The Four-Time Tony winning epic Closes June 26!
The Rodgers and Hammerstein classic returns to Broadway in a new production that captures the essence of this much-treasured piece of musical theatre history. Set in 19th Century Thailand, it's the story of the unlikely romance which blossoms between Siam's King and an English widowed governess, Anna Leonowens.
Starring Daniel Dae Kim and Marin Mazzie, the revival is directed by Bartlett Sher, with the original Jerome Robbins choreography and Robert Russell Bennett orchestrations executed by his award winning team. The production received nine 2015 Tony Award nominations, and took home four of them, including Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in A Musical for original star Kelli O'Hara, which marked her first Tony win after being nominated six times.
Getting to know you: A Background
When The King and I opened, the famous creators had their doubts. Rodgers and Hammerstein joked that audiences were only coming to see if it was better than their previous hit South Pacific, but they needn't have worried. The King and I went on to become an overnight hit, and has played to audiences from Broadway to Bangkok, while its film adaptation, famous for Yul Brenner's commanding performance opposite Deborah Kerr in her voluminous ball-gowns, won five Academy Awards.
Combining their musical elegance and brilliance, dramatics and dancing, The King and I has become synonymous with the great Broadway classics that sweep you away, time and time again.
what is the king and I about?
Anna Leonowens is a widowed English teacher, who is charged with teaching the King of Siam's (now Thailand) myriad royal offspring. Upon their arrival, Anna and her son Louis find the country's culture overwhelmingly alien and the King himself to be a severe and cold employer. Though their relationship is marked by conflict and tension, eventually a bond begins to grow between the King and governess that blossoms into a mutual attraction, which neither of them is brave enough to admit to.