Photo by Joan Marcus
It's hard to believe that Simba and all his furry friends made their debut on the Broadway stage an incredible 19 years ago! Previews began for Disney's The Lion King on 15th October 1997 at the New Amsterdam Theatre (now home to Disney Theatrical's offices, as well as the company's other smash hit musical Aladdin). Following the news that Walt Disney Studios is now actively developing a live-action remake of the 1994 animated classic under the guidance of Jon Favreau (who successfully directed the re-make of this year's The Jungle Book), we thought it reason enough that The Lion King is named our #ShowOfTheWeek!
Although most of the current media attention is understandably on Disney's next stage adaptation - which is based on a little known two-time Oscar winning movie by the name of Frozen (Have you heard of it?!) - I'm sure we, and the company, will never forget the show that put them firmly on the map, in terms of critical response. When Beauty and the Beast was staged as Disney's first major Broadway production, debuting 3 and a half years before The Lion King, it set loose a backlash from some critics, negatively labelling the event as the "themeparkification" of Broadway. Fast forward to the 1998 Tony Awards and The Lion King sweeps the board, picking up an impressive total of 6 Tonys (including Best Musical) and rejoices in its critical acclaim. The success of the show (as a stand-alone entity) is largely due to the imaginative genius of Julie Taymor, who deservedly picked up a couple of Tonys herself for Direction and Costume Design. Her diverse use of puppets and masks, inspired by theatrical traditions from around the world, and her costumes which draw from a variety of African customs and cultures, are what sets the musical apart from other film-to-stage adaptations. The Lion King is not considered an inferior tribute, but a masterpiece of its own merit. In my own humble opinion, the musical's most powerful musical numbers (from the now-iconic pairing of Sir Elton John and Sir Tim Rice) are "He Lives In You," "Endless Night," and "Shadowland" and these weren't actually featured as songs in the original 1994 film. I'll keep my fingers crossed that Mr. Favreau keeps them in mind for his future re-make.
Disney Theatrical also recently announced that the touring production of The Lion King, which has been entertaining audiences across the United States since 2002, will be re-configured next year. From October 2017 the production will be able to be accommodated in theatres across the country who were previously unable to do so due to structural limitations. With Julie Taymor once again at the helm of this re-imagining, Disney looks set to secure an even longer future for this much beloved title in the touring market.
With a staggering attendance figure of more than 85 million people since its conception, The Lion King boasts a worldwide gross that exceeds not just any other Broadway show, but also any other film or entertainment title in box office history! "The Circle of Life" keeps on going round and round and its various casts around the world can feel the love every night, as the musical continues to dominate and perform to packed houses. "Hakuna Matata" for the rest of our days? It does seem likely.
Click here for tickets to Disney's The Lion King through to 2 July 2017 at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre.
The Cast of The Lion King More Production PhotosOriginally published on