"The King & I" Were The Only Asian Actors in the Show!

Some goals seem impossible and unattainable. I'm not talking about the ones that involve receiving an Academy Award or winning the million dollar lotto. I'm thinking about dreams that only those who believe in fairy tales hope for.

So, because I possess a singing voice that belongs in the chorus rather than with the soloists, there are certain hopes and wishes that I never thought would ever happen for me. Playing Bloody Mary in "South Pacific," Jack's Mother in "Into the Woods" or just about anyone in "Flower Drum Song" come to mind.

But every now and then, an impossible dream does come true. No, I didn't get cast in "Man of La Mancha" (it wasn't that impossible dream). It was even better than that. I got to play Lady Thiang in "The King & I." Yes, that wonderful role where I, the mediocre singer, had the privilege of singing "Something Wonderful," the most beautiful solo from one of my all-time favorite shows.

As a small child growing up in a world (back in the 1960's) when seeing an Asian face on the silver screen (or the television screen) almost never happened, watching the movie "The King & I" was a rare delight. It fueled my impossible dream that one day, even I could be on stage in a musical just like this. Never mind that I didn't have a singing voice anyone would pay to listen to. Forget the fact that I never even had an opportunity as a young girl to be in a play, take acting lessons or even be in a school skit. None of that mattered. This was my fantasy, and I would not be moved from it!

Then, suddenly, my "every now and then" moment arrived. No, it wasn't even that. This was my "once in a lifetime" moment: I got to live out my fondest fantasy, my impossible dream, my this-will-never-happen-to-me wish. I got to play a principal role and sing a solo in Rodgers & Hammerstein's "The King & I."

The production was full of good-hearted folks who got together every year to put on a show. No one was a professional, or even had aspirations along that road. Being in a show was just a fun, energetic way for them to spend their summer.

For me, being Lady Thiang was more than just having fun. I spent each rehearsal and every performance marveling at my good fortune. I felt unworthy to play the part. I floated on air, and my feet didn't touch the stage until the moment after we closed the show.

And how did my solos turn out? Thanks to a good sound amplification system (this was summer outdoor theater, you know), it all turned out quite well. I felt like I was born to play the part. Maybe I was right. After all, I had spent most of my life dreaming of it.

To quote from one of my other favorite Rodgers & Hammerstein show, "South Pacific," Bloody Mary tells her daughter, "You've got to have a dream. If you don't have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?"

I may never get the chance to actually play Bloody Mary, but I was certainly able to live out her inspiring words. No, I may not be Bloody Mary, Jack's Mother, or anyone from "Flower Drum Song," but for one marvelous summer, I got to be the Queen of Siam. Now, that was something wonderful.