Laura Michelle Kelly and Jose Llana Lead Lincoln Center's King and I National Tour
(© David Gordon)
Broadway's Laura Michelle Kelly (Finding Neverland) and star of Lincoln Center's The King and I Jose Llana have been announced to lead the cast of the national tour of the Lincoln Center Theater production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King and I. Kelly and Llana will take on the roles of Anna Leonowens and the King of Siam, respectively.
The cast will also include Joan Almedilla as Lady Thiang, Brian Rivera as Kralahome, Manna Nichols as Tuptim, Kavin Panmeechao as Lun Tha, Anthony Chan as Prince Chulalongkorn, Graham Montgomery as Louis Leonowens, and Baylen Thomas as Captain Orton/Sir Edward Ramsey.
The ensemble includes Heather Botts, LaMae Caparas, Andrew Cheng, Michelle Liu Coughlin, Daniel Edwards, Nicole Ferguson, Marie Gutierrez, Mindy Lai, Darren Lee, Q Lim, Stephanie Lo, Michael Lomeka, Nobutaka Mochimaru, Rommel Pierre O’Choa, Yuki Ozeki, Marcus Shane, Sam Simahk, Michiko Takemasa, Jeoffrey Watson, and Kelli Youngman, with Kayla Amistad, Jaden Amistad, Adriana Braganza, Amaya Braganza, Rylie Sickles, Rhyees Stump, Noah Toledo, and C.J. Uy as the Royal Children.
The tour will launch in Providence, Rhode Island, October 30-November 6, and will play multiweek and single week engagements throughout the 2016-17 touring season and beyond.
Directed by Bartlett Sher, The King and I features sets by Michael Yeargan, costumes by Catherine Zuber, and lights by Donald Holder (all four nominated for 2015 Tony Awards); and sound by Scott Lehrer (2015 Drama Desk Award nomination).
Inspired by Margaret Landon's novel Anna and the King of Siam, The King and I features music by Richard Rodgers and a book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Set in 1860s Bangkok, the story follows the relationship of British schoolteacher Anna Leonowens and the King of Siam, who employs her as a tutor for his many wives and children.
