THE KING AND I
CHARACTERS
CHARACTER RANGE SEX AGE NOTES
A strong-minded English widow and teacher with a 13 year-old son.
Involvement: In many scenes. Waltzes with Sir Edward Ramsey and Polkas with the King.
Musical Numbers:
Soprano or Mezzo- • Whistle a Happy Tune
ANNA LEONOWENS F 30-45
Soprano (Range b-d”) • Hello Young Lovers
• Getting to Know You
• Shall I Tell You What I Think Of You?
• Shall We Dance?
First wife of the King, who loves him very much; tries to protect him even though she cannot take direct action.
Soprano or high Involvement: In many scenes.
LADY THIANG Mezzo-Soprano F 30-50 Musical Numbers:
(Range c#' - g'') • Something Wonderful
• Western People Funny
She is a present from the Prince of Burma to the King who is a strong character with real emotional range.
Involvement: In many scenes.
Soprano (Range c'-a# Musical numbers:
TUPTIM except for one note c’- F 15-25 • My Lord and Master (solo)
g”) • We Kiss In a Shadow (duet with Lun Tha)
• I Have Dreamed (duet with Lun Tha)
• The Small House of Uncle Thomas (narrator)
A demanding and chauvinistic absolute ruler who nevertheless struggles with European philosophical ideas and desperately
wants his kingdom to be seen as "scientific". Although he is filled with uncertainty and self-doubt, he possesses a
commanding stage presence.
(Note: The King's presence was diminished in the movie. In the original cast production he dominated the stage with the
sheer force of his personality.)
THE KING OF SIAM Baritone (Range c - e') M 35-50
Involvement: In many scenes. Polkas with Anna in Shall We Dance?
Musical numbers:
• A Puzzlement
• Song of the King
The King's principal advisor and keeper of the traditional ways of thought.
THE KRALAHOME Non-singing role M 45-60
Involvement: In several scenes.
The Emissary from the Prince of Burma who has brought Tuptim to the King of Siam and falls hopelessly in love with her
in the process.
Tenor or high baritone Involvement: In several scenes.
LUN THA M 15-25
(Range c - g') Musical numbers:
• We Kiss in a Shadow (duet with Tuptim)
• I Have Dreamed (duet with Tuptim)
Anna's son.
Involvement: In many scenes
Alto Musical numbers:
LOUIS LEONOWENS M 12-15
(Range g - b') • Whistle a Happy Tune
• The Royal Bangkok Academy
• A Puzzlement (duet with Prince Chululongkorn)
Eldest son of the King and heir to the throne of Siam. Brought up to imitate his father's autocratic ways, but with his own
self-doubts.
PRINCE Alto Involvement: In many scenes.
M 13-17
CHULULONGKORN (Range g-a') Musical numbers:
• The Royal Bangkok Academy
• A Puzzlement (duet with Louis)
Captain of the ship Chow Phya.
CAPTAIN ORTON Non-singing role M 40-65
Involvement: Appears in opening and closing scenes only, and may be cross cast. Has some lines.
Interpreter for the King
THE INTERPRETER Non-singing role M 18-60
Involvement: Appears in opening and closing scenes only, and may be cross cast. Has some lines.
Secretary to the King.
PHRA ALACK Non-singing role M 18-60
Involvement: In several scenes. Has lines.
English diplomat and former friend of Anna and her husband.
SIR EDWARD RAMSEY Non-singing role M 35-50
Involvement: Appears in only Act II, and may be cross cast. Waltzes briefly with Anna. Has lines.
Cute, young loveable daughter of King
Involvement: In several scenes. Has a few lines. Marches in “March of the Siamese Children”. Singing always as a group.
PRINCESS YING Singing role (Range If under 8, mother may need to be part of cast.
F 8-12
YAOWLAK eb' - g'') Musical numbers:
• The Royal Bangkok Academy
• Getting to Know You
ROYAL PRINCES AND Singing role (Range M/F Involvement: In several scenes. Singing always as a group, with individual acting and a few lines. March in March of the
PRINCESSES eb' - g'') Siamese Children.
Musical numbers:
8-15
• The Royal Bangkok Academy
• Getting to Know You
Prominently featured in The Small House of Uncle Thomas Ballet. Both male and female dancers will be used. May be
cross cast in other roles.
Involvement:
ROYAL DANCERS Non-singing role M/F 16-60
• Act I/Scene 2 - Dance for King
• Act I/Scene 4 - One principal dancer
• Act II/Scene 3 - Small House of Uncle Thomas
Wives of the King.
Involvement: Prominent in many scenes as a group; some individual dialogue lines; Present at "The March of the Siamese
Children".
ROYAL (Range c' - g''. In the Musical Numbers:
WIVES Ballet, sopranos c' - • The Royal Bangkok Academy
a''; altos c' - f'') • Getting to Know You
• Western People Funny
• The Small House of Uncle Thomas
F 18-45
Buddist Priests
PRIESTS (Range d - d') M 16-80
Involvement: In two scenes. Will be cross cast as guards, slaves, and townspeople
Female slaves
AMAZONS Non-singing roles F 18-35
Involvement: In several scenes. Can be cross cast in other roles.
The voice ranges given indicate the extreme ranges for each part. As always with Richard Rodgers, most of each song lies in a very comfortable range for the voice type, and the
highest notes are usually used for brief intensity or strong endings.
Middle C is c', with each note above c' indicated by a single'.
The C an octave higher is c'', with each note above it indicated by two ''s.
Notes in the octave below c' are indicated by lower-case letters without ticks (sounding pitch, not written pitch).
ENDS
