Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended
"...Every time I see it, as I did on Thursday night at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace, I marvel not just at the brilliance of its construction and the gorgeousness of the score, but also its ability to work its emotional magic on an audience. That's because Rodgers and Hammerstein knew how to translate the specific to the universal better than any other creators of musicals in history: "The King and I" might seem to be about the relationship between the authoritarian King of Siam and his feisty hired schoolteacher, but it's also about change, acceptance and mortality. And they filled the stage with the king's children, whose presence reinforces the tone they wanted for their entertainment aimed, like all their work, at middle America: hopeful, humanistic, bright, sweet, loving. It was 1951."
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...Director Alan Paul's staging of the Richard Rodgers (music) and Oscar Hammerstein (book and lyrics) musical looks lavish and sounds splendid. That iconic score - including "Hello, Young Lovers," "Getting to Know You" and "Shall We Dance" - is delivered with robust vocals and choreography rich in gorgeous pageantry."
Daily Herald - Recommended
"...For all the criticism directed at "The King and I," Hammerstein's book and lyrics suggest that communing across cultures is possible. The first act concludes with a meeting of the minds between Anna and King Mongkut (Adam Jacobs, Broadway's original Aladdin). At that moment, West and East come together, setting up the changing of the guard promised at the musical's conclusion when the King's oldest son Chulalongkorn outlines his reforms. That, along with Lady Thiang's sly observation that westerners feel "sentimental about the Oriental," suggests "The King and I" may not be hopelessly outdated."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"...One of the beauties of Drury Lane’s current revival (and there are many) is that it strips away much if not all of the quaint G&S-style Orientalism that has marred earlier productions and muddied the message of a show that, though told from the point of view of the governess, works hard to provide as clear-eyed a view of the historic court of King Mongkut of Siam as you can provide in a three-hour Broadway musical."
TheatreMania - Recommended
"...One of Chicago's major commercial musical houses, the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace, has mounted a fresh production of The King and I that's good but not great. The point is not to damn with faint praise, but to emphasize how very difficult it is for anyone to offer a truly great production of this Rodgers and Hammerstein classic."
Stage and Cinema - Highly Recommended
"...The Drury Lane’s Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The King and I is a winner. Letting the actors’ natural charisma shine, this tale isn’t bogged down by politics. I had forgotten about the line “building a wall around our country”, just as embarrassingly topical now as when this was written way back in 1951. This version focuses squarely on the battle of wills, if not the battle of the sexes. Wonderfully crafted, you’ll be “whistling a happy tune” long after you leave the theater."
Let's Play Theatrical Reviews - Highly Recommended
"...Drury Lane's main characters of Anna and the King were played masterfully by Betsy Morgan and Adam Jacobs. Betsy Morgan's (Les Miserables and The Little Mermaid), who in 2015 was Tony winner Kelli O'Hara's standby as Anna Leonowens performance was magnificent. Her elegance and charm as Anna were phenomenal, making the audience feel like they were reliving Leonowen's life in the present. Morgan's gracefulness on stage is captivating, drawing you into this remarkable story of acceptance, kindness, and love as two souls stubbornly learn to accept each other's imperfections."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...I am unsure as to the exact number of times that I have seen "The King and I" ( as well as doing performances as an ensemble member and as The King some twenty-five years ago) But I can tell you that each production has been different. As I always say, on radio and here in print, " a live play is never the same as the last time you saw it"! Yes, a different director, different cast, different set design and even the stage can make a difference and the current production now on the stage at Drury Lane Oakbrook is amazing from start to finish."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...Everything about this sublime production deserves a standing ovation.Tim Laciano’s detailed musical direction, as evidenced both by the voices of his 33-member cast and in his full-sounding, 7-member pit orchestra, does this Rodgers & Hammerstein classic proud. Whether the audience is revisiting this lovely, timeless tale of culture shock and romance, or enjoying a first-time encounter with Anna and her King, the Drury Lane’s melodic, visually stunning, handsomely executed production of this American classic is both affectionate and moving. Praise to Buddha and a sweeping bow of gratitude must go to one of Chicagoland’s most consistently excellent theatre companies for this celebration of love and Something Wonderful."
PicksInSix - Highly Recommended
"...Well along in the sprawling, crisply paced production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "The King and I" that opened Thursday at Drury Lane Theatre, Anna (Betsy Morgan) and the King (Adam Jacobs) appear to be on the verge of consummating an epic love story. Everything before has led to this joyous climax with the bristled, yet vulnerable, King fatefully enraptured by Anna's intelligence, irresistible charm and strength of will. The celebratory feeling in "Shall We Dance?" stands among one of the most fulfilling moments in all of Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals."
Picture This Post - Highly Recommended
"...This is the traditional The King and I story with themes of imperialism and colonization throughout. Yet, you too may agree with this reviewer that in this production, the actors add dimension by building more on their relationships and understandings of each other. Morgan gives us conflict in Anna as she angrily packs her suitcase and venomously spits out words she'd like to tell the King if she could in Shall I Tell You What I Think of You? But when it comes to each of the children and wives, it feels like genuine love and caring for each of them."
Splash Magazine - Highly Recommended
"...As soon as the actors hit the incredibly minimalist stage, you could see that this show was going to rise and fall on the performances and costumes alone, and fortunately, the extremely well-cast ensemble delivered in spades. From the moment Anna (Betsy Morgan ) and Louis (Braden Crothers) begin "I Whistle a Happy Tune" you know you're in for a splendid time in this musical that remains delightful after all these years with its fish-out-of-water story of the Welsh Schoolteacher at the court of Siam."
BroadwayWorld - Highly Recommended
"...The production is vocally and visually stunning under the magnificent and carefully guided direction of Alan Paul. The set design - minimal but so effective, especially when candles are used - by Wilson Chin and Riw Rakkulchon. The costumes, which are another character, are designed by Izumi Inaba based on the original design by Catherine Zuber. The lighting which takes one's breath away was designed by Eric Southern. The unforgettable Rodgers and Hammerstein score is conducted by Tim Laciano. Darren Lee's choreography leading to the penultimate "The Small House of Uncle Thomas" ballet flows beautifully and carries the audience along."
NewCity Chicago - Recommended
"...The biggest problem between Anna and the King is that there just isn’t much of a spark between them, central to our involvement. Thus, their banter rather than their relationship takes precedence, although Oscar Hammerstein’s writing is so effective, the show can work at that level."
