Disney fan favourite, THE LION KING has opened at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre and will play in Dublin until Saturday, November 11.
THE LION KING on stage uses spectacular masks, puppets, and costumes to tell the story of Simba’s epic adventures, as he struggles with the responsibilities of adulthood and becoming king.
Having played in more than 100 cities in 20 countries on every continent except Antarctica, THE LION KING’s worldwide gross exceeds that of any film, Broadway show or other entertainment title in box office history. The landmark musical has now been seen by over 110 million people worldwide.
We caught up with cast members who play Simba (Aphiwe Nyezi) and Nala (Nokwanda Khuzwayo), both from South Africa, about what makes this phenomenal musical roar into life!
Julie Taymor’s internationally celebrated stage adaptation of THE LION KING opened on Broadway in 1997 and 25 global productions in nine different languages have been created since then (English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch, Spanish, Mandarin and Portuguese).
The original score from the animated film THE LION KING was expanded for the stage and now features 15 musical numbers. As well as writing completely new songs, South African composer Lebo M created an evocative blend of African rhythms and chorales, with additional material by Julie Taymor and Mark Mancina.
Elton John and Tim Rice have added three new numbers to the five that they wrote for the award-winning score of the animated film. The resulting sound of THE LION KING is a fusion of Western popular music and the distinctive sounds and rhythms of Africa, including the Academy Award-winning Can You Feel The Love Tonight and the haunting Shadowland.
THE LION KING is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, under the direction of Thomas Schumacher.
For more information, please see www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie
