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The North American tour of Disney’s The Lion King will welcome back Syndee Winters as “Nala” from October 27, 2026 through March 7, 2027. Winters will play engagements in New Orleans, Louisville, Springfield, MO, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Winters first played “Nala” on tour from 2010 – 2013 and made her Broadway debut in the role in 2012.
The touring production also welcomes new cubs, who will begin performances in Louisville on Thursday, November 12. Anthony Fraire and Jaxon Ipapo-Glass will alternate the role of Young Simba. Anaszia Kelly and current cast member Journey Compas will alternate the role of Young Nala.
Current tour cast members Aaron Chao (Young Simba), Josiah Watson (Young Simba), and Marley Gomes (Young Nala) will play their final performances in New Orleans on Sunday, November 8.
Winters, Fraire, Ipapo-Glass and Kelly join current tour cast members Peter Hargrave (Scar), David D’Lancy Wilson (Mufasa), Zama Magudulela (Rafiki), Nick Cordileone (Timon), Nick LaMedica (Zazu), Danny Grumich (Pumbaa), Gilbert Domally (Simba), Forest VanDyke (Banzai), Martina Sykes (Shenzi), Sam Linda (Ed), Wiliam John Austin (Standby Scar, & Pumbaa), Thom Christopher Warren (Standby Scar, Zazu, Timon & Pumbaa), and Journey Compas (Young Nala).
Rounding out the cast are Kayla Rose Aimable, Ellen Akashi, Aja Simone Baitey, Dunia Baruani, Eric Bean, Jr., Vernon Brooks III, Shaquelle Charles, Reoagile Choabi, Daniela Cobb, Lyric Danae, Maurice Dawkins, Cedrick Ekra, Camryn Hampton, Quiana Onrae’l Holmes, Valériane Louisy Louis Joseph, Joel Karie, Gabisile Manana, Keyveontae’ Martin, Morgan Reed McDaniel, Justin Mensah, Aaron Nelson, Ntethelelo Nhlapho, Yuka Notsuka, Sicelo Ntshangase, Yael Pineda-Hall, Jordan Samuels, Poseletso Sejosingoe, Avilon Trust Tate, Jennifer Theriot, Brena K. Thomas, Courtney Thomas, Ben Toomer, Denzel Tsopnang, and Jordan Nicole Willis.
The Lion King has been touring North America for more than 24 years and, during that time, has played over 10,000 performances during more than 290 engagements in over 90 cities to more than 28 million theatergoers, making it the longest-running and most-attended Broadway tour in North American history.
Approaching 30 landmark years on Broadway, The Lion King continues ascendant as one of the most popular stage musicals of all time. Since its premiere on November 13, 1997, 32 global productions have been seen by over 130 million people. Produced by Disney Theatrical Group, under the direction of Andrew Flatt and Anne Quart, The Lion King has made theatrical history with two productions worldwide running 20 or more years and three others running 25 or more years.
Performed over its lifetime in nine different languages (English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch, Spanish, Mandarin and Portuguese), there are currently nine productions of The Lion King around the world: Broadway, London, Paris, Hamburg, Madrid, Tokyo, Mexico City and on tour across North America and Australia. The Lion King has played over 100 cities in 24 countries on every continent except Antarctica. Its worldwide gross exceeds that of any film, Broadway show or other entertainment title in box office history.
The Lion King won six 1998 Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Scenic Design (Richard Hudson), Best Costume Design (Julie Taymor), Best Lighting Design (Donald Holder), Best Choreography (Garth Fagan) and Best Direction of a Musical (Julie Taymor). The Lion King has also earned more than 70 major arts awards including the 1998 NY Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, the 1999 Grammy for Best Musical Show Album, the 1999 Evening Standard Award for Theatrical Event of the Year and the 1999 Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Choreography and Best Costume Design.
Julie Taymor, who conceived and directed the production and is its Costume Designer and mask co-designer, was the first woman to win a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical. She remains actively involved in the show, launching new productions and maintaining the flagship Broadway production.
The Broadway score features Elton John and Tim Rice’s songs from The Lion King animated film along with three new songs by John and Rice; additional music and lyrics by South African Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor and Hans Zimmer; and music from “Rhythm of the Pride Lands,” an album inspired by the original music in the film, written by Lebo M, Mark Mancina and Hans Zimmer. The resulting sound of The Lion King is a fusion of Western popular music and the distinctive sounds and rhythms of Africa, ranging from the Academy Award-winning song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” to Lebo M’s rich choral numbers.
Elton John, Lebo M and Hans Zimmer all collaborated on the 2019 version of the film, executive produced by Julie Taymor and Thomas Schumacher, which has gone onto extraordinary worldwide success.
The book has been adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed the animated The Lion King feature, and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the film’s screenplay. The stage production was originally produced by Peter Schneider and Thomas Schumacher. Other members of the creative team include: Michael Curry, who designed the masks and puppets with Taymor, Steve Canyon Kennedy (sound design), Michael Ward (hair and makeup design), David Kreppel and Sean Mayes (music supervisors), Anthony Lyn (associate director), Marey Griffith (associate choreographer), Lisa Dawn Cave (production supervisor), Michael Bolgar (general manager), Robert Elhai (associate music producer), Michael Keller (music coordinator), Robert Elhai and David Metzger (orchestrators), Rick Sordelet (fight director) and ARC/Mark Brandon, CSA (casting).
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