The King and I (1996 Broadway Revival Cast) [CAST RECORDING]

Lou Diamond Phillips, Donna Murphy, The King And I (Related Recordings), Rodgers & Hammerstein

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 1, 1996)
• Original Release Date: October 1, 1996
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording
• Label: Varese Sarabande
• ASIN: B0000014ZZ
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #73,469 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #30 in	Music > Broadway & Vocalists > Musicals > Revivals
  #82 in	Music > Broadway & Vocalists > Musicals > Classic Musicals

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
The 1996 revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic The King and I was a great success, winning the Drama Desk, Outer Critics, and Tony Awards for Best Musical Revival. Donna Murphy (who also won a Tony) gives a strong performance as Anna, while Lou Diamond Phillips (best known for his role as Ritchie Valens in the film La Bamba) is fine as the King of Siam, though he's a little short of the maturity that makes the role truly ring. (The liner notes point out that he was the same age as Yul Brynner when he took the role that made him famous, but Brynner himself had to grow into the role.) The rest of the cast--almost entirely Asian except for the few Caucasian roles--excels, and the booklet includes detailed notes and numerous photographs of the sumptuous production. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A revelation!, December 17, 1999

By	Robert Holliston (Victoria, B.C. Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This recording really helped me understand what a great musical this is. I never liked Gertrude Laurence, so the original cast album was a bit lost on me. Donna Murphy reveals depths in the character of Anna that I doubt Gertie even knew about. And the controversial casting of Lou Diamond Phillips clearly paid off: he is sensational. Some re-orchestration has been done, subtly but tellingly. The only negative note: it makes those of us unlucky enough not to have seen this revival feel very sad. This is the one recording of Rodgers' and Hammerstein's wonderful work that is truly not to be missed!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fine new version of classic R and H, June 15, 2000

By	Tommy Peter (Baltimore, Maryland) - See all my reviews

The highly praised and awarded 1996 revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The King and I" is preserved very well on this recording. The orchestrations are "deeper" now, and owing more to Asian motifs, but they work. Also, all of the cast, except the Caucasian parts, ARE Asians, and for the most part, particularly the Tuptim and Lady Thaing, they are good. Lou Diamond Phillips is no Yul Brynner, but he's decent, if a bit over-eager and boyish. And anyway, who could be as good as Brynner was in the part of the King? And then there is Donna Murphy. Her Anna is wonderful, very well-textured and sung beautifully and "veddy" British. She won a well-deserved Tony for the role. The score is just as magnificent as ever, well-delivered by the entire cast. This is a good recording, but get one with Brynner, too. His great performance should never be forgotten.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a lavish new revival, May 8, 2003

By	Byron Kolln (the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

The lavish 1996 revival of THE KING AND I is given the grand treatment in its beautiful cast-album. It preserves the Tony-winning performance of Donna Murphy as Mrs Anna along with a stellar cast.

Donna Murphy is perhaps the biggest reason for buying this particular recording. Her replacements in the show, Barbara McCulloh, Faith Prince and Marie Osmond, failed to capture all the color and pathos she brought to the part of Mrs Anna. Her "Hello Young Lovers" is quite affecting, and her "Shall I Tell You What I Think of You?" is eccentric and funny.

Lou Diamond Phillips crawls out from under the shadow of Yul Brynner to create a young, virile King with a wicked sense of humor. His "Is a Puzzlement" had me discovering new aspects that I had failed to realize in earlier recordings.

The rest of the cast is sensational: Jose Llana (the latest FLOWER DRUM SONG) is a dashing Lun Tha; Joohee Choi is a heartbreaking Tuptim and Taewon Kim is a worldly and wise Lady Thiang. The recording moves along swiftly, due in no small part to the truncated Overture (which is more effective than the hackneyed original).

Highly-recommended.