<P> The King and I is the fifth musical by the team of composer Richard Rodgers and dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II . It is based on Margaret Landon 's novel , Anna and the King of Siam ( 1944 ) , which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens , governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s . The musical 's plot relates the experiences of Anna , a British schoolteacher hired as part of the King 's drive to modernize his country . The relationship between the King and Anna is marked by conflict through much of the piece , as well as by a love to which neither can admit . The musical premiered on March 29 , 1951 , at Broadway 's St. James Theatre . It ran for nearly three years , making it the fourth longest - running Broadway musical in history at the time , and has had many tours and revivals . </P>
<P> The King and I is the fifth musical by the team of composer Richard Rodgers and dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II . It is based on Margaret Landon 's novel , Anna and the King of Siam ( 1944 ) , which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens , governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s . The musical 's plot relates the experiences of Anna , a British schoolteacher hired as part of the King 's drive to modernize his country . The relationship between the King and Anna is marked by conflict through much of the piece , as well as by a love to which neither can admit . The musical premiered on March 29 , 1951 , at Broadway 's St. James Theatre . It ran for nearly three years , making it the fourth longest - running Broadway musical in history at the time , and has had many tours and revivals . </P>
name of the king in the king and i
name of the king in the king and i
King Mongkut
King Mongkut