The King and I in Manila

MANILA, Philippines - Come Sept.15, Resorts World Manila will open the doors of its state-of-the-art Newport Performing Arts Theater (NPAT) with the premiere of its third major theater offering, an all-Filipino production of “The King and I,” headlined by West End thespians Leo Valdez (King) and Monique Wilson (Anna) under the direction of Freddie Santos.

This musical also features prolific stage actors such as Bo Cerrudo (King), Shiela Valderrama (Anna), Gina Respall (Lady Thiang), Tanya Manalang (Tuptim), Lorenz Martinez (Lun Tha) and gifted young actors Anton Posadas (Prince Chulalongkorn), James Gabriel Ketcher (Louis Leonowens) and Kristina Alexandra Rodriguez (Princess Ying Yaowalak), among others.

Popular fashion designer Rajo Laurel will do the regal wardrobe of Anna and the King, while Aksana Sidarava will be the costume designer for the rest of the cast. Complementing the grand stage design by Jo Tecson of Light & Space Concepts are the lights and sounds of John Batalla and Radz Corpuz, as well as the notable musical scoring of the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Rodel Colmenar.

Kristina Alexandra Rondriguez plays Princess Ying Yaow-alak. STAR Photos by Val Rodriguez

An original Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The King and I has been one of the most loved Broadway classics since its inception in 1951, along with its timeless original soundtracks like “I Have Dreamed,” “Shall We Dance?” and “Getting to Know You.”

This critically-acclaimed musical is a revered and charming story of how Anna, a British governess, and the King of Siam grow to understand, love and learn about each other’s culture.

Tickets for the King and I are now available at the Resorts World Manila Box Office and at all TicketWorld outlets. For details, visit www.rwmanila.com or call 836-6333.