Marty Rhone joins the cast of The King and I

Australian music legend and theatrical icon Marty Rhone will join the cast of The King and I, opening at QPAC Brisbane in April this year.

Rhone, who is well known to Australians for his roles in Class of ’75 and Number 96 as well as his pop hits ‘Denim and Lace’ and ‘Mean Pair of Jeans’, is set to commence rehearsals in just four weeks in the role of the King’s Prime Minister, The Kralahome.

This multimillion dollar production, presented by John Frost and Opera Australia, marks a return to the world of Rogers and Hammerstein for Rhone, who starred as young lover Lun Tha in the West End production of The King And I alongside Yul Brunner and Virginia McKenna 35 years ago.

Also joining the impressive cast list for The King and I in ensemble roles will be Novy Bereber, Iggy Cabral and AussieTheatre’s editor Erin James.

Previously announced stars include Australia’s golden girl and musical theatre darling Lisa McCune, who will play English governess Anna Leonowens and internationally acclaimed baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes as The King in the Brisbane and Sydney seasons. The pair have recently completed a successful national tour of Rogers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific – a production which now holds the record for the highest ticket sales for any production at the Sydney Opera House – also presented by Opera Australia and John Frost. In Melbourne, the King will be played by international stage and screen star Jason Lee Scott.

The King and I also stars John Adam as Sir Edward Ramsay, Shu-Cheen Yu as Lady Thiang, Adrian Li Donni as Lun Tha and musical theatre debutant Jenny Liu as Tuptim.

The production is booked in for a three city Eastern states tour in 2014, opening in Brisbane at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in April, then moving to the Princess Theatre, Melbourne in June, before transferring to the Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House in September.

For more information and bookings visit www.thekingandimusical.com.au