The King and I

The King and I is a musical, the fifth by the team of composer Richard Rodgers and dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on the 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon, which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s. The musical premiered on March 29, 1951, at Broadway's St. James Theatre.

Performance history in South Africa

9 - 23 December, 1967: Staged by the Port Elizabeth Gilbert & Sullivan Society at the Port Elizabeth Opera House and produced by Helen Mann, with musical director Robert Selley. Choreography by Merille Lane and Yvonne Howell. There were 70 actors and 40 backstage workers. Starring Alfred Porter as "Captain Orton," Hylton van Eyssen as "Louis Leonowens," Janice Brereton as "Anna Leonowens," Stan Fouche as "The Interpreter," Derek Scarr as "The Kralahome," Jack Bruton as "The King," Douglas Catt as "Phra Alack," Basil McGrath as "Lun Tha," Maureen McGrath as "Tuptim," Elaine Bateson as "Lady Thiang," Philip Godowa as "Prince Chululongkorn," Gerry Baker as "Sir Edward Ramsay," and Colleen Moore as "Princess Ying Yaowlak".

1982: Presented by CAPAB Music at the Nico Malan Theatre opening 23 October 1982, directed by David Matheson, musical director Graham Scott, decor and costumes by Bruno Santini, choreography by Veronica Paeper, lighting by John T. Baker. The cast included Aviva Pelham as Anna and Michael McGovern as the King, Richard Farmer, John Dennison, Joey Wishnia, De Wet van Rooyen and others.

1984: PACT presented Louis Burke's production of The King and I starring Joe Stewardson and Judy Page at the Civic Theatre in December 1984.

1986: In December 1986 The King and I starring Joe Stewardson and Judy Page was staged in the Momentum at the State Theatre and the Johannesburg Civic Theatre, directed by Louis Burke, also featuring Jean Dell, Ann Stradi, Edmund Rahme, Memory Jane, Ben Illeman, Martin Dunne, Justin Hambloch, John Mitchells’ orchestra, Bruno Santini’s designs. Stan Knight’s lighting.

1998: Port Elizabeth Gilbert & Sullivan Society

2006: Directed, choreographed and staged by Kyla Thorburn, presented with alternating casts by the Cape Town Gilbert and Sullivan Society at Artscape Theatre in 2006.

Sources

Wikipedia [1].

The King and I theatre programme, CAPAB 1982.

Cape Times, 12 October 2006.

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