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Photo by Matthew Murphy
Disney's The Lion King
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Photo by Deen van Meer
Disney's The Lion King
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Photo by Joan Marcus
Disney's The Lion King
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Photo by Deen van Meer
Disney's The Lion King
Disney's The Lion King US North American Tour, Rafiki Tour opening night October 26 2017 at the Landmark Theatre, Syracuse cast: Gerald Caesar (Simba), Nia Holloway (Nala), Gerald Ramsey (Mufasa), Mark Campbell (Scar), Buyi Zama (Rafiki), Greg Jackson (Zazu), Nick Cordileone (Timon), Ben Lipitz (Pumbaa), Keith Bennett (Banzai), Martina Sykes (Shenzi), Robbie Swift (Ed)
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Photo by Matthew Murphy
Disney's The Lion King
From the deserts of the Pridelands to the lush, green tropics of the jungle, Disney’s The Lion King transforms the Ohio Theatre this summer taking you on a wild ride across the savanna.
During its more than 20 years touring North America and 25 years on Broadway, this show has won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Direction of a Musical. With over 10,000 performances worldwide, Disney’s The Lion King is one of the longest-running Broadway shows to date and continues to amaze crowds around the world with its incredible story.
Photo by Matthew Murphy
Lion King Simba and Nala
Darian Sanders as Simba and Khalifa White as Nala in Disney's The Lion King.
The costumes and set pieces are unlike anything that Broadway has done before, with performers donning elaborate costumes and puppets that bring to life the characters we know and love.
Characters such as Simba and Nala are adorned in headpieces and mimic cat-like movements to create their lion forms while characters such as Zazu and Timon are puppeteered around the stage by performers with elaborate face paintings and costumes.
A major part of what helps set the stage and create the show's environment is the ensemble cast and characters. No role is too small as performers can be seen dressed up in anything ranging from giraffes and gazelles to spiders and even blades of grass.
With the beautiful voices of the cast paired with rich instrumentals, the music throughout the performance adds a fullness, marrying the performer's movements on stage with the story as it unfolds. Even as the characters age and new performers emerge, the same energy and character traits stay true as if the audience were watching them grow in real time.
Disney fanatics will be happy to know there are some fan favorites from the movie that made it to the big stage including, “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” and yes, “Circle of Life.”
Photo by Matthew Murphy
Disney's The Lion King
Overall, the production closely follows the 1994 movie, however, the way the story is brought to life on stage will keep any viewer engaged, whether you are a Broadway or Disney fan who knows every song or simply looking for a fun outing with the family.
Disney’s The Lion King is at Ohio Theatre this summer with several shows through July 7.
Rachel Karas is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at rkaras@cityscenemediagroup.com.
