ob Hill Would Like to Wish Everyone an Enjoyable Night at the Opera! Remember Nob Hill For Quick Meals from the Deli & Seafood and Delectable Desserts from our Bakery We're Open Daily 7 a.m. till 10 PROGRAM ADVERTISING RATES You Will Get Three Consecutive Shows For One Price! For More Information Call: Gene Pincus at f 408) 257-7951! West Valley Light Opera Presents Music hy RICHARD RODGERS Book & Lyrics hy OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN Based on Margaret Landon's "Anna and the King of Starn" Starring CATHERINE PETREK and DON MASUDA With French Clements • Matthew Harvey • Linda Hinton Susan Sanders • Jay Somera Director: STEVE LAMBERT Assistant Director: DORIS VANDER PUTTEN Choral & Music Director: DAN PERCELL Choreographer: NANCY J. KWONG The King and I" is produced through arrangements with the Rodgers and Hammerstein Library. West Valley Box Office, Saratoga Civic Theatre C/O Jean Hutchins 13777 Fruitvale Ave. 1411 Redmond Rd. Saratoga, CA San Jose, CA 95120 408-741-9508 408-268-3777 1 Hour Before Curtain PLEASE NOTE: By order of the City Council and the Fire Marshall, smoking, refreshments and recording or taking photographs during performances are not permitted. From the Director: The more I learned about "The King And I", the more fascinated I became. A lot of people do not realize that this play is a romanticized story about real people and real events in history. "The King And I" is based on the book, "Anna And The King Of Siam", by Margaret Landon. The book was eventually read by the wives of Rodgers & Hammerstein, who brought it to the attention of their husbands. However, it wasn't until Gertrude Lawrence asked them to write a play based on the book as a vehicle for her, that they decided to do it. Anna Leonowens was a proud, resourceful and independent woman. '" From the age of fifteen she spent most of her life in India and Singapore. It was after the death of her husband, Tom, and the need to support her family, that she decided to open a school in Singapore for officer's children. It was this school which attracted the attention of the Siamese Consul, who had been instructed by the King of Siam to secure an English governess for the Royal Children. The King, Maha Mongkut, was a very brilliant man. When his throne was usurped by his older half-brother, he sought safety in the Buddhist priesthood. He became a scholar in Pali and Sanskrit. He studied English, French and Latin. He became a fine mathematician and an amateur astronomer. As King, he was caught in two worlds: the one he grew up in, and the one where he was a student of the modern world of civilization and science. He could be very cruel at times, and also very tender-hearted. But he was a man whom no one ever underestimated. He wished to bring to Siam what was good in the modern world. Anna Leonowens was part of that plan. However, she was more than he bargained for. Their influence was very evident in his oldest son, Prince Chululongkorn, whose reign as king brought freedom and major reform. He reorganized the whole system of government and the law courts. He built schools, transportation facilities and modernized the military. He freed political prisoners and established religious freedom. And, then, one day, he read this declaration: "Let this our royal message to our people be proclaimed, and not as if we were doing a great and lordly thing, but our simple duty to our fellow men and subjects, that from the first day of January, 1872, slavery shall cease to be an institution in our country, and every man, woman and child shall hold themselves free-born citizens." hope you enjoy the performance, and thank you for coming; for without you, the audience, there can be no theatre. Steve Lambert CAST OF CHARACTERS (In order of appearance) Captain Orton ROBERT SUMMERS Louis Leonowens FRENCH CLEMENTS Anna Leonowens CATHERINE PETREK The Interpreter EDMOND KWONG The Kralahome LARRY FONG The King .DON MASUDA Lun Tha JAY SOMERA Tuptim LlNDA HINTON Lady Thiang SUSAN SANDERS The Royal Wives ELlZABETH EDGERTON, LISA ELLISON, . CONNIE LOPEZ, JANET MILLER, ANN PERRIS, DAWN RAGO, BECKY ROPA, REASON ROXAS, RICKIE ROXAS, SIMONE SKEELS Prince Chululongkorn MATTHEW HARVEY Sir Edward Ramsay : JOHN HUFF Royal Princes and Princesses .DANNY COTE, RACHEL COTE, DESIREE DELA PENA, MELISSA DOMINGUEZ, CHERYL DULEY, RICHARD ESPINOZA, MARK HARVEY, DAVID LAMBERT, DIANA LOPEZ, IAKONA MEDEIROS, JENNA PETERSON Deck Hands, Priests, Guards, Servants, and Dignataries: DANIEL CHAVEZ, RICHARD ESPINOZA, RUSSELL GALLOWAY, DOUGLAS HINES, STEVE KLINE, EDMOND KWONG, JUNE-ROMEO MILANES, ROY SHIMADA, JAY TORR, DOUGLAS WESTPHAL "Small House of Uncle Thomas" Ballet: Narrator LlNDA HINTON Uncle Thomas ROBERT SUMMERS Little Eva REASON ROXAS Little Topsy EDMOND KWONG Eliza ELlZABETH EDGERTON Dogs .DANIEL CHAVEZ, RICHARD ESPINOZA, EDMOND KWONG Simon of Legree RUSSELL GALLOWAY Angel- George MATTHEW HARVEY Chorus LlSA ELLISON, DOUGLAS HINES, STEVE KLINE, CONNIE LOPEZ, *JUNE-ROMEO MILANES, JANET MILLER, ANN PERRIS, DAWN RAGO, BECKY ROPA, RICKIE ROXAS, ROY SHIMADA, SIMONE SKEELS, JAY TORR * Dance Captain SYNOPSIS OF SCENES AND MUSICAL NUMBERS The action takes place in and around the King's Palace, Bangkok, Siam, during the early eighteen sixties. ACT ONE Overtu re Orchestra Scene 1:The Siamese Ship CHOW PHYA "I Whistle A Happy Tune" Anna, Louis Scene 2: The King's Library "My Lord And Master" Tuptim "Hello Young Lovers" Anna "The March of the Siamese Children" The Royal Princes and Princesses Scene 3: The King's Library "A Puzzlement" The King Scene 4: The Schoolroom "The Royal Bangkok Academy" The Royal Children "Getting To Know You" , Anna, Royal Wives and Children "A Puzzlement" (Reprise) Prince, Louis Scene 5: Anna's Bedroom "Shall I Tell You What I Think of You" Anna "Something Wonderful" Lady Thiang Scene 6 The King's Library ACT TWO Entr'Acte Orchestra Scene 1: Reception Room "Western People Funny" Lady Thiang, and Royal Wives Scene 2: The Garden "I Have Dreamed" Lun Tha, Tuptim "Hello Young Lovers" , Anna Scene 3: The Theater Pavilion 'The Small House of Uncle Thomas" Tuptim, Chrous Scene 4: The King's Library "Song Of The King" The King and Anna "Shall We Dance" Anna and The King Scene 5: Anna's Bedroom Scene 6: The King's Study "I Whistle A Happy Tune" (Reprise) Anna ORCHESTRA ORCHESTRA CONDUCTOR: DAN PERCELL (Not all musicians will play each performance.) TROBOME CLARINET II TRUMPET I, II, III (Alt) Grant Hill Karen Eshoff Dan Coyle Carl Buck Susan Cardello Dave McGloughlin Randy Chase Adam Michlin Clay Foster Bobbie Howe Bill Hunsicker TROMBONE 1 Jim Rollins Gary Black CLARINET III/BASS CL Dustin Frazier ~ Brian Cardello Ken Ponticelli Dave Topham Dave Posner Steven Holmes Shaun Collins Michael Maida Sara Gonzales PERCUSSION Nancy Welchly BASSOON VIOLIN I Dori Shimer Bill Coye Vitaly Leykin Gail Selburn Marian Lin STRING BASS Terry Bowman David Schwenke Steve Adkins Linda Jansen FRENCH HORN I VIOLIN II Robert Harvey Carol English CELLO Robert Bertini April Marsinkavage Lynda Bloomquist Brian Holmes Amy Watson Elly Weiser FRENCH HORN II VIOLIN III PICC/FLUTE I, II (A It) Linda Clements Cheralyn Watson *Linda Black Rich Lamb Heidi Rifbjerg Jan Turnage Adina Gordon Lynell Miller (Also I & II) Eileen Bowman- Wickermeyer FRENCH HORN III VIOLA Bob Wilson Jacquie Wiebe OBOE Dan Starrett Margaret Elliott Cindy Thorp Margaret Douglas Jay McKnight Lynne Bosworth Steve Harvey Marty Mchan PIANO CLARINET I Myndall Shivers Jordan Selburn Steve Fernbach Bonnie Bowman * Orchestra Manager WHO'S WHO IN OUR CAST CATHERINE PETREK - Anna. We welcome Catherine back, this time to play the role she has wanted to play all her life. She started her singing career in high school and her directorial experience began in college. Since that time, Catherine has performed in leading roles with Opera San Jose, West Bay Opera and Gilbert & Sullivan Society of San Jose. And, of course, with West Valley Light Opera. You must remember her as Lalume in 'Kismet'. Last season, she directed 'The Merry Widow' for us. Catherine has recently played Thea in 'Fiorello', and Mrs. Anderson in 'A Little Night Music' for Foothill College. Her experience also includes other facets of theater, such as costume design and construction, stage crew, properties designer and stage manager, as well as directing. Catherine is a vocal teacher, and her husband John, is an airline pilot. Catherine couldn't be happier with this show. Not only is she playing the lead, but her daughter, Elizabeth Edgerton, and nephew French Clements, are also in the show. It's definitely a 'Family Affair' for this very talented 'Anna'. DON MASUDA - The King. A newcomer to WVLOA, Don is a delight to work with and we welcome him with open arms. A native of Honolulu, Hawaii, he considers himself to be a Californian, having moved here when he was but a child. In real life, Don is the single parent of thirteen year old twin boys, and has been a third grade teacher in San Mateo for over twenty years. This experience makes him a natural to play the King of Siam, with over sixty children. It's no wonder they are so obedient. Since 1988, Don has been performing with TheatreWorks in Palo Alto, SJCLO, Foothill College, and Saratoga Drama Group. Of the many shows Don has performed in, his favorites are Ito in "Mame", and in "Pacific Overtures", a show he has done for both TheatreWorks and SJCLO. Don dedicates his performances in this production "To my Dad, whom I miss so much, and who is no longer part of the theatre audience, but is still out there ..