I'm not a Broadway critic and I was never trained in theatre arts. However, I do love to see a musical production - from the local high schools in the Austin area, to the big stages downtown, I know what I like. I like to be entertained - if you can make the world disappear and pull me into a glorious story, then I am throughly entertained. And y'all, ZACH Theatre's production of The King and I did just that.
Rodger's & Hammerstein's classic started it's run this past week at ZACH Theatre. My daughter & I had a date to go and see it Saturday night and we both walked out of there with huge smiles on our faces. The story is a classic, you may have seen it in a past production or in movie form, but this show has not been on the Austin stage for over 25 years. Based on the novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon, the story is about Anna Leonowens, the governess of the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860's.
I was thrilled to see Jill Blackwood as Anna, she is a long-time favorite of mine at ZACH - she was in Les Miserables last year and she commanded the stage as Anna. She and Mel Maghuyop (the King of Siam) had terrific timing and played off each other well. I was also very excited to see the cast was filled with dynamic Asian performers, as ZACH's Producing Artistic Director mentions, "The growing Asian community has been underrepresented on local stages and this ambitious undertaking is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the artistry of Austinites whom most will have never seen perform."
The cast is filled with children who were precious. I really love that ZACH went after such a production, allowing the youth of Austin to have opportunities like this. It's great for children to see other children pursuing their dreams.
Beyond the incredible acting, everything was done so very well. The stage design was stunning - with the golds & reds richly representing the orient. The costumes were breathtaking and so very detailed, full of rich bright colors and sparkling headdresses and crowns. And the choreography was outstanding. I was mesmerized by all the folk dances - especially the interpretation of "Uncle Tom's Cabin". Again, everything was just so well done.
Is this a good show to take children? Yes. I took my 13 year old daughter, who loves the theatre, but I wished I had thought to bring my 12 and 5 year old sons. You don't need to have a deep appreciation of the theatre to enjoy The King and I. It's simply entertaining. From the dancing, to the amazing voices singing love songs, to the laughs from The King, everyone in the family will enjoy this show.
The Topfer Theatre is such a great place to see a show in Austin - it's so intimate that there is not a bad seat in the house. Tickets prices start at $25 and are available online at www.zachtheatre.org
GIVEAWAY
The kind folks at ZACH are giving my fans a chance to win two pairs of tickets to see The King and I at one of 4 Saturday matinees:Saturday, September 27, 2014 at 2:30 pm
Saturday, October 4, 2014 at 2:30 pm
Saturday, October 11, 2014 at 2:30 pm
Saturday, October 18, 2014 at 2:30 pm
That's 2 different winners! Take a moment and fill out the entry below. Contest starts on Monday, September 22, 2014 at 12:00 am and continues through Friday, September 26, 2014 at 8:00 am. Two random winners will be drawn at that time and emailed. Winners will have 24 hours to respond to the email or I will pick another winner. Good luck!
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