Patricia Morison her former Broadway co-star Alfred Drake. The play ran on Broadway from December 30, 1948 until July 28, 1951, for a total of 1,077 performances. Morison also played in the London production of "Kiss Me, Kate," which ran for 400 performances. In February 1954, Morison took over the role of Anna Leonowens in the Rodgers and Hammerstein production of "The King and I," which co-starred Yul Brynner in his star-making role as the King of Siam. The musical premiered in 1951, originally with Gertrude Lawrence as Leonowens. Lawrence was subsequently replaced by Celeste Holm, Constance Carpenter, Annamary Dickey, and finally
Rodgers and Hammerstein Although there are exceptions to this generalization, it simplifies the audition process, and gives audiences an idea of what to expect vocally from a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. However, this formula had been used in Viennese operetta, such as "The Merry Widow". William A. Everett and Paul R. Laird wrote that "Oklahoma!", "like "Show Boat", became a milestone, so that later historians writing about important moments in twentieth-century theatre would begin to identify eras according to their relationship to "Oklahoma!"" In "The Complete Book of Light Opera", Mark Lubbock adds, "After "Oklahoma!", Rodgers and Hammerstein were the most important contributors