LION KING North American TourHosts Benefit Performance for Actors Fund in Salt Lake

The Actors Fund, a national human services organization that helps all professionals in performing arts and entertainment, is pleased to announce that the producer, cast, and management of Disney's The LION KING have added a special performance to benefit The Fund on Wednesday, August 25 at 2:00pm in Salt Lake City. The entire company will donate their time and talent and proceeds from ticket sales directly to The Actors Fund.

Tickets for this special performance will go on sale Monday, June 28 at regular box office prices and will be available for purchase at the Capitol Theatre Box Office, ArtTix outlets, and online at www.ArtTix.org. To charge tickets, call ArtTix at 801.355.ARTS (10am-6pm M-F; Sat 10am-2pm). Tickets for all other performances of the Salt Lake City premiere engagement of THE LION KING, which will play for seven weeks at the Capitol Theatre from Wednesday, August 11 through Sunday, September 26, are currently on sale.

The North American touring production of THE LION KING has been seen by over 12.5 million theatergoers and grossed over $815 million to date. The tour is one of seven productions currently running worldwide, along with New York City, Las Vegas, London, Hamburg, Paris and Tokyo. Having already played 60 cities across North America, THE LION KING continues to entertain audiences in new markets. The current schedule is listed below. For more information and dates, please visit LionKing.com.
ABOUT THE ACTORS FUND

The Actors Fund is a national human services organization that helps everyone - performers and those behind the scenes - who works in performing arts and entertainment, helping nearly 12,000

people directly each year, and hundreds of thousands online. Serving professionals in film, theatre, television, music, opera, radio and dance, The Fund's programs include social services and emergency assistance, health care and insurance, housing, and employment and training services. With offices in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, The Actors Fund has - for over 125 years - been a safety net for those in need, crisis or transition. Visit www.actorsfund.org for more information or call The Fund at (212) 221-7300.

ABOUT THE LION KING

THE LION KING continues to reign as one of the most popular shows on Broadway and around the world. The global phenomenon can also be seen on stage across North America and in Las Vegas, London, Hamburg, Paris and Tokyo. Now in its 13th year, THE LION KING is the eighth longest-running musical in Broadway history and one of only five musical productions in theatre history to play for ten years or more on both Broadway and the West End.

THE LION KING has been seen by more than 50 million people in 13 different countries and translated into five different languages (Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch).

THE LION KING has won more than 70 major awards worldwide, including the 1998 Tony Award® and NY Drama Critics Award for Best Musical, the 1999 Grammy® for Best Musical Show Album, and the 1999 Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Choreography and Best Costume Design. Julie Taymor was the first woman in theatrical history to win the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical. She is also the winner of the 1998 Tony Award for Best Costume Design.

Taymor, along with designer Michael Curry, has created hundreds of masks and puppets for THE LION KING. Scenic design is by Richard Hudson; costume design is by Julie Taymor; lighting design is by Donald Holder. Choreography is by Garth Fagan. The book has been adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed the animated feature and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the film's screenplay.

The Broadway score features Elton John and Tim Rice's music from The Lion King animated film along with three new songs by John and Rice; additional musical material 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 the haunting ballad "Shadowlands."