Exercise Caution When Purchasing Tickets For THE LION KING At Fox Cities P.A.C.

The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center is encouraging patrons to exercise caution when purchasing tickets for Disney's The Lion King after identifying fraudulent tickets for sale online and on social media.

In partnership with Disney Theatrical Productions and Ticketmaster, tickets purchased by third party brokers have been canceled, meaning individuals who purchased tickets from unauthorized individuals and third party websites will not have valid tickets for the February performances.

Ticket buyers are reminded that the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center and Ticketmaster are the only official retail ticket outlets for all performances.

Patrons who may have purchased tickets from unauthorized individuals or third party websites should request a refund from that source. If they are unsuccessful, they can dispute the charge with their credit card company.

"As technology gets more sophisticated and we continue to attract in-demand performances, we have seen an increase in purchases intended to make a profit instead of share the arts. Third party sources often charge prices that exceed face value, creating barriers that prevent many from enjoying exceptional live experiences with us," said Fox Cities P.A.C. president Maria Van Laanen, "Since it is our mission to create a gathering place for the entire community, we want to ensure as many people as possible in our community are able to secure their seats fairly, be contacted with updates about the show as needed and arrive knowing their seat is waiting for them."

"It's important to note that your internet search may bring up several sites before Ticketmaster or the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center. Always check the URL is ticketmaster.com prior to purchase. If the price seems too low or too high to believe, it's good to double check," said director of marketing and communications Trisha Witt. "Also be careful on social media sites like Facebook. We've seen several events and pages that look legitimate but lead to third party sites."

Tickets for Disney's The Lion King, Feb. 7-24, 2019, at the Fox Cities P.A.C. go on sale to the public Friday, November 16. Ticket prices are expected to range from $39 to $154 for the VIP ticket package and are only available at Ticketmaster.com or through the Fox Cities P.A.C. ticket office in person or by phone at (920) 730-3760. Performance schedule, prices and cast are subject to change without notice.

After 20 landmark years on Broadway, THE LION KING continues ascendant as one of the most popular stage musicals in the world. Since its premiere on November 13, 1997, 25 global productions have been seen by more than 95 million people. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions (under the direction of Thomas Schumacher), THE LION KING has made theatrical history with six productions worldwide running 15 or more years. Having been performed in eight different languages over the show's life (Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch, Spanish, Mandarin and Portuguese), productions of THE LION KING can currently be seen on Broadway; London's West End; Hamburg; Tokyo; Madrid; Scheveningen, Holland; Singapore; and on tours across North America and Japan, for a total of nine productions running concurrently across the globe.

Having played over 100 cities in 20 countries on every continent except Antarctica, THE LION KING's worldwide gross exceeds that of any film, Broadway show or other entertainment title in box office history.

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 co-producer.

For more information worldwide, visit LionKing.com.

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