Royalty Helps Makes Plays & Players a Holiday Destination This December with 'The King & I'

A descendant of the king who served as the model in, "Anna and the King of Siam," will play the King in Plays & Players Theater holiday production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic musical "The King & I." Performances are scheduled for December 1, 2006 through December 16, 2006, with Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances at 8pm, and Sunday performances at 2pm. Plays & Players Theater is located at 1714 Delancey Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103, between Spruce and Pine streets.

Philadelphia, PA (PRWeb) November 28, 2006 -- A descendant of the king who served as the model in, "Anna and the King of Siam," will play the King in Plays & Players Theater holiday production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic musical "The King & I." Performances are scheduled for December 1, 2006 through December 16, 2006, with Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances at 8pm, and Sunday performances at 2pm. Plays & Players Theater is located at 1714 Delancey Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103, between Spruce and Pine streets.

Maungsai Somboon, a native of Bangkok, Thailand and a descendant of King Chululongkorn, will star as the King in Plays & Players version of this classic tale. King Chululongkorn was the son of King Mongkut (1804 - 1868) who served as the model for the King in Margaret Landon's "Anna and the King of Siam", adapted from the autobiography of Anna Leonowens's, English teacher in the court of Siam.

Lance Moore will direct the large and talented cast of local actors. He recently directed Plays & Players' "The Secret Garden" and "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown," and starred as Albion in "La Cage Aux Folles." Moore specifically selected "The King and I" for a December production. He said, "I view it as perfect family entertainment, and a wonderful alternative to traditional holiday fare!"

"The King and I" tells the true story of an Englishwoman, Anna Leonowens, who comes to Siam as schoolteacher to the royal court in the 1860s. Though she soon finds herself at odds with the stubborn monarch, over time, Anna and the King stop trying to change each other and begin working together for the betterment of Siam.

Already a successful 1946 motion picture with Rex Harrison and Irene Dunne, in 1951, the famed Broadway team adapted "Anna and the King of Siam" into "The King and I", a five time Tony Award winning musical starring the legendary Gertrude Lawrence and, in a career defining role, the young Yul Brynner. Mr. Brynner would return to Broadway twice and tour America for many years as the King. In 1956, opposite Deborah Kerr, he recreated his role in the film version, which won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Brynner.

The score, one of Rodgers and Hammerstein's richest, includes such favorites as "Whistle A Happy Tune", "Getting to Know You", "Hello, Young Lovers", "The March of the Siamese Children", "Shall We Dance," and two exquisite love songs: "We Kiss In A Shadow" and "I Have Dreamed."

Plays and Players, housed in a historically registered playhouse in Rittenhouse Square, is the only non-profit community theater in Center City. For over 25 years Plays and Players has been the home of the celebrated Philadelphia Theatre Company. As that company leaves to take up a new residence, Plays & Players is resuming a full schedule of productions.

Tickets are $20 purchased online at www.playsandplayers.org or $25 at the door. Members of Plays & Players are free. For theater information information, please call (215) 735-0630 or e-mail mail @ playsandplayers.org . For media, review and show information, please contact public relations consultant Kory Aversa at koryaversa @ comcast.net.

###