“The King and I,” a Tony Award-winning musical by Rodgers and
Hammerstein, is based on Margaret Landon’s book, “Anna and the King
of Siam,” the story of Anna Leonowens, who was governess to the
numerous children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s.
The tale of East-West conflict opened in New York in 1951, with
Gertrude Lawrence as Anna and the then-unknown Yul Brynner as the
king, a role that he carried throughout his career.
Highlands Ranch-based Performance Now Theatre Company will
present the perennial favorite, first produced on Broadway in 1951,
from Feb. 5-21 at the Lakewood Cultural Center. (Alas, Highlands
Ranch doesn’t have a professional performance venue, but many fans
find the trip to Lakewood an easy one, as well as audiences from
throughout the metro area who know the productions will be
well-staged). The company was founded by the late Nancy Goodwin and
is continued by her husband, Ken Goodwin.
Bernie Cardell directs the large cast, which includes Tracy
Warren as Anna; Brian Trampler as the king, Jay Jakowski, Chace
Johnson, Janelle Kim, Annie Malin, Dan Pagliascotti, Zachary
Shannon, Addison Van de Walker and Orlando Vega.
If you go:
“The King and I” is presented Feb. 5 to 21 by Highlands
Ranch-based Performance Now at the Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S.
Allison St., Lakewood. Bernie Cardell directs. Performances: 7:30
p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays.
303-987-7845.
