THE KING AND I

BY ED BRUCE edbrucevegas@yahoo.com

A NEW SHOW TO TOP THE LIST OF BEST I HAVE SEEN IN LAS VEGAS THIS YEAR !

Not a new show of course but new to the top of the list.

Rodgers and Hammerstein ll constructed this masterpiece 50 years ago and it plays just as well now as then, maybe better because it is new to new generations and ablely done by Signature Productions at the Summerlin Theatre Library west Las Vegas... one week to go, highly recommended...I may go again.

Negatives....8 minutes late..a 16 minute 10 minute intermission, kids running loose and everyone with video machines and phones on....I have the solution and will be introducing it soon.

WOW ! I have seen the movie and numorous productions of this and again maybe because it is fresh in my mind .....this the best. Melissa Riezler and Lysander Abadia were BETTER THAN DEBROAH KERR AND YUL BRENNER. Well Riezler anyway, as Anna and of course she can really sing....in that Brenner had over 3000 performances he is the prototype but young Abadia was the real King on Saturday afternoon...both terific leads, actors and professionals.

Gee this thing must have cost a fortune...Utah Shakespeare type multi costumes for everyone...including a dozen kids...nine moms and all the supporting cast...37 in all. Tremendously impressed with the sound system and singing....what could this have been with an orchestra....music so good its hard to screw up and I had forgot it included one of my many favorite songs "I have dreamed" done nicely by Lun Tha and Tuptin....Jacquelin Melendez and Ianrod Gargantiel. Program could have been more detailed...I was unfamiliar with all the actors and wanted more... Another big plus with the costumes was the Asain look they all had whatever that is...what did Siamese look like in 1863 ?

Can't say enough good things about this...when Anna and the King danced it still brought tears to my eyes... what a classic movie-play scene this is !

Thats about it...to be seen for sure...World Class Theatre in Las Vegas...the entire production team at the top of their games ...lets give director Leslie Fotheringham the ultimate salute in providing ultimate entertainment for this old writer.

90 A-...you can't get a better score when you start late.