Show Plot King & I

Authors: Oscar Hammerstein II, music by Richard Rodgers, based on Margaret Landon's novel Anna and the King of Siam and the memoirs of Anna Leonowens.

Time Period: Early 1860s (specifically starting in 1862)

Setting: The Royal Palace in Bangkok, Siam (modern-day Thailand)

Summary: The King & I follows the story of Anna Leonowens, a British schoolteacher and widow, who arrives in Bangkok with her young son, Louis, to tutor the many wives and children of King Mongkut. The proud King wants to modernize his country and shed western views of being a "barbarian," but both he and Anna fiercely hold onto their own traditions. Over time, Anna teaches the royal family, clashes with the King over social customs, and slowly earns his deep respect and unspoken love.