Ruthie Ann Miles, the Tony Award-winning actress from Hawaii, finally joined her castmates in “The King and I” earlier this month in London, where the Rodgers & Hammerstein evergreen is playing at the London Palladium.
You may recall that Miles was injured and hospitalized and lost her two children in the aftermath of a devastating accident March 5 in Brooklyn, N.Y. The tragedy killed her daughter, Abigail Blumenstein, 5, and the son of her friend. Both children also were hit by an errant vehicle. Miles, who was seven months pregnant, later lost her unborn child.
Miles is earning her hurrahs as Lady Thiang, head wife of the King of Siam, though she has an accessory: a cane.
“She is singing like an angel and commanding the stage with a heavenly force,” said co-star Kelli O’Hara, a Tony winner, in a tweet. Another Tony winner, Lea Salonga, tweeted: “Please give her a big hug from this side of the pond!”
Miles has been using the cane onstage for support, occasionally taking a seat to rest during the show. When she took her curtain call, gripping her cane, she was greeted by thunderous applause.
The cane, clearly, is not in the script; while Miles may need an assist to walk, she is full of resolve and determination. Hers is a nondancing role, unlike that of O’Hara (as Anna Leonowens) and Ken Watanabe (as the King), so there are no choreographic issues. Lady Thiang’s “Something Wonderful” solo takes on incredible new power in Miles’ delivery.
The role is shared with Naoko Mori at certain performances. Alas, when “King” first opened July 3, the show was widely reviewed but Miles was not yet in the cast so was erroneously credited for Mori’s performance. The confusion prevailed in part since West End patrons don’t receive a free Playbill as in New York and reviewers weren’t informed of Miles’ initial absence. The show’s brief run ends Sept. 29, if you’re London-bound. …
KEALA SETTLES ON NEW FILM
Hawaii’s Keala Settle, a Tony nominee, and Annaleigh Ashford, a Tony winner, are cast in a new film, “American Reject,” based on filmwriter Kathleen Monteleone’s experience on “Grease: You’re the One That I Want.” Monteleone also is in the film.
Settle, who earned a 2013 Tony nomination for best featured actress in a musical for “Hands on a Hardbody” (which also featured Monteleone) and a Theatre World Award trophy, became a household name when she co-starred as the Bearded Lady in the 2017 film “The Greatest Showman” with Hugh Jackman and performed the musical’s breakout Oscar-nominated song, “This Is Me.” She also appeared onstage in “Waitress,” “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” and “Les Miserables.”
Ashford, who was 2015’s best featured actress in a play for “You Can’t Take It With You,” has extensive Broadway credits, including “Kinky Boots,” which earned her a Tony nomination in 2013, and such hits as “Wicked,” “Legally Blonde” and “Sunday in the Park With George.”
Also, Angelica Hale, an “America’s Got Talent” runner-up, makes her movie debut in the film directed by Marlo Hunter and featuring songs by Derek Gregor and Selda Sahin. …
FROM BIG TO SMALL
With “Aquaman” wrapped up and awaiting its big-screen launch Dec. 21, the film’s star, Hawaii’s Jason Momoa, is set to return to the small screen playing Baba Voss, a warrior, leader and guardian, in Apple’s dramatic series, “See.” It’s an eight-episode series, directed by Francis Lawrence (“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” “Red Sparrow”) and written by Steven Knight (“Dirty Pretty Things.”) This will be Momoa’s first TV project since the reboot of “The Crow” and since playing Khal Drogo in “Game of Thrones.” Tells you the iPhone creator is willing to think big with bankable stars. No rest for the weary. …
And that’s “Show Biz.” …
Wayne Harada is a veteran entertainment columnist. Reach him at 266-0926 or wayneharada@gmail.com.
