The classic musical theater piece “The King and I” will come alive on stage as the Whitefish Theatre Company begins its annual holiday production at the O’Shaughnessy Center.
“The King and I” is a love story about a governess who is brought into the court to tutor the king’s children and eventually comes to know, and love, the king himself. The show’s producers call it a truly unique love story and one that features numerous classic musical pieces, including “Getting to Know You,” “I Whistle A Happy Tune,” and “Hello Young Lovers.”
Amy Chisholm of Whitefish plays the governess, Anna. Chisholm has been acting since 1998 when she began working with the Virginia City Players. Now she frequently acts with the Whitefish company and by day is a private voice teacher and works for Flathead Valley Community College’s music department. She said of the many characters she has played, Anna has been one of the most challenging.
“She has been challenging because she is different from the other characters I’ve played in the past,” Chisholm said. “She is very compelling and she’s not straight forward. There is more to her than most.”
“The King and I” is based on the actual memoirs of Anna Lenowens, who was a tutor for the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the 1860s. Director Rebecca Schaffer said it was fascinating to dive into the history of the story and find out which parts of it were based in reality and which parts have been exaggerated over time.
This is Schaffer’s second show for the Whitefish Theatre Company, following last year’s incredibly popular presentation of a Steampunk version of “Oliver!” Schaffer, who is also working with a Missoula-based theater company on a Christmas cabaret show at Crush Lounge this month, is now based out of Philadelphia and will return home at the conclusion of “The King and I.”
“It has been a very challenging show but the aesthetics of it all are gorgeous and the costumes are spectacular,” she said. “It took a lot of time and effort to get this together but we’ve got an extremely talented cast.”
Casting for the production was in late September and since then the 38 cast members have been meeting almost daily to get ready for the show that opens Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. Performances continue on Dec. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20 at 4:30 p.m. and Dec. 7, 14, and 21 at 4 p.m.
Tickets for the show are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and $8 for students with reserved seating. Tickets to the Dec. 4 preview performance are just $10 and can only be purchased at the door. After that, tickets can be purchased at the box office, over the phone by calling 406-862-5371 or online at www.whitefishtheatreco.org.
The show’s producers promise that “The King and I” will be the musical event of the holiday season in Whitefish and they are undoubtedly ready to put the fruits of their labor on stage.
“I hope people come away with a better understanding of the story but are also highly entertained,” Schaffer said.