Now celebrating its 40th year of "musical theater under the stars" in the amphitheater in Oakland's Joaquin Miller Park, Woodminster (with its presenting organization Producers Associates) has once again done what it set out to do: present professional caliber classics specifically designed for families.

Known for putting on old favorites, Woodminster's current version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein staple (which won Tony Awards for best musical in 1952 and best musical revival in 1996) represents the first time the company has performed the show since 1969, its third season.

The singing is really the thing in "The King and I," a show about the blending of Eastern and Western cultures set in 1860s Siam and based on a novel by Margaret Landon.

As Anna, the prim English schoolteacher who contracts to teach dozens of the king of Siam's children, Susan Tilson is a delight, and a true Woodminster hero. As a teen, she attended Skyline High just up the road in Oakland and was a chorus girl in Woodminster shows.

Today, she lives in New York City, appears on Broadway and comes home every so often to wow the locals. In 2001, she was Eliza in Woodminster's "My Fair Lady" and in 2002, Maria in "The Sound of Music."

Tilson deftly illustrates Anna's transformation from a smart, sassy employee to a woman who is more and more touched by the king's charm and humor. With her lovely soprano, she also solos on the show's most famous songs: "I Whistle a Happy Tune," "Getting to Know You," "Hello, Young Lovers" and "Shall We Dance."

But she's particularly wonderful in "Shall I Tell You What I Think of You," a bedroom scene in which her affection, and confusion over her feelings for the king come to the fore.

Andrew Hasegawa, who looks nothing like Yul Brynner, who made a career out of the part, is every inch a king. Playing the royal leader with boatloads of charisma, he also manages to be properly intimidating and regal, as well as human — as his standout song "A Puzzlement" shows. It's for good reason. Hasegawa, a dentist and native of Quebec, Canada, has appeared in numerous productions of "The King and I" across the country, including at Alameda Civic Light Opera.

Debbie de Coudreaux as the king's primary wife, Lady Thiang, shines on "Something Wonderful," another great song, and the one in which the king and Anna's deepening relationship is revealed.

Likewise, Rizza Quinio sings her heart out as Tuptim, the young woman who's given as a gift to the king, but really loves Lun Tha. She and Nicholas Nakashima, as Lun Tha, have a few soaring ballads in which they declare their love: "We Kiss in a Shadow" and "I Have Dreamed."

The kids — David Beal as the heir to the throne and Chandler Burke as Anna's son Louis — demonstrate their agility in their reprise of "A Puzzlement."

While the vocalists singing unforgettable songs provide the show's standout moments, there are some fine production numbers, most notably the second act's play within a play, "The Small House of Uncle Thomas." Narrated by Tuptim, the performance features the show's most dynamic dancing.

The orchestra, led by Brandon Adams, started out a little on the quiet side on Saturday during the overture but sounded more excellent by the minute as Act 1 was under way.

Of course, dozens of children and lovely women round out the cast as the king's children and wives. They look terrific in their royal garb, too. The costume crew, led by Alison Morris and Quinn Whitaker, did a fine job, and clearly, no expense was spared — the glittery costumes look like Broadway quality.

All in all, whether seeing "The King and I" for the first time or revisiting it, the show is well worth getting to know.

Oakland Tribune
401 13th Street
Oakland, California 94612
(510) 208-6330 Switchboard
(510) 293-2709 Online Content
www.oaklandtribune.com