The Lion King, winner of six 1998 Awards, including Best New Musical, has been brought to the stage of Minskoff Theater. Directed and designed by Tony Award winner Julie Taymor, the landmark Disney musical is a favorite for children and adults alike with its lavish costumes and award-winning music by Elton John and Tim Rice. The story of the Lion King revolves around the Hamlet-like of a young lion cub named Simba, prince of African lions, who struggles to accept the responsibilities of adulthood and his destined role as king. Simba battles his evil Uncle Scar for the throne. But before he can take his rightful place in the “Circle of Life”, he enjoys his childhood with his two fun-loving friends, wisecracking meerkat Timon and smelly warthog Pumbaa. Along the journey Simba’s two friends teach him their philosophy of life referred to as “Hakuna Matata” (No Worries).
To bring the classic 1994 film to life, Disney adapted the story’s roots from the book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi. With its rich mythology, powerful human drama and primal African rhythms the musical is unlike anything Broadway has ever seen. An entire African landscape comes to life and, as the music soars, Pride Rock slowly rises out of the stage. Audiences will marvel at the breathtaking spectacle of animals including strutting giraffes, swooping birds and leaping gazelles miraculously brought to life by a cast of over 40 actors in what Time Magazine calls “awe-inspiring” and “a gorgeous, gasp-inducing spectacle!” Indeed, the long-running musical, the first show to hit No. 1 in Broadway’s weekly box gross, also features the pulsating rhythms of the African Pride Lands and an unforgettable score including the Oscar-winning “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” by Tim Rice and Elton John and songs by South African composer Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor and Hans Zimmer. Treat your family and friends to a memory that will last a lifetime as the Lion King is an adventure into another world.
