Lion King Ends Run in Holland; 'Beauty' & Tarzan are Next

Following a successful two and a half year run, the Disney Theatrical and Stage Entertainment award-winning production of The Lion King ended its run at The Circustheatre, on August 27, 2006 after playing 950 performances. The show opened to rave reviews on May 4, 2004 in Scheveningen, a seaside city just outside The Hague, The Netherlands.

In addition, Dutch productions of Beauty and the Beast and Tarzan are on the way.

The Dutch-language production entertained nearly 1.7 million people in two and a half years, which represents 12% of the entire population of the country.  The run and attendance surpassed the last Disney Theatrical production in the theatre, Aida, which played in Scheveningen from October 2001 to August 2003.

The Lion King was awarded Best Musical by public vote at the Dutch Musical Awards in 2004.

"We are thrilled with the success of The Lion King production in The Netherlands," said Thomas Schumacher, President, Disney Theatrical Productions.  "We are looking forward to opening our productions of Beauty and the Beast this year and Tarzan next year, and continuing our successful relationship with Stage Entertainment."

Stage Entertainment, Disney Theatrical Productions' long time producing partner in continental Europe has already announced plans to bring its successful Dutch-language touring production of Beauty and the Beast to the Circustheatre from September 15, 2006 to January 14, 2007.  Stage Entertainment's production of Beauty and the Beast was awarded the 2006 Best Musical at the Dutch Musical Awards.

As previously announced, Stage Entertainment will present the European premiere of Tarzan: The Broadway Musical at the Circustheatre on April 15, 2007.

Disney Theatrical Productions, a unit of Buena Vista Theatrical Group, operates under the direction of Thomas Schumacher. Disney's hit productions of Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida, have been presented in 40 international productions that has been seen by over 60 million people worldwide—making DTP one of the world's largest producers of live theatre. Disney's newest musical, Tarzan, had its world premiere at Broadway's Richard Rodgers Theatre in May 2006. Mary Poppins, in partnership with Cameron Mackintosh, is now playing at London's Prince Edward Theatre, and will arrive on Broadway in October 2006. Further information about productions can be found at www.disneyonbroadway.com.