Kelli O'Hara Departs Broadway's The King and I
(© Paul Kolnik)
One year and one Tony win later, Kelli O'Hara says farewell to Siam and the role of Anna Leonowens in The King and I today, April 17.
O'Hara won her first Tony after five nominations for her performance in Bartlett Sher's Lincoln Center Theater revival, which opened April 16, 2015. Three-time Tony nominee Marin Mazzie (Bullets Over Broadway) will assume the role of Anna beginning May 3, with production standby Analisa Leaming playing the role in the interim.
Ken Watanabe, who originated the role of the King of Siam and recently returned to the company for a brief engagement, also departs the production today. Jose Llana, who took over the role last summer, will return until May 3, when Daniel Dae Kim joins the cast with Mazzie.
The King and I also features a 48-member company including 2015 Tony winner Ruthie Ann Miles as Lady Thiang, Ashley Park as Tuptim, Conrad Ricamora as Lun Tha, Edward Baker-Duly as Sir Edward Ramsey, and Jon Viktor Corpuz as Prince Chulalongkorn.
The King and I features sets by Michael Yeargan, costumes by Catherine Zuber, and lights by Donald Holder (all three nominated for 2015 Tony Awards), and sound by Scott Lehrer (2015 Drama Desk Award nomination). The production, which features an orchestra of 29 conducted by music director Ted Sperling, is performed with the musical's original 1951 orchestrations by Robert Russell Bennett and dance and incidental music arranged by Trude Rittmann.
(© David Gordon)
