Lyric Opera of Chicago: The King and I

Shall we dance?

Rodger's and Hammerstein's musical theatre classic, The King and I comes to Chicago in a union of blazing Broadway theatricality and Lyric Opera grand opulence! Set in 19th Century Thailand, it's the story of the unlikely romance that blossoms between Siam's King (Paolo Montalban), and an English widowed governess, Anna Leonownes (Tony nominee Kate Baldwin).

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 arrival in the country, 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 conflict and tension, eventually a bond begins to grow between the King and governess, one that eventually blossoms into a mutual attraction which neither of them is brave enough to admit to.