The National Tour of Disney's "The Lion King"
One of the first shows I ever saw when I was a very small child was the Las Vegas production of Disney's long running theatrical masterpiece, The Lion King. Even though it had been such a long time since I had last seen the show, I always remembered how gorgeously done the show was. Now in its 21st year since premiering on Broadway, The Lion King has not been dethroned of being the most visually striking show in existence. Even though I knew what to expect when entering this show, I was still blown away by the sheer beauty and craftsmanship of the entire production.
Considering The Lion King is one of the most successful movies and musicals of all time, you know the story of Simba, Mufasa, Nala, and all of their friends. You don't need it to be explained to you. It is one of those stories that most people will witness at least once in their lifetime. It has been done in so many different countries, in so many different languages, and it is simply one of the most widely known stories ever. It has been running for as long as it has for a very good reason. It is a breathtaking show. Despite Disney's success with a few different shows on Broadway, some people still cannot handle that they are putting animated movies onstage and brush them off as theme park trash that does not deserve to be seen. Anyone who still says that about The Lion King (or the majority of their shows, for that matter) is insanely wrong, because I have seen hundreds of shows in the last nine years or so and The Lion King is by far the prettiest thing I have ever laid my eyes on. While it is not necessarily the best show in terms of writing (The book is by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi and it is very good, don't get me wrong), it is probably one of the greatest productions of any show I have ever seen. Even those who loathe the show have to admit that it looks and sounds magnificent.
As soon as The Lion King starts, it hits you right in the face with its glory. The opening number, "The Circle of Life," is the most beautiful five minutes of musical theatre EVER. Never in my life have I sat in my seat shaking with tears like I have while people dressed as animals marched to Pride Rock for the christening of a baby lion. As each new animal walked onstage, each one got an applause and people all around were audibly saying "This is gorgeous" and "Oh my God" throughout the entire number. You never knew where to look during this number and that is a part of what makes it so magical.
As the show goes on, it continues to be the artistic achievement that everyone knows it is. The show isn't super fast paced, but it is enthralling and allows you bask in the creativity of each moment. Julie Taymor's direction is highly inventive and while each member of the creative team is just as important as the other, Taymor gets so much of the credit for why this show works so well. Her concept and staging bring the show to the highest of levels and it is very difficult to imagine this show ever being done another way. Equally as creative is Garth Fagin's choreography, which is a feast for the eyes.
As one would expect from a Disney production, the sets by Richard Hudson are wonderful. Everything in this show is so meticulously detailed that I even found nuances in the stars on one of the backdrops. The African influences in every single aspect of the show are dazzling. One of the best parts about The Lion King is how much African culture is brought to the forefront. It would have been very easy for Disney to simply throw a bunch of cute animals onstage, but the creative team correctly chose to tell this story with so much of the culture from the area where it takes place. A huge part of the African culture aside from the musical's visuals are Lebo M's sublime contributions to the score, which was written flawlessly by Elton John (Music) and Tim Rice (Lyrics).
The melding of the performers with Michael Curry and Taymor's puppets and costumes is perfect. There were certain puppets, like Pumbaa (played by Ben Lippitz), where I would look only at the puppet. However, there were some puppets, like Timon (Nick Cordileone) and Zazu (Greg Jackson) where I found myself switching back and forth between looking at the performer and the puppet they were operating because of how nicely they portrayed their roles. Lippitz was an excellent Pumbaa and played very well alongside Cordileone's lively Timon. Everyone in the audience, myself included, adored Greg Jackson as Zazu. Jackson was giving one of the most energetic performances of the evening and the chemistry he had with his bird puppet was spot on.
The current company on the national tour of The Lion King is nailing it. Jalen Harris embodies the royalty that is Simba to a tee. Nia Holloway is lovely as Nala, bringing the audience to tears with her rendition of "Shadowland." The cast member who blew everyone away was Mukelisiwe Goba as Rafiki. Goba performs the majority of her role in Swahili and she is incredible in every single way. Her stage presence is warm, she performs her numbers exquisitely, and she is simply astonishing. Also giving very strong performances were Mark Campbell as the antagonist, Scar, and Gerald Ramsey as Simba's father, Mufasa. Both men have amazing voices and commanded the stage in every single one of their scenes. Of course, Disney cast the two children wonderfully. At the performance I attended, Joziyah Jean-Felix and Gloria Manning were very charming as the younger versions of Simba and Nala.
Donald Holder's lighting design takes on an entire life of its own. While Richard Hudson's sets are phenomenal by themselves, the lighting design assists heavily in giving the show the aesthetic that I keep mentioning. I particularly love when the lights put all the performers onstage into a silhouette, creating a visual that almost looks like it could be straight out of the movie. Steve Canyon Kennedy's sound design is very nicely done and helps Elton John and Tim Rice's vibrant score soar to new heights. Another huge factor in the show's sound are the two percussionists, Victor Pablo and Reuven Weizberg, who are located on both sides of the house. Pablo and Weizberg are characters in the show just as much as the people on the stage are. There are a few moments throughout the show where you cannot help but watch the two men share their talents with the entire audience.
Although the show has been around for over 20 years, there are still people who have not seen The Lion King. If you have not seen it, you must see it at some point during your life. There so many amazing shows out there, but you will never see anything that looks or sounds like The Lion King. It will surely be around for many more years to come, so you have time to get to it. Even though there are lots of other shows to see and many more that I think about more often than I do The Lion King, I would still jump at the opportunity to see it and will forever hold very fond memories of the show in my mind. It is beautiful, magical, and all of those types of adjectives that are in the dictionary. The poster says it is "The World's #1 Musical" and no matter what your favorite musical is, it is hard to refute that statement.
Disney's THE LION KING
Music by Elton John
Lyrics by Tim Rice
Additional Music and Lyrics by Lebo M., Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor, & Hans Zimmer
Book by Roger Allers & Irene Mecchi
Adapted from the screenplay by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, & Linda Woolverton
At the time I saw the show, the cast of the national tour of Disney's THE LION KING consisted of:
(in order of appearance)
Rafiki- MUKELISIWE GOBA
Mufasa- GERALD RAMSEY
Sarabi- KIMBER SPRAWL*
Zazu- GREG JACKSON
Scar- MARK CAMPBELL
Young Simba (at certain performances)- JOZIYAH JEAN-FELIX, RAMON REED, ZACH THOMAS
Young Nala (at certain performances)- DANIELLE W. JALADE, GLORIA MANNING
Shenzi- MARTINA SYKES
Banzai- KEITH BENNETT
Ed- ROBBIE SWIFT
Timon- NICK CORDILEONE
Pumbaa- BEN LIPITZ
Simba- JALEN HARRIS
Nala- NIA HALLOWAY
Ensemble Singers- DEREK ADAMS, THABANI BUTHELEZI, NTOMB'KHONA DLAMINI, WILLIAM JAMES JR., MATTHEW S. MORGAN, NHLANHA NDLOVU, AARON NELSON, SELLOANE NKHELA, PHINDILE NYANDENI, CHRISTOPHER SAMS, MPUME SIKAKANE, KIMBER SPRAW, JENNIFER THERIOT
Ensemble Dancers- KAYLA ROSE AIMABLE, ERIC BEAN, JR., SASHA CAICEDO, ERYNN MARIE DICKERSON, JANE KING, GREGORY MANNING II, JORDAN SAMUELS, SADÈ SIMMONS, KEVIN TATE, COURTNEY THOMAS, SHACURA WADE
Standbys- Scar: WILLIAM JOHN AUSTIN, TONY FREEMAN; Zazu- TONY FREEMAN; Timon- TONY FREEMAN; Pumbaa- WILLIAM JOHN AUSTIN, TONY FREEMAN
Swings- ANDREW ARRINGTON, KYLE ROBERT CARTER, DEIDREA HALLEY, KOLIN JERRON, CHRISTOPHER L. McKENZIE, JR., PHYLICIA PEARL, ZOLA WILLIAMS**, KRYSTAL WORRELL
*The role of Sarabi was performed by KRYSTAL WORRELL at the performance I attended.
** The role of the Gazelle Wheel was performed by ZOLA WILLIAMS at the performance I attended.
Performance Reviewed: May 30, 2018 (7:30 PM)
Considering The Lion King is one of the most successful movies and musicals of all time, you know the story of Simba, Mufasa, Nala, and all of their friends. You don't need it to be explained to you. It is one of those stories that most people will witness at least once in their lifetime. It has been done in so many different countries, in so many different languages, and it is simply one of the most widely known stories ever. It has been running for as long as it has for a very good reason. It is a breathtaking show. Despite Disney's success with a few different shows on Broadway, some people still cannot handle that they are putting animated movies onstage and brush them off as theme park trash that does not deserve to be seen. Anyone who still says that about The Lion King (or the majority of their shows, for that matter) is insanely wrong, because I have seen hundreds of shows in the last nine years or so and The Lion King is by far the prettiest thing I have ever laid my eyes on. While it is not necessarily the best show in terms of writing (The book is by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi and it is very good, don't get me wrong), it is probably one of the greatest productions of any show I have ever seen. Even those who loathe the show have to admit that it looks and sounds magnificent.
As soon as The Lion King starts, it hits you right in the face with its glory. The opening number, "The Circle of Life," is the most beautiful five minutes of musical theatre EVER. Never in my life have I sat in my seat shaking with tears like I have while people dressed as animals marched to Pride Rock for the christening of a baby lion. As each new animal walked onstage, each one got an applause and people all around were audibly saying "This is gorgeous" and "Oh my God" throughout the entire number. You never knew where to look during this number and that is a part of what makes it so magical.
 |
| The opening number of Disney's The Lion King. Photo by Joan Marcus. |
As the show goes on, it continues to be the artistic achievement that everyone knows it is. The show isn't super fast paced, but it is enthralling and allows you bask in the creativity of each moment. Julie Taymor's direction is highly inventive and while each member of the creative team is just as important as the other, Taymor gets so much of the credit for why this show works so well. Her concept and staging bring the show to the highest of levels and it is very difficult to imagine this show ever being done another way. Equally as creative is Garth Fagin's choreography, which is a feast for the eyes.
As one would expect from a Disney production, the sets by Richard Hudson are wonderful. Everything in this show is so meticulously detailed that I even found nuances in the stars on one of the backdrops. The African influences in every single aspect of the show are dazzling. One of the best parts about The Lion King is how much African culture is brought to the forefront. It would have been very easy for Disney to simply throw a bunch of cute animals onstage, but the creative team correctly chose to tell this story with so much of the culture from the area where it takes place. A huge part of the African culture aside from the musical's visuals are Lebo M's sublime contributions to the score, which was written flawlessly by Elton John (Music) and Tim Rice (Lyrics).
The melding of the performers with Michael Curry and Taymor's puppets and costumes is perfect. There were certain puppets, like Pumbaa (played by Ben Lippitz), where I would look only at the puppet. However, there were some puppets, like Timon (Nick Cordileone) and Zazu (Greg Jackson) where I found myself switching back and forth between looking at the performer and the puppet they were operating because of how nicely they portrayed their roles. Lippitz was an excellent Pumbaa and played very well alongside Cordileone's lively Timon. Everyone in the audience, myself included, adored Greg Jackson as Zazu. Jackson was giving one of the most energetic performances of the evening and the chemistry he had with his bird puppet was spot on.
The current company on the national tour of The Lion King is nailing it. Jalen Harris embodies the royalty that is Simba to a tee. Nia Holloway is lovely as Nala, bringing the audience to tears with her rendition of "Shadowland." The cast member who blew everyone away was Mukelisiwe Goba as Rafiki. Goba performs the majority of her role in Swahili and she is incredible in every single way. Her stage presence is warm, she performs her numbers exquisitely, and she is simply astonishing. Also giving very strong performances were Mark Campbell as the antagonist, Scar, and Gerald Ramsey as Simba's father, Mufasa. Both men have amazing voices and commanded the stage in every single one of their scenes. Of course, Disney cast the two children wonderfully. At the performance I attended, Joziyah Jean-Felix and Gloria Manning were very charming as the younger versions of Simba and Nala.
 |
| Tshidi Manye as Rafiki from the Broadway production of The Lion King. Photo by Joan Marcus. |
Donald Holder's lighting design takes on an entire life of its own. While Richard Hudson's sets are phenomenal by themselves, the lighting design assists heavily in giving the show the aesthetic that I keep mentioning. I particularly love when the lights put all the performers onstage into a silhouette, creating a visual that almost looks like it could be straight out of the movie. Steve Canyon Kennedy's sound design is very nicely done and helps Elton John and Tim Rice's vibrant score soar to new heights. Another huge factor in the show's sound are the two percussionists, Victor Pablo and Reuven Weizberg, who are located on both sides of the house. Pablo and Weizberg are characters in the show just as much as the people on the stage are. There are a few moments throughout the show where you cannot help but watch the two men share their talents with the entire audience.
Although the show has been around for over 20 years, there are still people who have not seen The Lion King. If you have not seen it, you must see it at some point during your life. There so many amazing shows out there, but you will never see anything that looks or sounds like The Lion King. It will surely be around for many more years to come, so you have time to get to it. Even though there are lots of other shows to see and many more that I think about more often than I do The Lion King, I would still jump at the opportunity to see it and will forever hold very fond memories of the show in my mind. It is beautiful, magical, and all of those types of adjectives that are in the dictionary. The poster says it is "The World's #1 Musical" and no matter what your favorite musical is, it is hard to refute that statement.
 |
Disney's THE LION KING
Music by Elton John
Lyrics by Tim Rice
Additional Music and Lyrics by Lebo M., Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor, & Hans Zimmer
Book by Roger Allers & Irene Mecchi
Adapted from the screenplay by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, & Linda Woolverton
At the time I saw the show, the cast of the national tour of Disney's THE LION KING consisted of:
(in order of appearance)
Rafiki- MUKELISIWE GOBA
Mufasa- GERALD RAMSEY
Sarabi- KIMBER SPRAWL*
Zazu- GREG JACKSON
Scar- MARK CAMPBELL
Young Simba (at certain performances)- JOZIYAH JEAN-FELIX, RAMON REED, ZACH THOMAS
Young Nala (at certain performances)- DANIELLE W. JALADE, GLORIA MANNING
Shenzi- MARTINA SYKES
Banzai- KEITH BENNETT
Ed- ROBBIE SWIFT
Timon- NICK CORDILEONE
Pumbaa- BEN LIPITZ
Simba- JALEN HARRIS
Nala- NIA HALLOWAY
Ensemble Singers- DEREK ADAMS, THABANI BUTHELEZI, NTOMB'KHONA DLAMINI, WILLIAM JAMES JR., MATTHEW S. MORGAN, NHLANHA NDLOVU, AARON NELSON, SELLOANE NKHELA, PHINDILE NYANDENI, CHRISTOPHER SAMS, MPUME SIKAKANE, KIMBER SPRAW, JENNIFER THERIOT
Ensemble Dancers- KAYLA ROSE AIMABLE, ERIC BEAN, JR., SASHA CAICEDO, ERYNN MARIE DICKERSON, JANE KING, GREGORY MANNING II, JORDAN SAMUELS, SADÈ SIMMONS, KEVIN TATE, COURTNEY THOMAS, SHACURA WADE
Standbys- Scar: WILLIAM JOHN AUSTIN, TONY FREEMAN; Zazu- TONY FREEMAN; Timon- TONY FREEMAN; Pumbaa- WILLIAM JOHN AUSTIN, TONY FREEMAN
Swings- ANDREW ARRINGTON, KYLE ROBERT CARTER, DEIDREA HALLEY, KOLIN JERRON, CHRISTOPHER L. McKENZIE, JR., PHYLICIA PEARL, ZOLA WILLIAMS**, KRYSTAL WORRELL
*The role of Sarabi was performed by KRYSTAL WORRELL at the performance I attended.
** The role of the Gazelle Wheel was performed by ZOLA WILLIAMS at the performance I attended.
Performance Reviewed: May 30, 2018 (7:30 PM)
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