Cut Songs from Lion King

[Moriah3]

Posted: 9/23/18 at 9:23pm

I just got a playbill from Lion King and noticed Morning Report was no longer in the show along with Rafiki Mourns did they cut both of those songs and if they did, does anyone know why? Thanks so much!

[JBroadway]

Posted: 9/23/18 at 9:59pm

I saw The Lion King about 4 years ago, and I had the same confusion. I looked into it at the time, and discovered that in 2010, they made several cuts to the show. Apparently, it was simply a creative decision to make the show a little tighter. 

https://variety.com/2010/legit/news/broadway-hits-not-averse-to-retooling-1118021067/

Morning Report was cut, as was the long instrumental section of Can You Feel the Love Tonight with the aerial dancers.

However, if Rafiki Mourns was cut, that's news to me. It was definitely in the show when I last saw it in 2014. 

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 9/23/18 at 10:51pm

The images on PlaybillVault.com appear to be from the opening night Playbill (though the site header says opening at the Minskoff, it's clear based on the cast list that it was from the opening at the New Amsterdam). In that one "Rafiki Mourns" is not listed, so I'm guessing it's never been included as a song in the Playbill listing, and I haven't heard any reports that ever mentioned that sequence getting cut.

[Justin D]

Posted: 9/24/18 at 8:14am

Yes, its still there, its just not usually listed as a song

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 9/24/18 at 8:24am

Rafaki Mourns is in the show, just not listed

[faceleg]

Posted: 9/24/18 at 7:47pm

Rafiki Mourns was in the Playbill when I saw the tour in June, just under a different name.

Updated On: 9/24/18 at 07:47 PM