Bradley Gibson is set to play Simba in The Lion King on Broadway

Mr. Gibson joins the Broadway cast of Disney's The Lion King from July 2, 2018.

He just can't wait to be King! Broadway alum Bradley Gibson is set to take over the role of Simba in Disney's long-running musical The Lion King, beginning performances on July 2, 2018. Current star Jelani Remy will exit the production to join the cast of the off-Broadway revival of Smokey Joe's Cafe, which begins previews at Stage 42 on July 6.

Mr. Gibson is perhaps best known for his role as Tyrone in the Broadway premiere of the musical A Bronx Tale and has also appeared in Rocky on Broadway and in the National Tour of Chicago.

The principal cast of The Lion King currently includes Jelani Remy (as Simba), L. Steven Taylor (as Mufasa), Stephen Carlile (as Scar), Adrienne Walker (as Nala), Tshidi Manye (as Rafiki), Ben Jeffrey (as Pumbaa), Fred Berman (as Timon), Bonita J. Hamilton (as Shenzi), Kenneth Aikens and Joshua Dubose (alternating as Young Simba), and Mikee Castillo and Demi Singleton (alternating as Young Nala).

Directed by two-time Tony Award winner Julie Taymor, Disney's The Lion King officially opened on November 13, 1997 at Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre, following previews from October October 15, and transferred to its current home at the Minskoff Theatre on June 13, 2006.

In November 2017, The Lion King celebrated 20 years on Broadway with a gala celebration - Read our special 20th Anniversary report.

The musical features a book by Roger Allers, who co-directed the 1994 animated classic, and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the film's screenplay. The score features music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice, with additional material by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor and Hans Zimmer. 

Synopsis: "The Lion King follows the epic adventures of a young lion cub named Simba as he struggles to accept the responsibilities of adulthood and his destined role as King of the Pridelands."

The creative team features choreography by Garth Fagan, music supervision by Clement Ishmael, scenic design by Richard Hudson, costume design by Julie Taymor, mask & puppet design by Ms. Taymor and Michael Curry, lighting design by Donald Holder, and sound design by Steve Canyon Kennedy.

Disney's The Lion King is the highest-grossing title in box office history - exceeding all other Broadway shows, as well as films and other titles in the entertainment genre. It has been performed in eight different languages (Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch, Spanish, Mandarin and Portuguese) in over 100 cities in 20 countries around the world to date.

At the 1998 Tony Awards, the Broadway production was rewarded with a total of six Tonys, including "Best Direction of a Musical" and "Best Costume Design" for Julie Taymor and "Best Musical". The Original Broadway Cast Recording also went on to win the 1999 Grammy Award for "Best Musical Show Album".

The Lion King is produced on Broadway by Disney Theatrical.

Disney's The Lion King Tickets are available now for performances through to December 30, 2018.

^{(Photo courtesy of Disney Theatrical)}