Interview: Peloton Cycling Instructor Sam Yo on His Experience Performing in THE KING AND I

When I last interviewed beloved Peloton cycling instructor Sam Yo in the summer of 2022, he told me that if he ever returned to musical theater, he’d love to fulfill his dream of becoming the first Thai actor to play the King in THE KING AND I. On Saturday, October 7, 2023, Sam was able to realize that dream. I chatted with Sam about his return to the stage, and how he balanced performing in the production with teaching at Peloton.

In our last interview, you mentioned that your dream was to be the first Thai actor to play the King in THE KING AND I, and obviously, on October 7, you made history. And that happened. So how does that feel? Tell me more about what the experience has been like.

To do the role, I had to kind of detach from the whole event. And what I did was just take it scene by scene. But now it's kind of like sinking in. And it was such a wonderful experience. I was so excited as well. Of course, you know, it's an extremely daunting task as well. But my dad [told me] he's so proud. My mom and my dad were so proud. And that made me really emotional. That's a huge compliment from [my dad], you know, he's Asian so the compliments aren't that much.

Just going back into acting - into musical theater - there was always that little voice in my head like, can I still do this? And can I perform at the same caliber as all these amazing other actors and singers in the company who've been doing it consistently?

But what I found going back into acting, and especially musical theater, was that I felt like a better performer now because of my role here at Peloton. I felt I had so much more awareness than I did previously when I kind of left the industry. 

When we teach at Peloton, when the lights go on, it's basically just us on the bike, or in the studio, and so everything is on us. There’s a huge responsibility there. And

I don't think I would have had the confidence to execute the role in the way I did if it wasn't for these last four years at Peloton. It's just made me so much more aware of what's going on on stage, you know, the little details of the character. 

And what is great as well, because if I do something wrong on the [Peloton] platform, I go wrong or I say something wrong, or something happens in the music, it's all on me. But when I'm on stage, I have all these amazing other cast members who help pick up the story and keep us going. And so for me, that was quite like a safety blanket to have in there as well. 

The first entrance of the King, he walks out across the stage. And he goes center stage. And he turns and he does a few steps forward. And he looks basically at the palace. So basically, the first thing I did was look at the whole audience. And, I think for me, if I'd done this maybe six years ago, I think I would have been really nervous. But when I looked at the audience, I just had a sense of comfort. It was really strange. And I did feel a little bit of nerves.  But what I did instinctively was, I closed my eyes. I took a breath., Aand I turned around, and then I continued with the scene.

And it's so funny because I did that instinctively, because I do that in my classes at the beginning. I take a breath at the beginning of my classes. It was like, “Okay, now we're beginning. We're starting something. And this is how we start. We start with breath.” And I did exactly the same thing when I was on stage. 

Can you tell me more about how this opportunity came your way? Because I know you performed in a different iteration of the same production on the West End, and now you’re revisiting Bartlett Sher’s production. So how did this opportunity come to you at this time? 

In interviews I’ve always said this is one of my dream roles. If I ever got back into acting musical theater, I want to do this. And whenever people come to the studio, they always ask me the same thing. I always give them the same answer. And I saw on TodayTix that THE KING AND I was coming back to London in January, for a six week run. And then I told my manager, and my manager always knew that that's something I wanted to do. And then she called me up, and she goes, “Oh, you know, I kind of pitched you to the company, and they knew they know who you are.” Some of them worked with me before, and they saw my profile from Peloton. They asked if I could do six months. And I said, I can’t do six months. It’s too long.  It was a tour as well. So it would take me away from my work at Peloton. I said I can probably do four weeks.

And then she went back to them. And they said if I could do four weeks, that would be great. They asked if I could meet the music supervisor Stephen Ridley and the general manager, who was rehearsing for something up in north London. And they said we’ll give you some scenes to prepare. They had me sing “The Puzzlement,” one of the King’s songs. And I had not learned a script or sung in like six years. So, you know, I said, “Okay, I'll do that.” And partly it was for them to see that I could still do it, and partly it was for me as well to see.

I went to my voice teacher, who I hadn't seen for ages. And I had my first voice lesson. He said, actually, your voice is not in dire straits, considering that you have not done this for so long. And part of the reason why is because, as you know, as Peloton instructors, we talk a lot. That’s kept that kind of strength in my vocal cords. And of course as a singer, as a vocalist, if you don't work your muscles, they get weaker. It's the same as physically working out.

So I went in, I sang, and I did a few scenes, and then I found out they were going to offer me something. And I said, “Well, whatever they offered me, the only condition I have is that I need to play the King.”

So I signed up, and I was in Edinburgh. Then I did [a tour stop in] Woking. And then last week, I was in Oxford, and I finished my last day playing the lead role of the King of  Siam, which I've been wanting to do for like 24 years.

And what is lovely about doing it is that I had a friend who was in the cast as well. Her name is Rachel Picar. And she and I did our first job together out of training 24 years ago in THE KING AND I. We’re both dancers, and then it kind of came full circle. She was in the cast. She was a swing, and she was also the children's captain. So I got to share this moment with her as well, someone who I did it with originally 24 years ago. And it's quite a kind of emotional roller coaster as well.

I know that THE KING AND I has created a lot of opportunity for Asian actors to perform, and likewise for Asian audiences to see themselves on stage. For you, is THE KING AND I ultimately more about visibility, representation, or both? Do you appreciate THE KING AND I mainly because it opens up visibility for Asian performers, or do you also think the musical reflects part of your experience back at you? 

THE KING AND I first came out in the 50s. Back then, there was very little representation of Asian culture and of Thai culture in general. And it is in a sense told by this perspective of the book [ANNA AND THE KING OF SIAM by Margot Landon, the novel on which the musical is based]. If you don't know Asian culture or Thai culture, you presume that everything in the film is correct. Over the course of the years, we've had some amazing Asian actors take the role of the King. When I first did the show, it was Jason Scott Lee, and Ken Wantanabe did it.

That injection of representation, that injection of Asian culture, has been kind of transferred into the story as the years have gone by these 72 years. And, you know, for me as a Thai actor, I feel extremely proud. And there was a Thai

musical theater outlet called THE SHOWHOPPER, who kind of picked up on the story, and that story of me doing [the role of the King] as the first Thai actor was shared nearly  5000 times. And now there's the whole thread of Thai people saying that's amazing. That's incredible. We're so proud. And they don't even know me. And you know, it's just from this story. So there is a sense of pride being represented in the show for the Thai community and in sort of the Asian community as well.

I think this show is one of the only shows where there is a visible Asian male lead throughout the course of the history of the show. I think there's this and there's MISS SAIGON, which has The Engineer. Those are the only two roles that kind of sprang to mind at the moment about having like a strong male lead who's Asian,

you know? 

This particular revival of THE KING AND I from director Barlett Sher is interesting; I saw the production when it premiered on Broadway back in 2015. In particular, it was a unique choice to restore the number “Western People Funny,” in which the residents in the court of Siam remark on the strange customs of Anna and the other British characters. What are your thoughts on Sher’s production choices, and has performing in this version of THE KING AND I changed how you see the musical overall? 

This production is special because it uses, I think, all or a lot of the original script. And of course over the years there were things that were taken out.

“Western People Funny” was something that was taken out, and it's a shame because this is a song about the perspective of the people of Siam on the Western community and what we feel that we have to do to fit in. There’s a bit of tongue-in-cheek there as well. And especially coming from myself as someone who’s first generation, there's aspects that I feel like I have to do to fit in. With the song,  it's nice because it's this perspective of how the Thai people, the Siam people feel about the English coming. A lot of it is told by Anna's perspective, but this is the other way around.

It was great that they put that that song back in and some of the script as well was fuller for the King. You can really see how he was really torn and the conflict he had as a man trying to do the right thing, as a leader trying to do the right thing, and as a father trying to do the right thing, and how all these things were just constantly on his mind. With this script that they used for the Lincoln Center Theater production, it just really fleshed out this conflict, which is really nice to play.

I'm grateful to be able to play this production as well because it's won tons of Tonys and Oliviers. It holds the world record of being the most seen show recorded from the West End and around the world as well [Interviewer’s note: A film of the West End transfer of Bartlett Sher’s THE KING AND I premiered on PBS Great Performances in 2019, with Sam Yo in the ensemble.] 

I've heard some rumors that you might have an opportunity to continue on with the show in the West End. Anything you can share about that?

They did originally ask me to do like six months and, like I said, because of my work with Peloton, the touring would take me away too much. 

I'm hoping that they would ask me to come in and maybe do some things during the six weeks in London [in 2024] because it'd be easier for me to do because our Peloton studio is literally 10 minutes from the Dominion Theatre. And, you know, the Dominion Theatre is such a famous theater as well. It would be amazing to play. It's one of the biggest theaters in London as well. And, for me as well, it's not just for me wanting to play it again. I know there's a lot of people who really wanted to see me in the show, who didn't get the opportunity, because it was touring, and it was kind of short notice. I’d like other people to come and see, and you know, see what I can do outside of being on the bike and really enjoy the performance and the production and just the spectacle of this amazing show. I had people flying in from New York, some were from America who came to see me in Edinburgh. There's people who flew in from Germany who came to see the show in Oxford. There was this lady who came with her daughter from New York up to Oxford, just to see the matinee that I did. 

Fingers crossed, I do get to do it in the West End when it's there, and, if they like what I do, and if there's a lot of people who want to see me in it, I hope that more people get the opportunity to come and see me wear amazing costumes, and speak this amazing dialogue, and be around these amazing singers. 

I was so overwhelmed. So many Peloton members took the time and energy to travel and to see me in the show. I feel so grateful for this community. And it's funny, because I had this skillset before I joined Peloton. But now being within Peloton, it's helped me highlight the skillset I have and the exposure, and a lot of it is through the connection of the community. And this community is so supportive.

When I came out of the stage door [in Oxford after making my debut as the King], it was like a little concert. It was just so lovely. I just felt so happy to have done a good performance on stage because I made so many people happy and joyous and positive and connected in the theater and outside.

How did you balance performing in the show while also still teaching live rides at Peloton? 

When the studio was getting a refresh, that's when I started my rehearsal. I was doing both, so I'd be rehearsing and then in my certain breaks, I'd be taking my Peloton meetings. In my lunch break, I’d be taking meetings...So it was a lot. It was a challenge. But I loved every moment of it. For me as a coach and as a performer, it's the first time I've been able to kind of tap into those two things at the same time. And like I said earlier, me being at Peloton has really helped me as a performer. And now this experience going back onto stage, I feel I've transferred some of that skillset back, and it's highlighted some of the skillset I had as a performer to deliver my classes now. So it was a challenge, but it was a challenge I was grateful to have had.

Now that you're back in the musical theater game, what are some other roles you might like to perform? 

So I would love to play the King in the West End. That's one. I mean, in regards to this role in the show, THE KING AND I always gets revived every some odd years, doesn't it? So I'm hoping now that I've  done it, if it's ever back on Broadway, I can always put my hat into the ring, and maybe do some Broadway.

In terms of other roles, as you might know, CHICAGO is one of my favorite shows. I’ve watched that show so many times. I think it just epitomizes what musical theater is because there's nothing on stage. It's just the actors, just the music, just the  musicians, and they create this amazing world.

So you know if anyone's looking for a Billy Flynn, I can do Billy Flynn. Or I think I'd be a great Amos, you know, “Mr. Cellophane.” That would be such a fun role to play.

My other half keeps telling me, “Oh, you should audition for HAMILTON.” But that would require probably some practice and stuff with my voice teacher to get the rapping right first.

How did you gear up for your return to the stage, and particularly, you touched on this a bit earlier in the conversation, how did you prepare for the singing? 

So prior to the start of rehearsals, I had two months where I was going to my voice teacher. And at the beginning what I found challenging was my breath. I was losing a lot of breath because I was trying to push too much. And as you sing, you know, you sing the phrases. I was doing too many breaths in the phrases. So that was one thing that I had to condition back. And of course, just getting my top ranges stronger again. So I did like two months of my own voice lessons. And I also hired a studio, which is near me. And I would just go through the script myself in a room. 

When we started rehearsals,I had to learn two roles: the Kralahome and the King. So I had to learn two roles, which are a lot of words, and a lot of blocking. And so in rehearsals, I would do my role as the Kralahome. And then if there was time, the director would ask if I wanted to jump in as the King because he knew I was going on in Oxford.. So I had little opportunities to rehearse the King.

So then, after we finished rehearsals, I didn't have any rehearsals for the King for three weeks until my dress rehearsal the day before I went on. But in those three weeks, what I continued to do was hire a rehearsal room myself, go through the songs, go through the whole show, the blocking of the whole show, in a room by myself, just getting it into my body.

When we did the dress rehearsal, the blocking and the words were in my body. So what I needed to learn in the dress rehearsal was the traffic backstage, because there's a performance onstage, but there's also performance backstage when you're off, where you go, where you pick up things, what costumes you wear, when do you have your quick changes. I had to learn all that as well.

After the dress rehearsal, I noted down the bits where I might have struggled or the bits where I could improve. And then the morning of the show, I was in my car, and I did my vocals in the car, I went through the whole songs a few times in my car, and I went through the whole show twice in my car, and then I went to the theater to do the show.

And of course I have to ask: When’s your next Broadway ride?

Hopefully, soon. If things work out, maybe we can do a KING AND I ride. I think it'd be quite nice as well, given my connection with the show. Hopefully we can do a KING AND I ride when I’m actually in the show. That would be a first, wouldn’t it? 

Learn more about how can you take rides with Sam Yo at onepeloton.com. Current members can find all of Sam’s classes at members.onepeloton.com. 

Follow Sam Yo on social media @yoiamsamyo on Instagram and Twitter.

Interview by Rachel Weinberg

Headshot courtesy of Peloton 

Production photo courtesy of Sam Yo

Interview responses have been edited for length and clarity.

To post a comment, you must register and login.