It’s been announced that American musical theatre stars Ethan Le Phong and Paulina Yeung  have been cast in the UK touring production of The King and I.  Reprising their USA and Canada National tour roles of the Young Lovers, Lun Tha and Tuptim, Le Phong and Yeung will now join West End star Annalene Beechey as Anna and Broadway star Jose Llana as The King, in the Rodgers & Hammerstein’s multi-award winning musical which is currently enjoying standing ovations every night up and down the country. 

Ethan Le Phong was part of theoriginal West End cast of Disney’s Aladdin and went on to be the understudy for the lead role of Aladdin on Broadway. An IARA award-nominated actor, Le Phong is no stranger to the UK as he’s played numerous roles on the West End including Thuy in Miss Saigon, Abner in South Pacific and was part of the original cast of We Will Rock You.

Paulina Yeung has worked with various theatre companies and festivals across the USA and Asia with recent theatre credits including Discover: New Musicals for National Asian Artists Project, Road to Heaven for China Broadway Entertainment, Lost in Shanghai for Pan Asian Repertory Theatre.  The multi award-winning Yeung has also played First Lady in The Magic Flute for Opera Hong Kong and as Pamina for New York Lyric Opera Theatre.

Acclaimed Tony Award-winning Bartlett Sher – fresh from his huge Broadway success of To Kill A Mockingbird – will once again direct this majestic production and be reunited with his celebrated creative team that brought The King and I to life in London last year.