BWW Reviews: LION KING Gets Off to a Roaring Start in Columbus

Not all memories of THE LION KING are good ones.

For a time, the mere playing of "Hakuna Matata" would invoke memories of a family vacation to Florida in which THE LION KING soundtrack became wedged in our tape deck. A 20-hour car ride with only one cassette tape playing in a continuous loop is enough to drive anyone crazy.

With that as a backdrop, the production at the Ohio Theatre is a refreshing reminder to how good the music and the story of THE LION KING is. The two-act, two-and-a-half hour show is not simply a retelling of a Disney movie. It breathes new life into the story of the young lion who would be king.

The pageantry of the opening number "Circle of Life" rivals the opening of any musical. Rafiki (played by Tshidi Manye) summons the jungle animals to Pride Rock to help Mufasa (L. Steven Taylor) and Sarabi (Pickerington High School alumnus Tryphena Wade) celebrate the birth of their son Simba (Tre' Jones). A herd of life-sized puppets (operated by actors with help of bicycles and poles) storm the stage from the wings and down the center aisles of the Ohio Theatre. An elementary school girl in front of me sat with her mouth agape as a full-scale rhinoceros ambled past her on its way to the stage.

While the show is known for the outlandish costumes and puppetry, it is the performance of its actors that give THE LION KING its soul. In one of the most powerful scenes of the first act, Taylor removes his mask as king of the jungle and delivers a stirring rendition of "They Live in You." In the song, Mufasa explains the kings of the past are looking down on him and Simba from the sky and one day he will join them and guide Simba in the leadership of the jungle.

That day comes quicker than Simba and Mufasa can imagine. The king's brother Scar (Patrick R. Brown) devises a Hamlet-like scheme for a change in government. He has Mufasa killed off by a stampede and blames Simba for the king's death. Besieged with guilt, Simba flees Pride Rock and Scar and his army of hyenas take over as leaders.

Brown clearly appears to be enjoying his role as the villain, playing Scar with a wink of sarcasm poking through a veil of menace. The inner play between Scar and the hyenas Banzai (Keith Bennett), Shenzi (Rashada Dawan) and Ed (Robbie Swift) and with "royal dodo" Zazu (Drew Hirshfield) provide some of the best parts of the production.

One of the biggest crowd pleasers comes in the second act when a caged Zazu irritates Scar by warbling "Nobody Knows the Troubles I've Seen." "Oh Zazu, do lighten up," Scar hisses. "Sing something with a little more bounce in it." After Zazu goes into a few bars of "Let It Go" from Disney's latest creation FROZEN, Scar exclaims "Anything but that!"

It is one of the lighter moments of the second act which finds older Simba (Jelani Remy) living in exile with newfound friends Timon the meerkat (Nick Cordileone) and Pumbaa the warthog (Ben Lipitz). Nala (Nia Holloway) finds him and encourages him to go back to Pride Rock, overthrow Scar and take his rightful place as king.

With a powerful voice, Remy is strong as the guilt-ridden Simba. Cordileone and Lipitz are perfectly cast as his two comic companions who help Simba relish the Hakuna Matata lifestyle of avoiding responsibility. Holloway lays down a beautiful rendition of "Shadowland" as Nala realizes she must leave Pride Rock in order to save it.

The performance at the Ohio Theatre is almost compelling enough to make me search for a new CD of the sound track. I just won't take it on any long car trips.

The LION KING will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 21-23, 28-30 and Nov. 4-6 and 8 p.m. on Oct. 18 and 24-25, and Nov. 1, 7 and 8. There will be afternoon shows at 1 p.m. Oct. 19, 26, Nov. 2, 6 and 9 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 18, 25, Nov. 1 and 8 and 6:30 p.m. shows on Oct. 19, 26 and Nov. 2. Tickets can be purchased at the CAPA Ticket Center (39 E. State St.), all Ticketmaster outlets, and online at www.ticketmaster.com.

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