Yul Brynner News

Facts and trivia surrounding the original production of 'The King And I,' which starred Gertrude Lawrence and Yul Brynner. Lawrence would die of liver cancer a little more than a year into the run, at the age of 54.

Stop the presses.......literally! One of Broadway's most respected press agents, Joshua Ellis, has the spotlight shifted from his glittering clientele and focused firmly on him in this delightful interview. Today, we cover some of the 100 plus shows Joshua has worked on including Into the Woods, 42nd Street, Lena Horne: The Lady and her Music, The King and I, Morning's at Seven, and The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby.

United Solo will host a Master Class taught by Joshua Ellis, renowned theater publicist and press agent, as part of the United Solo Professional Training Program, on Monday, August 6, 2018 at Theatre Row in New York City. This class will introduce participants to practical tools and skills required to publicize and market themselves and their shows. It's about shaping expectations for potential audiences, whether they are critics, reporters or theatergoers.

Goodreads Press has published the second edition of Susan L. Schulman's popular memoir, BACKSTAGE PASS TO BROADWAY.  Sub-titled 'MORE True Tales of a Theatre Press Agent,' the second edition includes several new chapters, expanded stories and additional never-before-seen photos from the author's personal collection.

The multi Tony Award-winning production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's The King and I has transfered from Broadway to London this month following a critically acclaimed 16 month run at New York's Lincoln Center Theater and an unprecedented continuing record-breaking sold out USA tour.

Conrad Ricamora is best-known to millions of TV viewers as Oliver, the cute computer whiz, on ABC's 'How to Get Away With Murder.' But this 2013 Theatre World Award winner also can slay an audience onstage as he has proven Off-Broadway in 'Here Lies Love' and on Broadway in 'The King and I.' And Ricamora is currently 'killing it' as the star of 'Soft Power,' David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori's bold, new musical. Directed by Leigh Silverman, it is playing through July 8 at the Curran in San Francisco.

Next week, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.

'The King and I' at the Starlight Theatre, in Kansas City, this week only! The ever popular Rodgers & Hammerstein's musical about the Anna and the King of Siam is now showing at the Starlight Theatre, June 12-17th, 2018.

This June, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.

As BroadwayWorld reported yesterday, stage and screen star, Patricia Morison died at the age of 103 at home in Los Angeles of natural causes. A stage icon and legend best known for her starring roles in Cole Porter's Kiss Me Kate and The King & I opposite Yul Brynner, she established an indelible mark in films with a reputation as a the villainous femme fatale with large blue eyes and extremely long, dark hair that made her a favorite of studios and fans alike. 

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: the Obie Awards will be presented tonight, hosted by John Leguizamo, at Terminal 5!

Stage and screen star, Patricia Morison died today at the age of 103 at home in Los Angeles of natural causes. A stage icon and legend best known for her starring roles in Cole Porter's Kiss Me Kate and The King & I opposite Yul Brynner, she established an indelible mark in films with a reputation as a the villainous femme fatale with large blue eyes and extremely long, dark hair that made her a favorite of studios and fans alike. 

Drury Lane Theatre announces a one-night-only event with celebrated author Todd S. Purdum, in connection with its acclaimed production of the Tony Award-winning musical South Pacific. Purdum is the author of the new book SOMETHING WONDERFUL: A Rogers and Hammerstein's Broadway Revolution. During the evening, Purdum will read excerpts from his new book and answer questions about the famed duo and their works. Guests will receive a signed copy of SOMETHING WONDERFUL and enjoy dinner at Lucille Restaurant, followed by a performance of South Pacific. Tickets for the May 4 event begin at $55 and are available through the Drury Lane box office at 630.530.0111, Ticketmaster at 800.745.3000, or online at www.DruryLaneTheatre.com. Drury Lane Theatre is located at 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace.

Two decades after it was previously performed at the National Theatre, Rodney Ackland's Absolute Hell returns to the very stage it played back then: the Lyttelton. With a career spanning over two decades too across stage and screen, Charles Edwards is no stranger to the National Theatre. Catching up during rehearsals, Charles spoke to us about his 'innate connection' to the play, and reveals the greatest challenge he's faced in his career (which came only last year).

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's first musical, Oklahoma!, opened on Broadway on March 31, 1943, and will mark its 75th anniversary this spring. That show, along with Carousel (whose new Broadway revival opens on April 12), South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music firmly established Rodgers and Hammerstein at the apex of the great age of the American Songbook.

Cherry Pitz and all the fine folks of The Home for Wayward Girls and Fallen Women have been hired to join the staff of Westworld, a the robots who have taken over after the massacre of the human board members are trying to rebrand.  They feel that a burlesque show is just the thing to make everyone forget how dark things got there for a moment. Welcome to the debut and grand opening of the parks newest attraction, Burlesqueworld!

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's first musical, Oklahoma!, opened on Broadway on March 31, 1943, and will mark its 75th anniversary this spring. That show, along with Carousel (whose new Broadway revival opens on April 12), South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music firmly established Rodgers and Hammerstein at the apex of the great age of the American Songbook.

THE KING AND I is bringing more than a great show to Omaha. Jose Llana, who stars as the King of Siam, says, 'I think it's healthy to have conversation, especially in this political climate, when the country is so divided to tell a story about a world leader extending a hand of friendship to a person from another country. That's the story we're telling and the message that we're trying to convey.'

The success of THE KING AND I over the years has been nothing short of remarkable. The movie version from the 1950's brought Yul Brynner to center stage as he played the role of this famous king. With so many incarnations of the iconic musical there have been quite a few actors who have worked hard to shed the Brynner version of the King and portray him in the way it's most comfortable for them. One such actor is veteran performer Jose Llana. BWW had the opportunity recently to chat with Llana as he is out on tour with THE KING AND I.

East West Players (EWP) and The Robey Theatre Company (RTC) welcome screen, stage, and television actor Danny Glover and Emmy Award-winning actress June Angela in the revival of Philip Kan Gotanda's Yohen.