Sydney Child Cast for The King and I
Producer John Frost and Opera Australia Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini have announced the 39 children cast in roles for the Sydney season of the Helpmann award winning production, The King and I, playing at the Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney from 7 September 2014.
The principal role of Prince Chululongkorn will be shared by Trystan Go, Ethan Puse and Jaya Soewito-Martin, and the principal role of Louis Leonowens will be shared by Jackson Bunting, Damian Hempstead and Archie Thompson.
The 33 children who will play the princes and princesses of Siam are Lara Burke, Nicholas Chan, Brodi Cubillo, Pheonix Cubillo, Layla D'Anella, Ellysa Feliciano, Emma Feliciano, Joann Fetner, Santina Maria Gella, Mariah Gonzalez, Nina Hamamdjian, Bianca Lee, Julia Manias, Samantha Moey, William Oakley, Erika Palma, Indra Pande Suardana, Benjamin Park, Samuel Park, Kayla Puse, Justin Sacco, Christian Savos, Aleisha Stephens, Joel Supnet, Jonathan Supnet, Kayla Ta, Caitlyn Tan, Solomon Tan, Ethan Thadanabath, Skye Thadanabath, Sabrina Vo, Saffron Vo and Samantha Zhang.
Associate Producer for Opera Australia, Adrian Storey said that the company is delighted with the children cast in the Sydney season of The King and I. “This production had a specific brief in that we were looking for children to portray Thai Princes and Princesses who are children of the King of Siam. Therefore they all needed to be of any Asian ethnicity, with the exception of the son of English Governess, Anna Leonowens, who needed to be of Caucasian descent. The children also were required to be aged around 4 to 10 years old, to have charm and individual character, and be able to sing and act.
“We were very impressed with the talent we found in our auditions, so had no trouble in casting three separate casts of children. We are looking forward to Sydney audiences getting to know these wonderful young children as they appear in several scenes throughout the show.
“For many of them this is their first ever musical, but I am sure for all of them it will be a thrill to have the chance to be on stage alongside artists of the calibre of Lisa McCune and Teddy Tahu Rhodes. Along with the fabulous Rodgers and Hammerstein score, and magnificent set and costumes, this will really be a terrific opportunity for these young budding artists,” said Mr Storey.
The King and I was Rodgers and Hammerstein’s fifth musical together and is considered one of the jewels in their crown. It was based on Margaret Landon’s 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam, which took its inspiration from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, a British governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam (now Thailand) in the early 1860s.
The score includes the songs I Whistle a Happy Tune, Getting to Know You, Shall We Dance? and Hello, Young Lovers.
Four-time Gold Logie winner Lisa McCune plays English governess Anna Leonowens, while internationally acclaimed opera singer Teddy Tahu Rhodes returns to the role of the King of Siam, following his debut in the 2014 Brisbane season. The Tony Award-winning Australian production, which is being revived by John Frost and Opera Australia and this week won Best Musical at the 2014 Helpmann Awards, plays from 7 September until 1 November in the Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House.
SEASON DETAILS
JOAN SUTHERLAND THEATRE, SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE
September 7 - November 1
Tues–Sat 7.30pm, Matinees Tues & Wed 1pm, Sat 2pm & Sun 3pm
From $59.00
sydneyoperahouse.com or 9250 7777
Ticketmaster.com.au or phone 1300 723 038
Image: From the Brisbane season. Lisa McCune as Anna Leonowens & children in The King and I. Photographer: Brian Geach