![]() ![]() New Lion King Songs in the Broadway Musical She actually leads the song, “The Circle of Life” at the top of the show. Rafiki becomes a sort of Greek chorus in the musical. According to the Wikipedia, Taymor believed there was no leading female character in the film. Rafiki in the Lion King Broadway musicalĪnother significant difference is that Rafiki was changed to female, and the role is now traditionally played by a woman on stage. It is the kind of creative risk one wishes Disney would take more of. Having seen the show at least five times, I can tell you the effect is breathtaking. Instead, Julie Taymor designed elaborate costumes - most of them based on puppetry - that create not only the illusion of the animals, but the grace of their movements. One of the most significant differences between the Broadway version of - and the other versions of - The Lion King is the appearance of the animals.Īnimation is not an option for a live theatrical Broadway performance. Julie Taymor became the first woman to win Best Director of a Musical. It is Broadway’s third-longest running show, and the highest-grossing Broadway production of all time. It won six Tonys, including Best Musical. Beauty and the Beast was still going strong as a musical, so why not adapt one of their other biggest hits for the stage? Indeed.įrom the very start, Lion King was getting rave reviews and selling out. In 1997, Disney brought the Lion King to Broadway. See The Lion King on Broadway, or at Disneyworld, if you ever get the chance! The Broadway Version of The Lion King The last scene is of Rafiki presenting their own newborn cub. Simba takes his rightful place as king with Nala as his queen. Like all Disney villains, Scar ends up getting what he deserves. Simba pins him to the ground and forces him to confess this out loud to everyone. ![]() When Scar thinks he has Simba cornered, he confesses to murdering Mufasa. Timon and Pumbaa distract the hyenas so Simba can get to Scar. Unable to run anymore, Simba returns home. Simba is visited by Mufasa’s spirit, who tells him he must take his rightful place as king (the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Black Panther has this concept too, and is also from Disney Studios…hmmmm). Simba runs into Rafiki, who tells him his father’s spirit lives on in him. Simba refuses and storms off, unable to tell Nala he “killed” Mufasa. They fall in love (“Can You Feel the Love Tonight.”) Nala tells him the Pride Lands are in ruin and everyone is starving under Scar’s reign. Simba’s friend and love interest Nala (Moira Kelly) goes in search of him, and finds adult Simba (Matthew Broderick). He embraces their philosophy of “Hakuna Matata” (No Worries). Simba forms a new family with free spirits Meerkat Timon (Nathan Lane) and Warthog Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella), who rescue him in the desert. Simba’s uncle Scar (Jeremy Irons) murders Mufasa (James Earl Jones) and blames Simba for it, sending him into exile and taking over the throne. The film starts with a young lion cub named Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), heir to his father Mufasa’s throne.Īll three versions of The Lion King open with the song “The Circle of Life” with the mandrill Rafiki (Robert Guillaume) presenting newborn Simba to the animal kingdom, who bow in reverence. The movie was a true critical and box office success! Hakuna matata, forever! Synopsis of The Lion King (Spoilers) Remember Hakuna Matata, and Can You Feel the Love Tonight? Hans Zimmer himself composed the score.ĭownload the RunPee app for free: Read more about the RunPee app. Although it does have s trong similarities to the play Hamlet….(link goes to our cool comparison post).Įlton John and Tim Rice wrote the award-winning songs for the soundtrack. It was also the first Disney animated film that featured an original story, and not an adaptation of an existing property. It was the fifth film in the Disney renaissance that started with The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. In the summer of 1994, Disney released The Lion King. Now is a great time to return to Pride Rock - and revisit Simba, Nala, Timon, Pumbaa, Mufasa, Zazu, and Rafiki - as we compare the animated, Broadway, and the live action versions of The Lion King. This new version of the Disney 1994 classic features significant differences. The “live action” (actually CGI, folks) remake of The Lion King is hitting theaters. Read Time:8 Minute, 59 Second It’s the Circle of life.
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