The
Lion King is over
a decade old and yet it is still able to bring throngs of parents and
children to see its shows all over the world. The show has proved to
be perhaps the signature creation of Disney Theatricals. It is the first
I think of when I think of animation adaptations.
It has survived the moved from
the New
Amsterdam Theater
to the Minskoff
Theatre. It has
even endured the rush to adapt every Disney classic to a stage show.
I am still in awe of the work
done by Julie Taymor and Michael Curry. While the advances in animation
have often left the movies of the past behind and archaic, their costumes
and the set design by Richard Hudson have managed to help children and
skeptical adults (even this one) suspend their belief and envision that
the grasslands have been preserved inside New York�s concrete jungle.
I do not know if the wild life
is as vicious as some of the creatures that loom in Central Park, but
King Scar and his hyenas are still as menacing as they were when the
animated film debuted in 1997. Sometimes I fear that efforts of the
actors and actresses beneath the makeup and puppetry go unappreciated.
Derek Smith has been able to capture the right balance of ferocity,
spite, and general evilness to make the character powerful and believable
without damaging the children.
Nathaniel Stampley, similarly
brings the nobility of a truly good king as Mufasa to the stage before
his demise. Simba is the pivotal character and theater productions often
have troubles finding the right combination of children and adults to
make the character blossom. Guy Barfield II as Simba the young and Dashaun
Young a Simba the adult help bring the conflicted jungle Hamlet to life
without leaving the audience snickering at the quick maturation.
The list of accolades and personal
performances goes on and on, and they are the reason that the Lion King
is still able to outdraw Mary
Poppins tickets
despite moving to the smaller theater two years ago.
Perhaps many of us have taken
the work of the individuals for granted in this age of gigantic Disney
Theatrical productions, but after the troubles of the Little Mermaid
I feel compelled to remind every Broadway
fan that great,
enduring works are not common. They are not the product of a machine,
but a creation that such a powerful financial force like Disney can
cultivate when they match the right people to the right story.
I have not had the pleasure
of watching the Lion King productions on tour or in other cities, but
I truly appreciate Broadway�s rendition. It has continued to attract
the very best talent and has been able to include such wonders as the
truly incredible stampeded scene thanks to its permanent location.
The Lion King is still able
to captivate audiences and inspire the latest generation of preschoolers
and elementary school children. This production immerses them in the
perfect breeding ground for young theater fans. The very best in set
and costume design, the very best in storylines with an adaptation of
Hamlet, and the very best in songs with a collection of music by Elton
John and Tim Rice are sure to snare Broadway fans of the future.
| 
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Photo Flash: 'Rhythm and Rhyme' - RAGTIME Opens on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre
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Photo Coverage: ON THE TOWN Opens!
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