All Hail! Jose Llana Talks New KING AND I Star Turn: 'It Feels Surreal'

THE KING AND I's new King discusses his star turn!

Lincoln Center Theater's acclaimed new revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein's cherished classic musical The King and I starring Kelli O'Hara welcomed a brand new King this week with Broadway regular and recent HERE LIVES LOVE star Jose Llana taking on the other title role and the actor discusses his participation in the production as part of a new interview.

Llana relates of playing the King in this 2015 mounting of the musical after having been a featured star of the last Broadway revival back in 1996, "It feels surreal. It's been a very sentimental experience. The 1996 production was my Broadway debut and started my career. I love the show so much and am so fortunate to have it be such a huge part of my professional life."

Shedding some light on re-teaming with several co-stars from his most recent mainstage appearance, in the Off-Broadway production of HERE LIES LOVE, which also starred Ruthie Ann Miles and Conrad Ricamora, Llana states, "It has been a wonderful reunion, especially with Ruthie. Conrad and I don't have much stage time together but it's like moving into a new house where some really good friends already live so they can show you around."

Furthermore, teasing an upcoming album based in large part on his well-received Lincoln Center American Songbook concert, Llana offers, "I'm recording most of the concert and adding a few more songs, including "A Puzzlement" from The King & I. The plan is to record during my run at LCT and then plan some more concert dates in the late fall and winter to promote the album."

Check out the original article on the matter here.

Of note, Llana stepped into the role of the King on July 14.

The official description of RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S THE KING AND I is as follows: "Tony Award® winner Kelli O'Hara (The Light in the Piazza, South Pacific) stars in a magnificent new Broadway production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's beloved The King and I.. Tony winner Bartlett Sher (South Pacific) directs this classic tale of a British schoolteacher's unexpected relationship with the imperious King of Siam. Featuring a cast of more than 50, choreography based on the original by Jerome Robbins, and a score of treasured songs including "Getting to Know You," "I Whistle a Happy Tune" and "Shall We Dance?" in their glorious, original orchestrations, Lincoln Center Theater's new staging of The King and I invites you to get to know this inspiring and enchanting musical classic."

More information on THE KING AND I is available at the official site here.

Jose Llana currently appears on Broadway as the King in THE KING AND I, having participated in numerous notable mainstage productions including RENT, WONDERLAND, FLOWER DRUM SONG and more in addition to HERE LIES LOVE, SATURN RETURNS, THE BALLAD OF LITTLE JO, FALLING FOR EVE and more Off-Broadway and beyond.

Photo Credits: Facebook