Some stories endure not because they change with time, but because their truths remain deeply human.
This principle anchors Colegio de la Inmaculada’s (CIC) staging of The King and I, directed by veteran theater director Benjie Diola, whose five decades in theater inform an approach grounded in restraint and historical awareness.
For Diola, directing the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic was never about radical reinvention. Based on Margaret Landon’s 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam and set in 19th-century Siam, the musical carries a structure that demands fidelity.
“There’s a ceiling to what we can do,” Diola said. “It’s a classic for a reason.”
Rather than forcing novelty, he focused on areas open to reinterpretation: costumes and set design, lighting, choreography and character work that allow the story to remain accessible to contemporary audiences.
Staging a culturally and historically grounded musical in a school setting also carries responsibility. Diola emphasized that culture should be treated not as ornamentation but as history. His approach applies equally to professional actors and student performers, guided by the belief that accuracy and respect come first.
Diola encouraged the cast to avoid imitating earlier productions or the well-known 1956 film adaptation, urging them instead to find their own vocal and emotional interpretations. Choreography was developed specifically for this staging, a discipline Diola has maintained throughout his career in theater.
For the student performers, cultural understanding was framed through shared values rather than distant history. Diola noted parallels between Thai and Filipino traditions, such as gestures of respect toward elders and authority figures.
“Things are done differently in various parts of the world,” he said, “but the values aren’t worlds apart.”
These connections, he believes, helped the cast approach their roles with empathy and awareness.
Diola also pointed to the musical’s enduring themes — leadership, tradition versus progress, women’s empowerment, education and human rights — as reasons the work continues to be revisited across different contexts and generations.
The production forms part of the school’s performing arts program, with proceeds allocated to community engagement and recovery initiatives supported by CIC and partner institutions.
“It is a carefully crafted musical experience,” Diola said, “one that reflects how stories from different cultures can still speak to shared human values.”