
This review was written by The Lion King alum Kyle Wrentz in celebration of the show's 20th anniversary on Broadway.
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Join the circle of life and experience the majesty of The Lion King on Broadway, whose unique stagecraft brings the Disney film to life unlike anything else on stage. Get The Lion King tickets now and see the third-longest-running show in Broadway history.
The Lion King on Broadway roared onto the scene in 1997, just three years after the release of the animated classic. The plot of the film remains the same on stage: Simba, a young lion cub, must defeat his evil uncle Scar and take his rightful place as King of the Pride Lands.
The Lion King opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre, the home base of Disney on Broadway, in November 1997, transferring to the Minskoff in 2006.
The successful reimagining of The Lion King on stage is largely thanks to the creative genius of director and costume designer Julie Taymor. In 1998, she won two Tony Awards in those respective categories, and the production itself picked up a total of six Tonys, including Best Musical. Her costumes incorporate various theatrical traditions of puppetry, with headdresses that portray the animal character each actor represents while never hiding the actor's face. They are highly detailed, merging textiles and fabrics with elements of African traditions and customs. As much as the timeless story, the stagecraft is one of the main reasons The Lion King on Broadway is iconic on its own.
Elton John and Tim Rice wrote the music for The Lion King musical and movie. All the beloved songs from the animated classic remain in the musical, including "Circle of Life," "I Just Can't Wait to Be King," "Be Prepared," "Hakuna Matata," and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" Lebo M, Hans Zimmer, Mark Mancina, and Jay Rifkin also wrote additional songs for the musical, such as "They Live in You," "Shadowland," and "Endless Night."
The Lion King runs 2 hours and 30 minutes, including an intermission.
The Lion King is the perfect introduction for kids to the wonders of live theatre, and its themes and stylistic maturity are timelessly appropriate for theatregoers of all ages. So feel the love tonight and see why The Lion King in New York remains the pride of Broadway.
(Photos by Joan Marcus)
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2h 30m (incl. intermission)
October 15th, 1997
Family, Musicals
Guests under the age of 2 are not permitted in the theatre.
By: Music by Elton John, Lyrics by Tim Rice, and a Book by Roger Allers & Irene Mecchi, with Additional Music by Hans Zimmer, Lebo M, Mark Mancina, & Jay Rifkin
Director: Julie Taymor
Producer: Disney Theatrical Productions
Cast list: Vincent Jamal Hooper (as Simba), L. Steven Taylor (as Mufasa), Pearl Khwezi (as Nala), Tshidi Manye (as Rafiki), Stephen Carlile (as Scar), Ben Jeffrey (as Pumbaa), Fred Berman (as Timon), Cameron Pow (as Zazu), James Brown-Orleans (as Banzai), Bonita J. Hamilton (as Shenzi), Robb Sapp (as Ed), Donovan Louis Bazemore and Jayden Theophile (alternating as Young Simba), Mariama Diop and Evie Winter Lee (alternating as Young Nala)
Design: Richard Hudson
Lighting: Donald Holder
Costume: Julie Taymor
Choreography: Garth Fagan
Sound: Steve Canyon Kennedy
This review was written by The Lion King alum Kyle Wrentz in celebration of the show's 20th anniversary on Broadway.
The actor is set to make his Broadway debut in the leading role of the long-running Disney Broadway musical at the Minskoff Theatre in late September.
The Disney musical, which celebrated its 25th anniversary on Broadway in November 2022, is only the third show in history to reach this performance milestone.
Be prepared to see the modern classic musical by learning all about its music.
The musical opened in 1997.
Get ready to take your place in the circle of life by learning all about the Tony-winning The Lion King on Broadway.