Video Flashback: 20 Years of Hakuna Matata! Looking Back on Opening Night of THE LION KING on Broadway

Today we celebrate a tremendous landmark for one of Broadway's favorite shows, The Lion King, as it observes 20 years on the Great White Way.

After 20 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, 24 global productions have been seen by more than 90 million people. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions (under the direction of Thomas Schumacher), The Lion King is the only show in history to generate six productions worldwide running 15 or more years.

Performed in eight different languages (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 and Sapporo, Madrid, Mexico City, Scheveningen, Holland, and on tour across North America, for a total of nine productions running concurrently across the globe.

Having played over 100 cities in 19 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.

Flashback to the this incredible show's opening night with this archived backstage footage and a chat with visionary director, Julie Taymor, as we celebrate 20 years of Hakuna Matata!