The Lion King Official RSS Feed Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:40:02 -0700 http://disney.go.com/theatre/thelionking//#/news/ en-us Playbill Radio presents a new monthly podcast taking you behind the scenes of Disney on Broadway!
In the premiere episode, venture backstage with host Robert Viagas for an all-access pass to Disney's landmark musical, THE LION KING. Discover firsthand how everyone, from the stars to the stage doorman, helps bring this memorable story vividly to life on Broadway every night!
To download the podcast on iTunes and subscribe to future episodes, click here.
If you do not have iTunes installed on your computer, click here before attempting to download the podcast.

]]> Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0700 http://disney.go.com/theatre/#/news/PlaybillPodcast PlaybillPodcast As the Associate Costume Designer, Mary has been an integral part of Director/Designer Julie Taymor's vision of Disney's THE LION KING since it began development over a decade ago. As someone with an art and textiles background who'd worked in regional theatre and on Broadway in such capacities as a dyer, a knitter, a weaver, a cutter, a stitcher and tailor, Mary found herself looking for the next big challenge. She wanted to work on a show that would put all of her skills to use. She got even more than she was looking for; more than a job, she found her passion.
"From the very beginning the creative development of the show was fascinating," Mary remembers, "I'd get swept along with an idea and forget that I was sitting at a folding table in a chilly loft on 27th Street and believe for a moment that I was on a vast dusty savannah, or standing at the foot of a tremendous waterfall." Far from being daunted by the enormous task of working on over 300 costumes -- none of which can be purchased as is and all of which must be individually hand-dyed, beaded or painted -- Mary found that THE LION KING was changing her life. "Something happened in those months at the 27th Street loft. After a year of development, design work, and rehearsals, on opening night I felt more like I owned a part of that show than I'd ever felt before."
Since then Mary has traveled with THE LION KING all over the world, across Asia to Australia and Africa, and all over North America and Europe. The show still has a profound effect on her. "Cliché as it sounds, this has certainly changed my life, and continues to be a life changing experience for people." And watching it all come together again, she's still touched by how moving the show is. "I believe that our work ethic, passion, and obvious drive to give everyone their best theatrical experience is infectious and inspirational. It remains one of the most fulfilling and emotionally accessible shows in modern musical theatre."
After more than a decade, traveling over five continents, someone may ask why Mary continues to work on the show. She doesn't hesitate for a second, "Just sit behind a six-year old at their first show, a jaded thirteen-year old, or a seventy-five-year old grandparent and watch them as the show unfolds. You'll know the answer."






]]> Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:00:00 -0700 http://disney.go.com/theatre/#/news/MaryPeterson MaryPeterson "THE LION KING has touched lives all over the world, and we are thrilled to celebrate this milestone" said Thomas Schumacher, Producer, Disney Theatrical Group. "When my former producing partner, Peter Schneider and I first talked about bringing THE LION KING to the stage, we knew Julie Taymor was the only person for the job. Not only did Julie make THE LION KING a Broadway and theatrical phenomenon, she went on to make Broadway history herself as the first woman to ever win a Tony® Award for directing a musical. Ten spectacular years later, THE LION KING continues to be a show we are so immensely proud of. Not only does it open the hearts and minds of everyone who sees it, it has had an enormous impact on the communities it reaches. Peter and I thank all the many, many people who have been associated with THE LION KING over the last decade and we look forward to many more years on Broadway and cities across the globe".
THE LION KING has welcomed
45 million audience members worldwide
THE LION KING has grossed
Over $3 Billion worldwide
THE LION KING has played in
11 different countries
United States, Japan, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Australia,
Holland, China, South Korea, South Africa, France
THE LION KING has visited
63 cities around the world and counting
DOMESTIC – New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Houston, Fort Worth, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Chicago, Charlotte, Cleveland, Saint Louis, Louisville, Memphis, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Indianapolis, Detroit, Columbus, Boston, Seattle, Tempe, Buffalo, Costa Mesa, Minneapolis, Sacramento, Baltimore, Portland, Birmingham, Providence, Spokane, Norfolk, San Diego, East Lansing, San Jose, Des Moines, Rochester, San Antonio, Hartford, Tulsa, Philadelphia, Houston, Tucson, Raleigh, Nashville, Orlando, Omaha, Fort Myers, Austin, Jacksonville, Appleton, Honolulu
INTERNATIONAL – Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Nagoya, London, Toronto, Hamburg, Sydney, Melbourne, Scheveningen, Shanghai, Seoul, Johannesburg, Paris
THE LION KING has been translated into
5 different languages
Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch
THE LION KING has won
Over 70 major awards worldwide including
SIX 1998 Tony® Awards, including Best Musical
EIGHT Drama Desk Awards
SIX Outer Critics Circle Awards
The New York Drama Critics Award for Best Musical
The Evening Standard Award for the Theatrical Event of the Year
TWO Olivier Awards
The Theatre World Award
The Astaire Award for Outstanding Choreography
TWO Drama League Awards
GRAMMY® Award for Best Musical Show Album of 1998.
THE LION KING has become
The 9th longest-running musical on Broadway
The Broadway production of THE LION KING played its 4,098th performance on Tuesday, August 21, 2007, surpassing the record held by Miss Saigon to become the 9th longest-running musical in Broadway history.
MILESTONES
BROADWAY November 13, 1997 – THE LION KING opened on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre. Over seven million theatergoers have seen the Broadway production to date.
BROADWAY June 1, 1998 – THE LION KING receives six 1998 Tony® Awards including Best Musical. Director Julie Taymor became the first woman in Broadway history to win the Tony® Award for Best Director of a Musical.
TOKYO December 20, 1998 – THE LION KING opens its first international production in Tokyo at the Shiki Haru Theatre (Theatre de Printemps). It is currently the longest-running show in Tokyo history, seen by over 3 million people.
LONDON October 19, 1999 – THE LION KING opens in London at the Lyceum Theatre. There have been 3,400 performances over the last seven years to date. It has been seen by over 6.5 million people.
BROADWAY February 24, 1999 – THE LION KING receives the 1998 GRAMMY® Award for Best Musical Show Album. The album would go on to reach Platinum status (over 1 million albums sold).
LOS ANGELES October 19, 2000 – THE LION KING opens in Los Angeles at the Pantages Theatre. Initially scheduled for a nine month run, it was extended three times and played for 27 months, drawing more than 2 million people. THE LION KING remains the longest running production ever to play at the Pantages Theatre. In 2006, THE LION KING returned to the Pantages for another successful engagement.
US TOURS April 27, 2002 – THE LION KING kicks off its first national tour in Denver.
US TOURS May 3, 2003 – THE LION KING kicks off its second national tour in Chicago. Each domestic touring company of THE LION KING continues to sell out 7-10 markets a year and has been seen by more than 8 million people to date.
BROADWAY June 13, 2006 – THE LION KING moves the Broadway production from the New Amsterdam Theatre to the Minskoff Theatre in the heart of Times Square. The entire move took only 9 days.
CHINA July 18, 2006 – THE LION KING opens an English-language production in Shanghai. The limited engagement marked an historic event for THE LION KING, having played 101 performances at Shanghai's Grand Theatre. It became the longest-running Broadway show to be presented in Shanghai.
JOHANNESBURG June 6, 2007 – THE LION KING celebrates 10 triumphant years on Broadway with a special anniversary production in Johannesburg, South Africa, the cultural inspiration for the show. The South African production of THE LION KING is made up entirely of South African performers. Around the world, THE LION KING has featured nearly 100 South African actors in its productions.
PARIS October 4, 2007 – THE LION KING opens in France with 'Le Roi Lion,' its first French-language production at Le Mogador Theatre in Paris.
BROADWAY November 13, 2007 – THE LION KING celebrates 10 years on Broadway!
The score features Elton John and Tim Rice's music from the animated film along with three new songs by John and Rice, additional musical material by South African Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor and Hans Zimmer and music from an album inspired by the animated film, "Rhythm of the Pride Lands," written by Lebo M, Mark Mancina and Hans Zimmer. The resulting sound of THE LION KING score is a fusion of Western popular music and the distinctive sounds and rhythms of Africa, embracing the Academy award-winning "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" and the haunting "Shadowlands."
Julie Taymor, along with Michael Curry, has created hundreds of masks and puppets for THE LION KING. Scenic design is by Richard Hudson; Lighting design is by Donald Holder; Costume design is by Julie Taymor. Choreography is by Garth Fagan. The book has been adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed the animated feature and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the screenplay of THE LION KING.
Other members of the creative team include: Steve Canyon Kennedy, sound design; Michael Ward, hair and makeup design; Jay Binder, casting; Joseph Church, music director; Robert Elhai, David Metzger and Bruce Fowler, orchestrators.
The pre-Broadway engagement of THE LION KING had its world premiere on July 13, 1997 in Minneapolis at the historic Orpheum Theatre. The pre-Broadway engagement ran for eight weeks, closing on August 31, 1997.

]]> Tue, 06 Nov 2007 12:00:00 -0700 http://disney.go.com/theatre/#/news/071106TLKtoCelebrate10Years 071106TLKtoCelebrate10Years Now, in celebration of our ten-year milestone, one New York City landmark will honor another! The weekend of Nov. 9, the Empire State Building will be illuminated in honor of THE LION KING. This marks the first time that the famous tower has saluted a Broadway show. Over the next 12 months, many other exciting events will take place in New York City to celebrate THE LION KING's second triumphant decade on Broadway.
Meanwhile, the show continues to make its mark around the world. This year, THE LION KING opened new productions in Johannesburg, South Africa and Paris, marking the first time the musical has been performed in French. Le Monde called 'LE ROI LION' a "magnificent visual showcase." Fox News said the French production is "an ebullient and authentic rendering of African music and dance that transcends the original movie and becomes a joyous, moving experience."
Don't miss your opportunity to rediscover the magic, the music, and the majestic parade of animals as they make their way through the aisles and right across the stage of the Minskoff Theatre in New York City. Join us in celebrating THE LION KING -- still visually stunning, powerfully human, and emotionally unforgettable. Long live the KING!

]]> Fri, 26 Oct 2007 12:00:00 -0700 http://disney.go.com/theatre/#/news/071026EmpireState 071026EmpireState THE LION KING, which celebrates its 10th triumphant year on Broadway in November, opened to rave reviews last week at the Theatre Mogador in Paris, France. Below is a sample of some of the reviews:
"THE LION KING is a magnificent visual showcase. The cast is fabulous with roles brilliantly held by the French actors, whose versatility is breathtaking. The beauty, the inventiveness and the poetic charm imagined by Julie Taymor is both very moving and an invigorating godsend." -- Le Monde
"Taymor has invented a spectacular and poetic universe." -- Le Figaro
"The show is amazing with spellbinding songs and dazzling performers. Scenes follow each other in a profusion of color and visual strokes of genius. One is filled with wonder by this magnificent fable that is undeniably poetic and inspired." -- Aujourd'hui en France
"THE LION KING is an ebullient and true rendering of African music and dance that transcends the original movie and becomes a joyous, moving experience all over again." -- Fox News
"Director Julie Taymor reigns over a very human fauna that leaves the audience enthralled." -- Agence France Presse
Staying true to French culture, the entire production team of THE LION KING is made up of French speakers, including the cast, crew and actors. Stage Entertainment recently conducted a renovation of Theatre Mogador, which included a complete overhaul of the interior of the theatre.
The relationship between co-producers Disney Theatrical Productions and Stage Entertainment began with their first international production of Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida in 2001. Since then, the companies have together mounted six Disney musical productions that have played to an audience of over 10 million people in Germany and Holland alone. Disney/Stage Entertainment shows have grossed over $400 million in ticket sales. In addition to THE LION KING in France, Stage Entertainment currently has another production of the show celebrating its fifth year in Germany. Four other Disney productions are now being presented by Stage Entertainment, including TARZAN® in Holland, Beauty and the Beast on tour in Germany and Holland and Aida on tour in Germany.

]]> Mon, 15 Oct 2007 12:00:00 -0700 http://disney.go.com/theatre/#/news/071015RaveReviewsParisFrance 071015RaveReviewsParisFrance Paris, France. THE LION KING, which celebrates its 10th triumphant year on Broadway in November, began performances on October 4 at Théâtre Mogador in Paris, France. Producers Disney Theatrical Productions and Stage Entertainment celebrate the opening of 'Le Roi Lion,' their first French-language production during their six-year co-partnership.
"We are thrilled to bring the successful Broadway version of THE LION KING to French audiences in their own language," said Thomas Schumacher, President, Disney Theatrical Productions. "Julie Taymor, along with the entire creative team, have been highly successful in remounting the musical all over the world and we look forward to similar success in Paris."
Staying true to French culture, the entire production team of 'Le Roi Lion' is made up of French natives, including the cast, crew and actors. Stage Entertainment recently conducted a complete renovation of Théâtre Mogador, which included a complete overhaul of the interior of the theatre.
The relationship between Disney Theatrical Productions and Stage Entertainment began with their first international production of Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida in 2001. Since then, the companies have together mounted six Disney musical productions that have played to an audience of over 10 million people in Germany and Holland alone. Disney/Stage Entertainment shows have grossed over $400 million in ticket sales. In addition to THE LION KING in France, Stage Entertainment currently has another production of the show celebrating its fifth year in Germany. Four other Disney productions are now being presented by Stage Entertainment, including TARZAN® in Holland, Beauty and the Beast on tour in Germany and Holland and Aida on tour in Germany.
DISNEY THEATRICAL GROUP (DTG) operates under the direction of Thomas Schumacher and is among the world's most successful commercial theatre enterprises. DTG produces or licenses live entertainment events that reach a global annual audience of more than 20 million people in more than 40 countries. DTG produces and licenses Broadway musicals around the world, including Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Elton John & Tim Rice's Aida, TARZAN®, Mary Poppins, a co-production by Disney and Cameron Mackintosh, and The Little Mermaid, with a score by eight-time Academy Award® winner Alan Menken and the legendary Howard Ashman, with new lyrics by Glenn Slater. DTG also delivers live entertainment around the world through its license to Feld Entertainment, producer of Disney on Ice and Disney Live!, including High School Musical: The Ice Tour and Playhouse Disney Live! both of which launch this fall. In addition, DTG licenses musical titles for local school and community theatre productions through Music Theatre International.

]]> Thu, 04 Oct 2007 12:00:00 -0700 http://disney.go.com/theatre/#/news/071004TLKOpensInParis 071004TLKOpensInParis Produced by Thomas Schumacher, President, Disney Theatrical Productions, along with South African co-producers Lebo M, international recording artist and co-composer of THE LION KING, and Pieter Toerien, veteran theatre producer, THE LION KING is directed by Tony Award® winning director, Julie Taymor.
Here is a sampling of what critics are saying about the show:
"THE LION KING is a grand spectacle for any culture." -J Brooks Specter, Sunday Independent
"THE LION KING is an explosive feel good experience." -Caroline Smart, The Witness
"Simply marvelous... this musical is all it's cracked up to be." -Scott Burnett, The Sunday Times
"The benchmark has been thoroughly raised... Broadway's call to the wild on the Highveld is irresistible." -Adrienne Sichel, The Star
"THE LION KING is a beautiful musical that is supported by sophisticated puppetry, interesting costumes, spirited singing and dancing and complex lighting designs... the local production of the show is simply awesome." -Edward Tsumele, Sowetan
"THE LION KING is sheer spectacle. Think sunrise, storming wildebeest, animal fights, water that drains away, flying birds throughout the theatre, things that fall from the sky and return again, dramatic scene changes as fabric simply drops down in a splash of African colour and more... It's a family show which should keep everyone entertained" -Diane DeBeer, The Star
The South African premiere celebrates and kicks off the 10th Anniversary of the opening of THE LION KING on Broadway, which will be celebrated Sunday, November 11.
The production is supported by principal sponsor Telkom (SA Ltd) and media sponsor South African Broadcasting Corporation.
The cast of the new production is entirely made up of South African performers, many of whom have been in other productions of THE LION KING around the world and are now coming home to perform in their native country. The remarkable 1850-seat Teatro Montecasino was designed specially with THE LION KING in mind and now South Africa has a new, state-of-the-art venue that will welcome Broadway and London shows for decades to come.

]]> Wed, 27 Jun 2007 12:00:00 -0700 http://disney.go.com/theatre/#/news/070627TLKSARaveReviews 070627TLKSARaveReviews The Star - It's Simply Spectacular The Lion King is sheer spectacle. Think sunrise, storming wildebeest, animal fights, water that drains away, birds flying throughout the theatre, objects that fall from the sky and return again, dramatic scene changes as fabric simply drops in a splash of African colour and more.
All of this has as much to do with the show's concept and design as the theatre accommodating all this visual splendour. The flybars are too many to count as things move about all over the show while, in a crafty balancing act, there's as much that appears as disappears out of the stage floor.
Julie Taymor has given Disney a Lion King that stays true to the movie, but she has infused it with every bit of theatre magic she could conjure up. With puppets as the central concept, the animals were born allowing actors to play their part and yet become anything from a lion to a meerkat in both appearance and movement. It's brilliant and the visual animation on stage is truly the essence of the show…
To read the entire review, please visit
http://www.thestar.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3872013

]]> Thu, 14 Jun 2007 12:00:00 -0700 http://disney.go.com/theatre/#/news/070614TLKSAReviewedByTheStar 070614TLKSAReviewedByTheStar The musical is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and the South African run has been called a homecoming for the show whose score, choreography and story all have roots in the country.
Audiences "expect this production to be the best 'Lion King' ever because it's in South Africa now," said Simon Gwala who plays Banzai, one of a trio of villainous hyenas in the story of Simba, a lion cub, that is adapted from the Disney animated film. Gwala is part of a cast and crew that is almost entirely South African.
Since it opened on Broadway a decade ago under the direction of Julie Taymor, the show has won 70 major awards worldwide.
Lebo M, the Grammy-winning composer and arranger who added the South African sound to the original Broadway production, co-produced the South African run. Lebo M hopes the production will create new opportunities for South Africans in theater here and around the world.
"Anybody that works the 'Lion King', because of its technical complexity, it's almost like you now have this university certificate where you can work anywhere else in the world with any other show," he said in an interview.
The show brings a new level of sophistication to local theater as it debuts at the Montecasino Teatro, a US$14.5 million state-of-the-art 1,900-seat facility that is the first of its kind on the continent.
With a 53-member cast and six 40-foot trucks worth of staging and scenery, "The Lion King" is one of the biggest touring productions currently being performed in the world, said head technician Mark Henstridge.
Lebo M brought "The Lion King" to South Africa with South African impresario Pieter Toerien. who has long been pushing the envelope of theater here.Michael Bagg, who plays Ed, another of the hyenas, credits Toerien with bringing new standards to local theaters, starting with a production of "Les Miserables" in 1995. Toerien subsequently produced a string of Broadway hits in South Africa including "Cats", "Phantom of the Opera", and "Jesus Christ. Superstar". ]]> Sun, 10 Jun 2007 12:00:00 -0700 http://disney.go.com/theatre/#/news/OpeningSouthAfrica OpeningSouthAfrica This first production with an all-South African cast, some new costumes, choreography and songs promises to make as big an impression on the continent's performing arts scene as the theatrical adaptation of Disney's animated film did when it opened on Broadway 10 years ago.
"To be in South Africa for this production has been the realization of a dream 10 years in the making," director Julie Taymor said. "As 'The Lion King' expanded beyond Broadway, I knew it had to keep its roots firmly in South Africa and ... I am proud to say that now, we have brought the show home."
The new African home for "The Lion King" is the specially built Teatro at Montecasino, which has a capacity of about 1,800 ("There wasn't anything large enough in Africa," Taymor said) at a hotel, casino and shopping complex in Johannesburg. It cost nearly $14.5 million. The show officially opens June 6 (preview performances begin May 22) with tickets costing 175 to 375 rand, about half the Broadway and London prices of around $50 to $120.
It's a professional homecoming for Lebo M., the South African GRAMMY®-winning composer and arranger who will celebrate his debut as a commercial producer with the new production. In partnership with South African theater impresario Pieter Toerien, more than $10 million has been invested, Lebo said.
He said his partnership with Toerien, who is white, was symbolic of the new South Africa, even as "The Lion King" story reminds him of the old, racially segregated, white-ruled country that forced tens of thousands, including himself, into exile, and where thousands died before Nelson Mandela and his African National Congress were democratically elected in 1994.
Taymor and Lebo spoke during rehearsals at the Pretoria State Theater, where, for the first time in years, they were rehearsing together.
The director said she was nearly moved to tears, while Lebo said he was "crying inside" when he spoke to children in the cast about the meaning of the musical.
"In a split second it hit me, these children could not even have been in the theater (under racially segregated South Africa) because they're black, and yet here we are in a very powerful historical second, bringing the 'King' back home and delivering it to a center of what was meant to be an exclusively white bastion."
Indeed, the theater reflects that history of white culture, its walls lined with portraits of classical performers, all of them white.
Now, its high ceilings, which once echoed with opera duets, resonate with peremptory drumbeats and the four-part a capela harmonies traditional to South Africa's Zulu tribe. The sprung parquet floor and wooden barre used to practice ballet reverberate to stomps of the gumboot dancing developed by mineworkers and the shoo-shoo whisper of "tip toe" dancing adopted by black migrant workers wanting to keep their activities from white managers.
"Aiyeeeee!"
"In the middle of the hallway, I heard the scream and people just started dancing automatically," Taymor said. That kind of energy led to two hours of improvisation and a new dance. "I was working with the singers, but 'Oh my goodness! That's a singer, but look at how this singer can move! How can we use that?' And we found another dance."
Taymor said the experience was "a seminal event" in her life.
For Lebo, his music also was influenced by the gospel rhythms and harmonies he learned in African-American churches while he was in exile. He now lives with his wife and son between Los Angeles and South Africa.
For the child actors, Lebo drew a parallel between the homecoming of Simba, the exiled lion prince, and Mandela being freed from 27 years in jail and taking over the country. He said he wanted the children to understand how Mandela was "inspired by the struggle of humanity and the people of South Africa."
There were too many parallels for one young actress, who burst into tears during the scene where Nala the lioness finds Simba in exile and tells him famine and drought are raging at home, that his wicked Uncle Scar has devastated the Pride Lands and that he must return to save the country.
"This is what's happening in my country right now," she cried to Taymor. "The violence, the crime, the fact that women and children are getting abused and raped and nobody is doing anything about it."
South Africa's 47.5 million people have been freed from white minority rule but the vast majority remain impoverished to a degree that helps escalate crime rates that are already among the highest in the world -- especially for rape.
The young actress' anger reflects the disillusionment of many in a country with a booming economy that unequally benefits a white minority and a handful of blacks.
But "The Lion King," with songs by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice, is all about magic -- mind-blowing puppets, amazing costumes and fantastic masks.
At an early rehearsal when some of the masks were brought out, a bit of that magic began to emerge with the maniacal hyena laugh of a young black boy, the gallumping entrance of a hefty white man playing the warthog and the balletic leaps of an actor attached to puppets that become a herd of gazelles.
Lebo, looking to the past and ahead to the future, sees himself in a skinny kid in a group playing young lions: "A week ago, he probably didn't know where his next meal was coming from."
"The Lion King" has won more than 70 major awards worldwide, including the best musical Tony® Award in 1998 and five other Tonys, and has been seen by more than 34 million people. Besides Johannesburg, it is also being performed in New York, London, Hamburg, Tokyo, Shanghai, Seoul, and will soon open in Paris. By MICHELLE FAUL ]]> Thu, 10 May 2007 12:00:00 -0700 http://disney.go.com/theatre/#/news/070510APHometoSA 070510APHometoSA