Interview: Darlene Drew, Flutist of THE LION KING At Devos Hall

The Lion King, currently playing in Detroit, roars back into Grand Rapids April 8 - 26, 2026, at DeVos Performance Hall for a three-week engagement, part of the Broadway Grand Rapids 25/25 series. As The Lion King returns to Grand Rapids for the first time since its 2019 premiere, several Michigan-born accomplished musicians take center stage. Music Director Karl Shymanovtiz, born in Southfield and raised in Warren, uses his Michigan upbringing to conduct the orchestra. Guitarist Robert Tye, born and raised in Detroit and now a resident of Birmingham, adds dynamic rhythm and texture to the show’s powerful score. Keyboardist Eric Banitt, a University of Michigan alum from Marquette, adds depth and energy to the production’s vibrant musical landscape. Flutist Darlene Drew, born in Detroit, raised in Dearborn Heights, and, when not on tour, a resident of Grand Rapids, brings elegance to the woodwind section.

Darlene has been a part of the Chicago music scene for the past 30 years. She has performed with many ensembles, including the Chicago Symphony, Lyric Opera, Grant Park Symphony, Joffrey Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, and has served as Principal Flute and soloist with the Ravinia Festival Orchestra for over 20 years. A longtime performer in musical theatre, she has played for many major productions, including Showboat, Ragtime, Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, and Wicked. She currently serves as a member of the touring company of Disney’s The Lion King, performing on 14 ethnic flutes. Her chamber ensemble, Trio Elan, has been featured on WFMT Radio and has a CD, Trio Elan, published and distributed by World Library Publications. A graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy, where she served as principal flute in the orchestra, she holds degrees in music performance from Northwestern University and Florida State University. Her teachers include Frances Shelly, Shaul Ben Meir, Jacqueline Hofto, Walfrid Kujala, Peter Lloyd, Charles Delaney, Robert Aitken, and Jean Berkenstock.

Broadway World Michigan was fortunate to interview Darlene Drew (Flutist) ahead of the tour’s Grand Rapids stop.

Broadway World Michigan (BWW): Having been a part of the (Chicago) music scene for 30 years and having performed with many prestigious ensembles, what are some of your favorite memories from your career?

Darlene Drew: Being a freelance musician in Chicago spanned everything from playing with orchestras to performing Christmas carols in office building lobbies with my trio. Every week took me to new places and events. Two of my favorite memories were playing principal flute for the visiting Bolshoi Ballet (while I was still a ballet dancer myself!) and for the world premiere of an opera at Lyric Opera. Summers had numerous performances at the Ravinia Festival, the summer home of the Chicago Symphony.

BWW: Having played in major productions such as The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Miss Saigon, and now the touring company of Disney’s The Lion King, from a flutist’s perspective, describe some differences in performing musical theatre.

Darlene: My first taste of musical theatre was as an 8th grader in my high school, playing Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel. In Chicago, my first professional musical was a production of Sondheim’s The Frogs, which was performed at a college swimming pool. As I said, you never know where you might be playing from week to week! Shows used to begin in Chicago, after opening on Broadway, used nice, large orchestras for sometimes years-long runs. I was lucky to come into the business during this golden era and then move on to traveling with The Lion King national tour.

BWW: What drew you to The Lion King? How did you become a part of the tour, and what is your favorite Lion King memory?

Darlene: I was playing Ragtime in Chicago when The Lion King came out, and I remember thinking, “Puppets? Pan flutes?” At the retirement party for my college professor, I met his son, Stephen Kujala, who was playing the show in LA at the time. He invited me to LA to sit in the pit and check out the show, which, of course, I did! It opened my eyes to a whole wide new world of flute playing, and I embarked on learning the show. Now, 23 years after playing my first Lion King in Chicago, this is my third Lion King company, having played in 75 cities and still enjoying the magic of its very special score.

BWW: I read that you play 14 ethnic flutes in The Lion King, and that the production has a very unique flute instrumentation. Tell me about what each flute contributes to the

music?

Darlene: There is a variety of bamboo flutes from China, Ireland, and India, as well as pan flutes that add a unique color palette that goes beyond what I can create with my concert flute and piccolo. The higher-pitched, brighter ones create a happy, joyful tone, while the lower, breathier ones can sound downright ominous and scary. I look at each of them as the musical soul of the characters and also of the savanna landscape so beautifully depicted in the stage scenery.

BWW: You were born in Detroit, raised in Dearborn Heights, and are a graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy, and now you reside here in Grand Rapids! What influence has the state of Michigan and the current arts scene in Grand Rapids had on your career?

Darlene: Because I’ve been visiting Grand Rapids for many decades (my sister is a doctor in a medical practice in Walker, and my mother also lived here for 25 years), it’s always felt like home, and I decided to move here from Chicago a couple of years ago. Michigan’s musical influence can be illustrated by the fact that 4 of the 12 musicians in our traveling pit orchestra are originally from Michigan! Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, and Marquette are represented.

BWW: What are you most looking forward to when performing in Grand Rapids, for your home crowd? Will friends and family come to see you perform?

Darlene: Yes! I’m hearing from a number of folks who already have their tickets, including those from my new neighborhood, who have been watching over my house while I’ve been traveling. And my sister has been talking up the show to her staff and patients.

BWW: Is there anything I haven’t asked that you would like to share about your career and The Lion King tour?

Darlene: These were all great questions. I guess I would like my story to serve as an inspiration to other budding young musicians out there that you never know where your career might take you. “Be Prepared,” lol, to be versatile and be open to paths you least expect. The Lion King was the biggest surprise for me in my musical life.