Disney's THE LION KING to Hold Open Auditions for 'Cub School' Program, 16 March

Open auditions are to be held for 'Cub School' - the programme where children who have the potential to play Young Simba and Young Nala in Disney's musical THE LION KING have the opportunity to hone the skills required to take on these challenging roles.

'Cub School' is a free, fourteen-week performance-training programme from which the roles of Young Simba and Young Nala are cast. During the programme, children are trained in the disciplines of dance, voice and acting by teachers who are associated with THE LION KING.

The 'Cub School' auditions will take place on Sunday 16 March (registration from 10:30am) at Sylvia Young Theatre School in London.

Children are not required to prepare anything in advance of the audition for Cub School and must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Applicants must be between ages 7 and 11 and below 148cm (4'8") in height.

While winning a place in Cub School does not guarantee a part in the stage musical, it has proved to be excellent training for young people with the ambition to work on stage.

Disney's award-winning musical THE LION KING is now in its 15th triumphant year at London's Lyceum Theatre. Since the UK premiere in London on Tuesday 19th October 1999, the show has welcomed over 11 million guests and remains the West End's best-selling stage production. Tickets are currently on sale until 28 September 2014.

Winning over 70 theatre awards worldwide, THE LION KING follows the adventures of the young lion cub Simba, as he struggles to accept the responsibilities of adulthood and his destined role of King.

THE LION KING is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions.

CUB SCHOOL open auditions take place on Sunday 16 March at Sylvia Young School.

In its 17th year, THE LION KING remains ascendant; it is the highest-grossing Broadway show in New York history and one of the most popular stage musicals in the world. Since its Broadway premiere on November 13, 1997, 22 global productions have been seen by more than 70 million people and, cumulatively, run a staggering 104 years. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions (under the direction of Thomas Schumacher), THE LION KING is only the second show in history to generate five productions worldwide running 10 or more years. Translated into eight different languages (Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch, Mandarin, Spanish and Portuguese), productions of THE LION KING can currently be seen on Broadway and on tour across North America, the U.K., and Japan, and in London's West End, Hamburg, Tokyo, Madrid, Sao Paulo, and Sydney, Australia. The Australian production marks the tenth concurrent worldwide production of THE LION KING, the highest number of productions running at any one time in the show's history. To date, THE LION KING has played 18 countries on every continent except Antarctica.

Among the most successful titles in entertainment history, with a cumulative gross in excess of $5 billion, the stage production of THE LION KING has already earned more than the biggest hit films in movie history: more than the Lord of the Rings trilogy combined, more than the six Star Wars films combined, and more than Avatar and Titanic, the two highest-grossing films in movie history, combined.

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. 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 and the 1999 Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Choreography and Best Costume Design.

The show's director, costume designer and mask co-designer Julie Taymor continues to play an integral part in the show's ongoing success. The first woman to win a Tony Award for Direction of a Musical, Taymor has in recent years supervised new productions of the show around the world.

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."

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. Other members of the creative team include: Michael Curry, who designed the masks and puppets with Taymor, 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 worldwide, visit LionKing.com.

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