Touted as “The Worlds #1 Musical” (in earnings and ongoing popularity), the six Tony Award-winning (including Best Musical) “nothing else like it” theatrical extravaganza that is Disney’s THE LION KING returns to Broward Center for an extended run through March 30. And continues to draw enthusiastic crowds of all ages – from first-time-at-the-theater kids (a popular, parental-choice rite of passage) to repeat Disney- and “Lion King”-obsessed fans.
At times, it feels like a rock concert when the crowd’s roaring cheers at the entrance of favorite characters rival the roars onstage. As someone who’d never seen the musical before, I admit it was quite thrilling to be immersed in the excitement of that rare theater audience which spans generations (instead of your typical gray-haired monopoly). I almost felt sorry for the throngs of bored looking spring-breakers roaming downtown on our way over. (A word of advice: To avoid traffic congestion, take Broward Blvd. to SW 5th Ave./Commodore Brook Ave., then turn south directly into the Arts & Entertainment parking garage. And get there early.)
So many great artists are responsible for bringing Disney’s 1994 animated film to life. I did see the movie several times, as my daughter was in preschool that year and “Lion King” frenzy was everywhere – even the door of her nursery classroom was plastered with the children’s names on Simba-head cutouts. All the kids were toting Lion King backpacks and lunchboxes, then went to bed hugging stuffed Simba cubs. Ah yes, I remember it well. But for those in need of a storyline or “who’s who” refresher, it might pay to watch or even just google the movie or musical, to more easily follow the plot (if you even care, with so many extraordinary visual and lyrical distractions). In any case, you will soon catch on to the musical’s book by Roger Allers & Irene Mecchi.
Music and lyrics by the great Elton John and Tim Rice (now iconic songs, all) – with live orchestra (and cool percussion beats out of two side balconies), conducted by music director Karl Shymanovitz with Michael Keller as music coordinator – is a concert pleasure on its own. (With featured additional music & lyrics by choral director Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor, and Hans Zimmer.)
If you noticed Julie Taymor’s name in the above list, don’t be surprised if you see plenty more program citings of this Tony-winning director. Not only did she ace her unenviably challenging role as the musical’s director, she is also credited for costume design, co-mask & puppet design (with Michael Curry), and is the force behind many of the show’s striking features and updates. It was Taymor’s decision to switch Rafiki into a sagacious female mandrill (a large Old World monkey) when she noticed the film had no strong female leads.
The show opens with Rafiki’s (Mukelisiwe Goba) powerful vocals and impressive costuming (topped by Michael Ward’s hair and makeup) welcoming us to a new dawn in the mystical Serengeti savannah of grasslands, plains, woodlands and marshes. With indigenous African chants (mostly a mix of Swahili, Xhosa and Zulu), Rafiki calls on all the beasts of the Pridelands to assemble at Pride Rock where she’ll join Lion King Mufasa (Darnell Abraham) and his Queen Sarabi (Maurica Roland) in presenting their cub, Simba, as the new heir.
It is at this enormous gathering – where native animals of all sizes, along with flapping birds, majestically march down the aisles (almost grazing our seats) or “fly” overhead – that the breathtaking performative puppetry that has made “Lion King” a stagecraft legend first takes place. We gasp at tall giraffes high-stepping on stilts, herds of leaping gazelles and zebras…even an enormous elephant that slowly wends its way toward the stage.
This marks the first, but is far from the last time visible humans are seen operating majestic creatures with rods, ropes, and wires. Director/puppet designer Julie Taymor comments in the program on the marriage of the human actors with their animal counterparts: “One of the most powerful elements of the film is the rich humanity of the animal characters. In considering this ironic duality of the human and the animal it became critical in the design concept not to hide the actor behind a whole mask or inside an animal body suit. I wanted the human being to be an essential part of stylization. I wanted the audience to marvel at what a human being can do through true technical prowess.”
Marvel we do, indeed. Though we also marvel at the deep majestic voice of Darnell Abraham’s Mufasa, at William John Austin’s Scar, and the entire talented ensemble. And at Garth Fagan’s incredible choreography perfected by dance captains Kayla Rose Aimable and Courtney Thomas.
The animals have all gathered, bowed and paid tribute. Time for Act I’s iconic opening number. “Circle of Life” with “Nants’ Ingonyama” (sung in Zulu) is performed by The Band and Company as Pride Rock emerges from the mist into a well-ordered and hopeful world created by scenic designer Richard Hudson with lighting design by Donald Holder and sound design by Steve Canyon Kennedy.
Still, we can’t stay awestruck forever. For a laugh, we can always count on talkative Zazu (Nick LaMedica) – the uptight hornbill who serves as Mufasa’s majordomo (loyal personal advisor) and manages to turn even the most dire circumstance into sketch comedy.
Blink and Pride Rock’s baby cub becomes a mischievous young boy. (I say “boy” because despite the addition of a tail, there’s not even a temporary mask or noticeable lion’s outfit on the hyperactive skinny “cub” I saw performing practically non-stop during Act I of Friday’s opening night.) The program cites two kids in the “Young Simba (at certain performances)” role, and since I can’t tell which one I saw, based on the production’s overall quality, will assume they are both excellent. Young Simba is played by Bryce Christian Thompson or Julian Villela.
Same goes for the role of Young Simba’s gal pal, often partner in crime, and one more example of a strong female character. In their play-fights whilst children, and even later as a young adult, Nala always manages to tackle and constrain the future king. Young Nala (at certain performances) is played by Ritisha Chakraborty or Jaxyn Damasco.
A few musical numbers that you’ll recognize and can’t help loving, no matter how often you hear them – especially when sung in dramatic context – are:
“I Just Can’t Wait to be King,” featuring Young Simba, Young Nala, Zazu and Ensemble, which echoes, albeit royally, the typical child’s impatience to grow up.
“Be Prepared” – starring Scar (William John Austin), nasty hyenas Shenzi (Martina Sykes), Banzai (Forest VanDyke), Ed (Sam Linda), and Ensemble – where Scar reveals his evil plans to stage a coup that begins with getting rid of his nephew Simba so he’s again next in line to the throne. He visits the Elephant Graveyard, home to scores of stupid, laughing hyenas, and urges them to “be prepared” to support him with false promises that they’ll never go hungry.
To lighten the foreboding mood, Act I ends with catchy favorite “Hakuna Matata,” the Swahili phrase for “no worries,” performed by Young Simba, grown Simba (Erick D. Patrick) and Ensemble along with the young lion’s quirky and highly amusing new allies: meerkat Timon (Nick Cordileone) and warthog Pumbaa (Danny Grumich).
Act II’s “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” is a romantic tribute to the surprise jungle reunion between grown-up Nala (Thembelihle Cole) and Simba (Erik D. Patrick), also featuring Timon, Pumbaa, and Ensemble.
“He Lives in You,” sung by Rafiki, Simba, and Ensemble, is a touching validation of how a parent’s voice can support and guide their child even after they’ve passed. With Nala, and devoted new and old friends and family by his side, Simba retakes his rightful place as King of the Pridelands and the savannah begins to recover from a devastating drought. “Circle of Life” is reprised when all the animals gather at Pride Rock, once again, to celebrate the birth of a new lion cub – this time with Simba and Nala as proud parents of the next Lion King generation.
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Some personal reflections. With all of Scar’s evil plotting and royal intrigue – including jester-like breaks for silliness and laughter – and a storyline that includes a royal’s troubled mental state and misguided guilt, if this weren’t an “animal” story, you might think you’re watching a musical adaptation of a Shakespearean drama. Especially when it comes to incidents of family betrayal and murder to gain the crown. Which is why, despite Broward Center’s website advice to adults that “Disney on Broadway recommends its productions for ages 6 and up,” for this show, in particular, unless you have an unusually sophisticated elementary schooler, I’d think twice before exposing them to plots where brother kills brother, and a beloved uncle misleads his trusting nephew into life-threatening situations. Not to mention the horrors of being surrounded by hungry hyenas or caught in the midst of a wildebeest stampede.
Even those fantastic, but super-sized animal puppets may appear threatening to young eyes. Meanwhile, the dramatic storyline in the Disney film didn’t seem to faze many of the preschool set. Nowadays even little ones tend to discern the difference between cartoons and reality, with animations – no matter how well-voiced and enacted – simply not seen as real people. However, the Young Simba I saw on stage who spoke and looked just like a child (no mask, and a barely visible, forgettable attached tail) appeared completely human. As did his father, Mufasa, when holding him lovingly in his arms, and after carefully placing his “lion” headdress on the stage floor to perform a major number. Which made the terrible situations these so-human-like characters got into all the more frightening and identifiable, even without the additions of spooky scenic backgrounds like an Elephant Graveyard or water-pool-vanishing parched set.
Finally, as a far older and hopefully wiser adult, I can’t help but see things differently from when I was young – especially given our fraught times. Part of me just can’t stomach celebrating ANY return to governance by royal lineage, properly inherited or not, no matter how beneficent the ruler. Of course lions (and most animals) still follow the laws of the jungle where the mightiest leads the pack. It’s an obvious evolutionary pattern for species success. And I find it wonderful that so many can escape their everyday woes and take joy in this fantastic fairy tale. Unfortunately, I can’t stop thinking about how our current “Circle of Life” involves a return to baser, more dog-eat-dog instincts.
Disney’s THE LION KING (a 2024/2025 Bank of America Broadway in Fort Lauderdale presentation) is playing through March 30 at the Au-Rene Theater of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Avenue, Fort Lauderdale 33312. Tickets at www.browardcenter.org or in person at the Broward Center box office.
The post It’s the Circle of Life: ‘Disney’s THE LION KING’ Reignites Broward Center appeared on South Florida Theater.
