Posted: 9/6/16 at 12:48am
I'm a huge "King and I" fan, and I was just wondering if people knew any information about Annamary Dickey who played Anna for a brief period during the original production. I've been searching the web, but it doesn't seem like she ever was given an official listing in a playbill. Does anyone know any further information about this? Thanks.
Posted: 9/6/16 at 12:12pm
Annamary Dickey was a soprano who sang opera for a while. She sang minor roles at the Metropolitan Opera from 1939-1944.
Posted: 9/6/16 at 12:47pm
Those are great pictures, but I believe that playbill is for Gertrude Lawrence. I could be wrong though.
Posted: 9/6/16 at 1:05pm
Yes, that is indeed the original Playbill cover with Gertrude Lawrence. Annamary Dickey is not listed in the Playbill whatsoever and Constance Carpenter was the Anna understudy. Celeste Holm filled-in when Gertrude Lawrence went on vacation so don't know when Ms. Dickey played the role.
By the way, the King opposite Ms. Dickey in the first photo is Alfred Drake who filled in for Yul Brynner when he went on vacation.
Updated On: 9/6/16 at 01:05 PM
Posted: 9/6/16 at 1:26pm
I did not see Ms. Dickey but I did see Constance Carpenter on a Saturday afternoon in December of 1951, when Ms. Lawrence was ill. This was the first time I had seen an understudy in a major role, and I remember rooting for her. She was very strong, and Brynner worked very beautifully against her. The musical, then, seemed very much Anna's story---I know at times it can seem like the King's, but not at that point. When Ms. Lawrence left the cast, shortly before her untimely death, Ms. Carpenter took over and played the role for a long time Annemarie Dickey did replace her at some point in the run, I remember seeing her name in the adds.
Those pictures above do not look like Drake (I may be wrong) but he did replace Brynner for a while. Ironically, legend has it that he was originally offered the role of the King but turned it down because it only had one song.
Posted: 9/7/16 at 7:49am
wonkit said: "No way that first photo is Alfred Drake!"
I think it's Alfed Drake's accountant.
