THE KING AND I at Performance Riverside February 8, 2008

Performance Riverside presents the Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II masterpiece The King and I February 1 through 10, 2008 at Landis Performing Arts Center. The production is directed by John Vaughan, choreographed by Lee Martino and musically directed by Scott Smith. The production features Jeff Griggs in the role the King and Barbara Hinrichsen as Anna Leonowens.

The King and I is based on the 1944 book Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon, a fictionalized adaptation of the memoirs of Anna Leonowens. Set in 1862, Anna and her young son arrive at the Royal Palace in Bangkok, having been summoned by the King to tutor to his many children and wives. The King is considered a barbarian by those in the West and he seeks Anna's assistance in changing his image, if not his ways. With both keeping a firm grip on their respective traditions and values, Anna and the King grow to understand and, eventually, respect one another, in a unique love story. The award winning score includes “I Whistle a Happy Tune”, “Hello, Young Lovers”, “Getting to Know You”, “Something Wonderful, and “Shall We Dance?” Along with the dazzling score, the incomparable Jerome Robbins’ ballet, "The Small House of Uncle Thomas," is one of the all-time marvels of the musical stage.

Jeff Griggs met The King and I director John Vaughn and choreographer Lee Martino while performing in the reprise hit On Your Toes. Jeff was thrilled when John approached him about playing the King in The King and I. Jeff has a bachelor’s degree in theatre from New Mexico State University where he studied under Tony Award-winning playwright Mark Medoff. Favorite roles include P.T. Barnum in Barnum, Harold Hill in The Music Man, Oscar Jaffe in Twentieth Century, Frank Butler in Annie Get Your Gun, Tito Morelli in Lend Me A Tenor, and Jack in the award-winning Reefer Madness. He is probably best known as the villainous Jude St. Clair on Days of Our Lives. Jeff is also an accomplished artist and was honored by the President with a personal invitation to the White House for his 9/11 memorial painting, "The Eyes of a Nation".

Barbara Hinrichsen is delighted to return to the Performance Riverside stage, where she first appeared 20 years ago in the role of Lalume in Kismet. For over twenty years Barbara has been directing musicals for elementary schools, and theatres in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Pasadena. Barbara starred in the Candlelight Pavilion’s productions of Gypsy as Mama Rose, Lucky Stiff as Rita, The Mystery of Edwin Drood as Princess Puffer and Hello Dolly as Dolly Levi. She also starred as Ida in the West Coast premiere of Honk at the Musical Theatre of Southern California. Barbara is also the director of the performance troop “Broadway Experience”, a group of children and teen, ages 8-18, who perform in and around the Inland Empire.

Also featured in the cast are Natalie Ramirez as Tuptim, Tom Patrick as Kralahome, Melanie Alpert as Lady Thiang, Michael Sturgis as Louis Leonowens, Alexis Herrera as Lun Tha, Jamen Nanthakumar as Chulalongkorn; Rick Arias as Sir Edward Ramsay; Frank Gilleece as Captain Orton, and an ensemble including Marius Beltran, Miguel Cardenas, Kelli Casas, Arianna Del Rosario, Maxene Denholtz, Madeline Duyan, Brittany Freeth, Natalie French, Connie Furukido, Kylie Hamilton, Hilary Kadoya, Damian Kim, Renee Liskey, Andrew Musselman, Lorraine Ponce, Megan Ramirez, Julie Ricks, and Diana Salvati.

Performance Riverside is a professional theatrical production company operating in Landis Performing Arts Center under the authority of the Riverside Community College District. The King and I is produced with a contributing sponsorship from North-West College.

The King and I performs February 1, 2, 8, and 9 at 8pm, and February 2, 3, 9, and 10 at Landis Performing Arts Center on the Riverside City College Campus. Tickets are $24, $29, $36, and $42. In addition, specially priced weekday morning performances are available for school groups through Performance Riverside’s Discovery Theatre program. For more information and tickets, visit www.performanceriverside.org or call the Landis Performing Arts Center Box Office at (951) 222-8100.

Official Website: http://www.performanceriverside.org