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Theatre on a Shoestring


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THE KING AND I


Chris Shilling as King

Chris Shilling as King"


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THE STORY


The time is the early 1860s. Anna Leonowens, an attractive English widow, arrives in Bangkok, Siam, with her son Louis. She has been engaged by the King to teach the royal children English and the ways of Western culture. The King is a swaggering, but likeable despot, who is eager to bring to his people the advantages of modern civilization. However, he is still an absolute monarch, basically kind, but demanding instant obedience to his every whim, with swift punishment to anyone who dares to oppose him. Anna finds him overbearing and unreasonable in his dictatorial attitudes, but she is charmed by his royal children. This personality conflict gives rise to several situations which range from humorous to romantic to tragic. It is this conflict that constitutes the remainder of the show.



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THE CAST


CAPTAIN -- STEVE FISCHER

LOUIS LEONOWENS -- RICK HELGEMO

ANNA LEONOWENS -- LISA BAKKEN

THE INTERPRETER -- ANDY LANG

THE KRALAHOME -- BRAD EDWARDS

THE KING -- CHRIS SHILLING

PHRA ALACK -- MARK EPPERS

LUN THA -- PAUL HEUSCHENREUTER

TUPTIM -- JEN HOWLAND

LADY THIANG -- LYNN JOHNSON

PRINCE CHULULONGKORN -- KELLY HYDE

SIR EDWARD RAMSEY -- ANDY PERRY

PRINCESS YINK YAOWLAK -- JILL JEFFERSON

ROYAL CHILDREN -- CRYSTAL BAKKEN, KATIE BLASHASKI, DANICA BROWNELL, CATHERINE CAPAUL, EMILY HOWLAND, CINDY JUNE, ROBYN MCALPINE, JEANNE SOLBERG, MEGAN STELLPFLUG, JAMIE WADEPHUL, MATTHEW SWIGART, JEREMY SWIGART, MELISSA SWIGART

ROYAL WIVES, SINGERS, DANCERS -- KELLI CLARK, KATHY DEKEYREL, STACEY FISCHER, PAULA GRIFFIN, SHANNON HOGAN, BOBBI JOHNSON, LORILEI JOHNSON, THERESA KELLY, HEIDI MILLER, JODI THURSTON, JENNIFER WADEPHUL, KIM WIEMAN

ROYAL PRIESTS -- PETER CAPAUL, SEAN HOGAN, GREG KNUDTSON, MICHAEL PIERCE, JAMIE RHEAD

AMAZONS -- SCOTT ENGLE, RICK ISENSEE, JOE MAILMAN, JEFF RASMUSSEN


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THE SHOW


(Photos taken during dress rehearsal)

Anna and Louis
Anna and Louis
Kralahome and the Interpreter
Kralahome and the Interpreter
An educated King
An educated King
Tuptim and Lhun Tha
Tuptim and Lhun Tha
The King's twins -- my boys
The King's twins -- my boys
The King's baby -- my daughter
The King's baby -- my daughter
The King's harem
The King's harem
Louis and Chulalongkorn
Louis and Chulalongkorn
King Simon of Legree
King Simon of Legree
Buddha and an angel
Buddha and an angel
Shall we dance?
Shall we dance?
The death of a King
The death of a King


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