uk

TUESDAY 14 - SATURDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2012
NEW THEATRE OXFORD
ON SALE NOW - Box Office 01865 320 760 | www.newtheatreoxford.org.uk

TUESDAY 21 - SATURDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2012
THE LOWRY SALFORD
ON SALE NOW - Box Office 0843 208 6000 | www.thelowry.com

TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY - SATURDAY 3 MARCH 2012
NOTTINGHAM THEATRE ROYAL
ON SALE NOW - Box Office 0115 989 5555 | www.trch.co.uk

TUESDAY 6 - SATURDAY 10 MARCH 2011
CHELTENHAM EVERYMAN THEATRE
ON SALE NOW - Box Office 01242 572573 | www.everymantheatre.org.uk

TUESDAY 13 - SATURDAY 17 MARCH 2012
CARDIFF NEW THEATRE
ON SALE NOW - Box Office 029 2087 8889 | www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk

TUESDAY 20 - SATURDAY 24 MARCH 2012
SOUTHAMPTON MAYFLOWER
ON SALE NOW - Box Office 02380 711 811 | www.mayflower.org.uk

TUESDAY 27 - SATURDAY 31 MARCH 2012
WOLVERHAMPTON GRAND THEATRE
ON SALE NOW - 01902 42 92 12 | www.grandtheatre.info

TUESDAY 3 - SATURDAY 7 APRIL 2012
LIVERPOOL EMPIRE THEATRE
ON SALE NOW - 0844 871 3017 | www.liverpoolempire.org.uk

TUESDAY 10 - SATURDAY 14 APRIL 2012
PLYMOUTH THEATRE ROYAL
ON SALE SOON - Box Office 01752 267 222 | www.theatreroyal.com

TUESDAY 24 - SATURDAY 28 APRIL 2012
WOKING NEW VICTORIA THEATRE
ON SALE NOW - Box Office 0844 871 7645 | www.atgtickets.com/New-Victoria-Theatre

TUESDAY 1 - SATURDAY 5 MAY 2012
BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME
ON SALE NOW - Box Office 0844 338 5000 | www.birminghamhippodrome.com

TUESDAY 8 - SATURDAY 12 MAY 2012
LEICESTER CURVE
ON SALE SOON - 0116 242 3595 | www.curveonline.co.uk

TUESDAY 15 - SATURDAY 19 MAY 2012
BRADFORD ALHAMBRA
ON SALE NOW - 01274 432 000 | www.bradford-theatres.co.uk

TUESDAY 22 - SATURDAY 26 MAY 2012
DUBLIN GRAND CANAL THEATRE
ON SALE SOON - 0818 719 377 | www.grandcanaltheatre.ie