Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I — Page 3

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#51

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 3:10pm

"I can see why people were upset that Sher didn't cast any Hispanic or Latino actors in the primary Verge roles."

Actually Sherie Renee Scott mentioned in an interview that she is Mexican. She laughed at it, as so many people paint her as a blond white girl, when in reality she is not.

#52

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 3:20pm

This is, of course, how we rationalize and learn to live with the limitations of our racial sensitivity. As long as the actor hired is from the eastern hemisphere, we congratulate ourselves on how far we've evolved....

What I wrote was "Eastern and Southeastern Asia", NOT "from the eastern hemisphere". And I don't believe I wrote anything about congratulating ourselves.

To say that the difference between someone from Thailand and someone from Japan is as insignificant as that between a German and Frenchman is (at the very least) rather problematic....

Okay. I should have said "Anglo-Americans playing Hungarians or Russians" to make a better analogy in terms of racial histories and differences. But the point remains, you are demanding a specificity of representation in THE KING AND I that we don't meet in any other show.

And the justification that "there just aren't enough of them to make casting feasible" is, it should be acknowledged, the same one that was once used to justify casting white Westerners in Asian roles.

I actually cited a real-world example of the impracticality of finding enough Thai-American professionals to fill all Thai roles in THE KING AND I. (Joanna Merlin had similar problems finding enough Japanese-Americans to cast PACIFIC OVERTURES.) So your claim that it was a mere "justification" is flat-out wrong.

And while we're at it, why is it acceptable to cast Thai-AMERICANS. Why not restrict the casting to actual THAIS (all of whom must speak perfect English, of course)?

#53

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 3:21pm

Scott is one of those Kentucky-Kansas Mennonite Mexicans.

#54

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 3:24pm

^^^ Damn, dude! You are more focussed on race than the Grand Dragon of the KKK.

#55

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 3:28pm

I wouldn't say so, but I do take the issue seriously, and believe that many people stop rather far short of actually thinking the issue through, remaining content with half-measures instead.

#56

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 3:29pm

So why aren't you speaking out about them not casting a mixed-race actress as Anna?

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#57

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 3:29pm

This is, of course, how we rationalize and learn to live with the limitations of our racial sensitivity. As long as the actor hired is from the eastern hemisphere, we congratulate ourselves on how far we've evolved.

And yet no wrist-slapping at the casting of an American in the role of an English woman? Western people funny! How dare you look at a white Canadian and ASSUME he's American! HOW VERY DARE YOU!

"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

#58

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 3:34pm

"I actually cited a real-world example of the impracticality of finding enough Thai-American professionals to fill all Thai roles in THE KING AND I...So your claim that it was a mere "justification" is flat-out wrong."

I'm sure that those who said there were no Asian actors sufficient to play the Engineer in Miss Saigon truly believed that it was "a real-world example" of impracticality, too.

"And while we're at it, why is it acceptable to cast Thai-AMERICANS. Why not restrict the casting to actual THAIS (all of whom must speak perfect English, of course)?"

You caught me. I push the point further than I really care about merely to try to shine a light on how we allow ourselves moral leeway when we discuss racial sensitivity. To us white folk, it doesn't matter what kind of Asian we cast in Asian roles - to us, Asia is just Asia - but it's good to remember that it might matter to Asians. And that there may be a lot more to the sensitivity than we see on the surface near us.

#59

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 3:34pm

I really hope that, like SOUTH PACIFIC, this is filmed for PBS!

#60

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 3:39pm

"So why aren't you speaking out about them not casting a mixed-race actress as Anna?"

It's a good question - two reasons:

1) Anna is presented as European in The King & I, which is a work of fiction very loosely based upon real events. A rather important part of the show is the friction between European and Asian.

2) The theory that Anna Leonowens was Anglo-Indian is only a theory (at least based on the sources at my disposal). It's based on the fact that her mother's mother's name is unknown - some believe that the only explanation for that is that the woman was considered beneath recording, or that the family wanted to hide her race. Not impossible, but far from proven.

#61

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 4:17pm

I can't wait to hear Kelli sing "Shall I Tell You What I Think Of You?"

And for those of you who want to hear her sing "Something Wonderful" (I know that's not her part in this show but she sings it SO beautifully) it's on her "Always" solo album. (:

#62

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 4:27pm

Excellent casting! This is my favorite Rodgers & Hammerstein show so I cannot wait to see it. And yes, it'd be wonderful if this was filmed for Live from Lincoln Center.

"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

#63

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 4:32pm

There's a you tube of him singing.
Ken Watanabe singing

Up In One

#64

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 5:07pm

This is Mrs. Anna.

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

#65

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 5:37pm

Sherie Renee Scott may very well be Mexican, but in reality she is also a blonde white girl:) There are lots of white Mexicans.

#66

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 6:51pm

Mrs. Anna looks lovely.

I am over the moon about this.

"Two drifters off to see the world. There's such a lot of world to see. . ."

#67

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 6:58pm

If it is half as magical as South Pacific, I will be seeing it twice.

#68

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 8:00pm

They're using the full orchestrations with a full orchestra!!! How absolutely marvelous this is going to be. The two leads sound like they are going to be stellar as well.

Keeping BroadwayWorld Illustrated

#69

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 8:06pm

I'm very excited to see Ken make the King his own. It will be great to see yet another interpretation of this iconic role. Anyone here see the 90's revival?

#70

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 8:14pm

I saw the 90s revival several times and absolutely loved it. I also saw the revival with Brynner and Towers in 1978.

Hey Dottie! Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany

#71

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 8:23pm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takeshi_Kaga would have also been a good choice and he has stage credits

#72

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 8:40pm

I wouldn't say so, but I do take the issue seriously, and believe that many people stop rather far short of actually thinking the issue through, remaining content with half-measures instead.

Maybe so, newintown, but you quoted my post and gave the impression you were responding to me.

I think my posts make it obvious I take issues of representation just as seriously as you do, and that I HAVE thought about the matter at some length. (In fact, I've lost count of how many graduate seminars and colloquia I have attended regarding this issue, not that I'm complaining. I also worked on the 1977 tour and agreed even back then with Brynner's insistence that Asians be cast instead of Caucasians in "yellow face" (despite the fact that there is considerable doubt whether Brynner himself qualified, except in his own mythology).)

I've studied and taught Asian theater, so I am well aware that the Japanese are not Thais and vice versa.

But demanding perfect ethnic representation is not only impractical, it is ethically questionable.

Updated On: 6/30/14 at 08:40 PM

#73

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 9:35pm

So. I am thai. And I think Ken Watanabe is perfect for the part. And I will buy the ticket in a heartbeat. Also, the story's (still) taboo to thai people and no copies of The King and I nor Anna and the King can be found in Thailand. If I haven't moved to the US i would have not known about this particular show. I doubt there will be thai actors who would do the role or be included in the production since it's a risk of getting crowdshame from old-fashioned thai people (which i think is bullpoop, art is art, fiction is fiction) which brings me to another thing... People has to understand that this is loosely based on actual event, and I really mean LOOSELY. Because the only Based-on-truth stuff are the people. The situations (the tuptim subplot, the dance, the falling in love) are entirely fictional. So the term based on actual events would not work here. Just based on real people.

So i personally feel great about the casting, even though I have to say, the movie version failed miserably in capturing the beauty of Thai dance, art and culture (and I dont blame them because the research back then is impossible especially when the thai government is on your neck about the whole production)

I just hope that with this new production, the art, costume and especially the uncle "thai performance" within the show could be more thoroughly designed and choreographed more accurate to our art. Because these days reseraching is not as hard. So that's the only thing I hope for. More accurate Thai ART.

Updated On: 6/30/14 at 09:35 PM

#74

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 6/30/14 at 11:23pm

Jingjo2 - appreciate you joining the conversation. Really interesting point about the authenticity of the "traditional" Thai dance and art. I certainly hope (and expect) that research will be more thorough this time.

Now that we've got our two leads cast, I'm most interested in the casting for Lady Thiang. Casting good looking, young Asian leads with strong voices for Tuptim and Lun Tha won't be difficult at all. So, I hope they take great care in casting Lady Thiang with a very strong actress. As marvelous as the leads were in the South Pacific revival, it was Loretta Ables Sayre's Bloody Mary who stays with me most. She gave a marvelously compelling performance - her manipulative "Happy Talk" - a cheery innocuous song when heard out of context - gave me chills. And her "Bali Hai" was seductive and slightly menacing in a way I'd never seen or heard before.

#75

Ken Watanabe is The King of Siam in THE KING AND I

Posted: 7/1/14 at 12:08am

Jingjo2--glad you have joined the discussion! I wonder if you can comment more on the Robbins choreography for the "Small House of Uncle Thomas" ballet.

I happen to know that Jerry Robbins loosely modeled the storytelling movement in the ballet on the masked performers in the Khon dance dramas of the ancient Thai court.

I know that Robbins prided himself on his research but there was only so much he could know, living in America in 1949. He also had studied Cambodian and Balinese movement, and these might have been incorporated in a way that he wouldn't have realized is inauthentic to Thai movement. He also built much of the ballet around the talent of the Martha Graham dancer Yuriko, who was Japanese-American.

Do you feel that the ballet holds up in 2014? Or do you feel that it rings falsely? (Remembering of course that it it not just a Thai ballet--it also has to simultaneously tell the Harriet Beecher Stowe plot and entertain both the audience on stage and the contemporary audience in the theater.

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