THE LION KING Sets New House Record at SHN's Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco

The North American tour of Disney's The Lion King broke the SHN Orpheum Theatre box office record (for the highest grossing week of a Broadway engagement), grossing $1,674,059 for eight performances the week ending November 25. This marks the first time the record has been broken since January 30, 2010. Tickets are still available for the remaining seven weeks of this smash San Francisco return engagement, which concludes on January 13, 2013, with best availability on weeknights and during the holidays.

THE LION KING also reigned on Broadway where the award-winning musical grossed $2,125,561 at the Minskoff Theatre last week, a house record for an eight-performance week.

Tickets for all performances of The Lion King in San Francisco are on sale now and can be purchased at the SHN Orpheum Theatre Box Office, online at shnsf.com and by phone at SHN Audience Services at 888-746-1799.

The performance schedule for The Lion King is Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8pm, Saturday matinees at 2pm and Sunday matinees at 1pm. Select Wednesday matinees at 2pm and Sunday evenings at 6:30pm. Visit shnsf.com for complete performance schedule including holidays. Ticket prices start as low as $35.00. Additionally, Premium Ticket Packages, which include a prime seat location, a commemorative souvenir program and an exclusive merchandise item, are also available.

SHN Audience Services hours are Monday 10 – 6, Tuesday through Friday 10 – 8, Saturday 10 – 6 and Sunday 10 – 4. When in performance, SHN Audience Services will remain open until ½ hour past curtain time. Please visit shnsf.com for current Box Office hours. Groups of fifteen (15) or more may order by calling 888-746-1799, Press 3. The only official and approved websites for ticket purchases for The Lion King at the Orpheum in San Francisco are lionking.com and shnsf.com.

The North American touring productions of The Lion King have been seen by more than 14 million theatergoers and grossed over $928 million to date. Having already played more than 70 cities across North America, The Lion King now proudly makes its San Francisco return at the SHN Orpheum Theatre.

As it enters its 16th year, The Lion King remains ascendant, recently becoming the highest-grossing Broadway show in history. Since its Broadway premiere on November 13, 1997, 20 productions around the globe have been seen by more than 65 million people, grossed over $5 billion and, cumulatively, run a staggering 91 years. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions (under the direction of Thomas Schumacher), The Lion King is the fifth longest-running musical in Broadway history and only the second show in history to generate five productions running 10 or more years. Translated into eight different languages (Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch, Mandarin, Spanish, Portuguese), the show has been performed in 15 different countries on five continents. Continuing to reign as one of the most popular stage musicals in the world, The Lion King can currently be seen on Broadway and on tour in North America, in London's West End and on tour in the UK, in Hamburg, Madrid, Tokyo and on tour in Japan.

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, making Taymor the first woman in theatrical history bestowed with the honor. 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, the 1999 Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Choreography and Best Costume Design and seven 2012 Spanish Musical Theatre Awards, including Best Musical.

On stage, Taymor's creative vision blends elements of African art and Broadway artisanship to depict anthropomorphic animal characters. Taymor, along with designer Michael Curry, has created hundreds of masks and puppets for The Lion King. The book has been adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed The Lion King 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 "Shadowland."

Other members of the creative team include: Steve Canyon Kennedy (sound design), Michael Ward (hair and makeup design), John Stefaniuk (associate director), Marey Griffith (associate choreographer), Clement Ishmael (music supervisor) and Doc Zorthian (Production Supervisor). Anne Quart serves as associate producer.

For more information, visit www.shnsf.com/online/lionking or follow the show on Twitter @thelionking, #LionKingSF. Connect with SHN at www.shnsf.com, Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.

SHN, Shorenstein Hays-Nederlander Theatres, has been San Francisco's preeminent theatrical entertainment company for more than 30 years. Commercial producers Carole Shorenstein Hays and Robert Nederlander own and operate the Curran, Orpheum and Golden Gate Theatres. SHN presents pre-Broadway world premieres, original Broadway cast productions, award-winners and current hits fresh from Broadway.

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR SCHEDULE THROUGH JUNE 2013:

San Francisco – Orpheum Theatre
November 1 – January 13, 2013

Austin – Bass Hall
January 16 – February 10, 2013

Detroit – Opera House
February 13 - March 10, 2013

Omaha – Orpheum Theatre
March 12 - April 7, 2013

Appleton – Fox Cities Performing Arts Center
April 9 - May 5, 2013

Nashville – Tennessee Performing Arts Center
May 7 - June 2, 2013

Tulsa – Tulsa Performing Arts Center
June 4 - June 30, 2013

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