'The King and I' Captured Live at The London Palladium Theatre

Tillotson Center Celebrating Upgrades With Free Shows from London, Moscow

Following a $10,000 upgrade to its theater and inking deals with a pair of new partners, the Tillotson Center will launch a unique entertainment initiative with free performances of “The King and I” from London’s Palladium Theater and the Bolshoi Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” from Moscow in December.

Equipped with a new high-definition projector, a brand-new movie screen, two hard drives, two receivers, and a switcher, the Tillotson Center signed deals with two global event distributors. They are Brooklyn’s BY Experience and London’s Trafalgar Releasing. Together they will bring to the Center such events as the “Bolshoi Ballet in Cinema” from Moscow, the “National Theatre Live” from London, and other events. “The King and I” is being shown in cooperation with Trafalgar Releasing.

To celebrate this new initiative, the Center will show Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “The King and I: From The London Palladium Theatre” on Saturday, December 1, at 2 p.m. In addition, the Center will host “The Tilly Hour,” a reception featuring cookies and eggnog and a cash bar starting at 1 p.m.

To usher in the New Year, the Center will also offer a free performance of the Bolshoi Ballet in Cinema’s “The Nutcracker” from Moscow. This is in cooperation with BY Experience. This free showing is slated for Sunday, December 30 at 2 p.m. There will also be a “Tilly Hour” reception at 1 p.m. featuring free hot and cold hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar. Both events are sponsored by the Tillotson North Country Foundation.

“We are very excited about this,” said Anne Sullivan, the Center’s executive director. “The size and depth of these productions are incredible, but the best part is that we are able to offer our community many spectacular programs that are simply not available in the North Country.” These are not live productions, Sullivan explained. “Considering the time difference between the North Country and either London or Moscow, live shows would be impractical. Instead, we will show high-definition recordings of the actual performance captured live on stage,” she added. “With our new screen and projector, it’s like being there.”

Set in 1860s Bangkok, the “The King and I” tells the story of the unconventional relationship between the King of Siam and Anna, a British school teacher whom the modernist King brings to Siam to teach his many wives and children.

Reprising her Tony Award-winning role, Kelli O’Hara (Anna) takes to the stage alongside Tony and Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe (The King). Also returning to her Tony Award winning role as Lady Thiang is Ruthie Ann Miles.

This musical features one of the finest scores ever written including: “Whistle a Happy Tune”, “Getting to Know You”, and “Shall We Dance.” It also features a company of over 50 performers.