Laura Michelle Kelly, Baylen Thomas and Graham Montgomery in The King and I at The Bushnell. Photo by Matthew Murphy.
by Mark G. Auerbach
The recent acclaimed Lincoln Center revival of The King and I, which won four Tony Awards including “Best Revival of a Musical” is enticing audiences at The Bushnell this week. For me, it’s one of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s best musicals with a timeless score, some unforgettable characters, and a balance of situations which are bittersweet and yet tug at the heart strings.
This production comes to Hartford with some outstanding assets. Bartlett Sher’s direction is straightforward and faithful to the material. Ted Sperling’s musical direction uses the original Robert Russell Bennett orchestrations, and what sounds like a larger than usual pit orchestra. Finely conducted by Gerald Steichen, a familiar face to Hartford Symphony Pops concert-goers, the musicians give Richard Rodgers’ score a perfect rendering. Christopher Gattelli’s choreography, a recreation of Jerome Robbins’ original, is breathtaking. Michael Yeargan’s sets, Catherine Zuber’s Tony-winning costumes, and Donald Holder’s lighting are stunning in detail. It’s all simply gorgeous.
The cast of The King and I at The Bushnell. Photo by Matthew Murphy.
My very first professional theatre-going experience was a trip with my parents to the grand opening of the Storrowton Music Fair on the Big E grounds in West Springfield. The opening production on June 15, 1959, was The King and I with an “all-star cast” of Christina Lind and Renato Cibelli. It was a revelation or me, seeing kids my own age on stage, and the pageantry of “The March of The Siamese Children” and “The Small House of Uncle Thomas” ballet..
The King and I, based on Margaret Landon’s 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam, had its world premiere at The Shubert in New Haven before moving to Broadway in 1951. It was written for stage legend Gertrude Lawrence, and newcomer Yul Brynner was cast as the King. The musical, Lawrence, and Brynner all won Tony Awards. Deborah Kerr played Anna in the movie, and The King and I has been revived on Broadway multiple times over the years. Some of the famous Broadway Annas include Barbara Cook, Angela Lansbury, and Marie Osmond. . Some of the famous Kings include: Farley Granger, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Rudolf Nureyev.
As I grew up surrounded by theatre, the musicals of Rodgers and Hammerstein became “old fashioned”, cloying and sentimental to this kid who preferred the darker and more intricate musicals of Sondheim. But, thanks to Lincoln Center’s incredible revivals of Carousel, South Pacific, and The King and I, over the years, I’ve rediscovered how well-rendered these classics are, and how the book, music, and lyrics fuse together seamlessly.
The King and I takes place in 1862, when the King of Siam, a forward-thinking monarch, hires Anna, a British
Jose Llana and Laura Michelle Kelly in The King and I at The Bushnell.. Photo by Matthew Murphy
teacher and recent widow with diplomatic connections, as a tutor for his many children. A culture clash ensues as Anna seeks the level of interaction common in her world, while the King is traditional to the customs of his. He doesn’t want to be perceived internationally as a barbarian; she has visions that conflict with his rules and mores.
The performances are excellent. Laura Michelle Kelly from Broadway’s Finding Neverland, is a classy Anna in fine voice, and Jose Llana’s portrayal of The King is masterful, and so different than the one of original King, Yul Brynner, whose performance was immortalized on film. Manna Nichols and Kavin Panmeechao are something wonderful in their duets of “We Kiss in a Shadow” and “I Have Dreamed”, two of the romantic standards from the score.
The ensemble turns Jerome Robbins intricate’ “The Small House of Uncle Thomas” ballet into a showstopper, only to be followed minutes later by Kelly’s and Llana’s spirited polka “Shall We Dance”, a moment divine.,
Rodgers and Hammerstein thrust the American musical into modern times, finely weaving script, song, and dance into one continuous theatrical experience. The King and I is one of Broadway’s best of all times, and this Lincoln Center production is superlative on every level.
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The Bushnell presents The Lincoln Center Theater Production of The King and I. Music by Richard Rodgers. Book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II based upon the novel Anna and The King of Siam by Margaret Landon. Directed by Bartlett Sher. Music supervision by Ted Sperling. Conducted by Gerald Steichen. Choreography by Christopher Gattelli based onthe original choreography by Jerome Robbins. Scenic design by Michael Yeargan. Costume design by Catherine Zuber. Lighting design by Donald Holder. Sound design by Scott Lehrer. Cast: Laura Michelle Kelly as Anna. Jose Llana as The King. Through June 4, 2017 at The Bushnell, Hartford, CT. 860-987-5900 or www.bushnell.org.
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Mark G. Auerbach studied theatre at American University and the Yale School of Drama. He’s worked for arts organizations and reported on theatre for newspapers and radio.
