BALTIMORE — A local actress will be on stage this week, at the theater where she grew up watching Broadway shows – the Hippodrome in Baltimore.
“The King and I" is one of Rogers and Hammerstein's best-known works, and the Broadway tour of the musical is in town. Actress and soprano Annie Sherman graduated from Bryn Mawr and studied at the Peabody. She's based in New York, but she’s back home this week, traveling with the Broadway tour of "The King and I."
“The story, not only between Anna and the king, two really headstrong people trying to understand each other, but also the story of a coming together of cultures and the struggle that the king is going through trying to resist the imperial powers, resist colonization and also maintain his culture and the heritage that he has,” Sherman said.
In her career, Sherman has performed on stages all over the country, but she says she has always had her eye on the Hippodrome:
“I'm going to get up there and I'm going to think 'Oh my God I'm on stage at the Hippodrome,’ she said. “And then I'm going to say ‘No stop, don't think about that.. I'm Anna Leonowens in 1862.. Get back to the show.’”
“The King and I" centers on the relationship between Leonowens, a British school teacher, and the king of Siam in 1862.
“I think audiences are going to be completely delighted to find that this show feels as relevant as ever today,” Sherman said. “It really speaks to things that people are experiencing right now.”
Sherman is the cover for the Anna character; she interacts with the many children who also in the cast, especially in what may be the best-known song from the musical, "Getting to Know You."
“I get to pretty much just play with the kids and sing and dance. It's pure joy,” she said.
As cover, Sherman could be the lead in any of the shows this week. “I think it's going to be surreal,” she said. “I grew up going to see these touring Broadway shows and just wishing and praying that I could be up there on the stage. So it's going to be like a bit of a pinch me moment.”
And producers have announced that she will be on stage as Anna, for the matinee performance this Saturday.
“There's barely any tickets left so grab them now, is what I'll say. Because my people are taking up a lot of the seats,” Sherman said.
For ticket information, click here
