THE LION KING Tour Opens Tonight in Buffalo

The Buffalo return of Disney's THE LION KING opens tonight, Thursday, October 6 at 7:30 pm at Shea's Performing Arts Center for a limited engagement of four weeks through Sunday, October 30. "After a sell-out six-week premiere engagement in 2005, we are very excited for the return engagement of the Tony®-Award winning blockbuster musical The Lion King, which opens our 2011-12 Broadway Season. Although going fast, tickets are still available for this spectacular production," said Tony Conte, president of Shea's.

In Buffalo THE LION KING will play Tuesday through Thursday evenings at 7:30 pm, Fridays at 8:00 pm, Saturdays at 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm and Sundays at 1:00 pm and 6:30 pm. There will be a special 1:00 pm matinee on Thursday, October 27. There will not be a 6:30 pm performance on Sunday, October 30.

Great seats are still available and may be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, online at www.ticketmaster.com and www.sheas.org as well as at the Shea's Ticket Office. There is an eight-ticket limit per patron. Ticket prices start as low as $27.50. Premium Ticket Packages, which include prime seat locations, a commemorative souvenir program and an exclusive merchandise item, are also available. For groups (15 or more), please call 716-829-1153.

THE LION KING began as a 1994 animated feature-length film developed and produced by the Walt Disney Company.  The story, a coming of age parable set among animals indigenous to its setting, the African savanna, tells the tale of Simba, the lion cub who rises to be the King of the jungle. 

The sardonic and deviously cunning "Scar" is played by Michael Hollick.  Dionne Randolph is "Mufasa," the great warrior and ruler of the Pridelands.  Buyi Zama is the wise baboon shaman "Rafiki." Mark David Kaplan portrays the prim and proper hornbilled bird "Zazu." Ben Lipitz is the carefree warthog "Pumbaa" and Nick Cordileone is the wisecracking meerkat "Timon."  Mufasa's son, "Simba," the lion prince born to be king, is played by Jelani Remy and Syndee Winters is the loyal lioness "Nala." 

The three evil hyenas are played by Omari Tau ("Banzai"), Monica L. Patton ("Shenzi") and Ben Roseberry ("Ed").  The role of "Young Simba" is alternated between Niles Fitch and Zavion J. Hill and the role of "Young Nala" is alternated between Sade Phillip-Demorcy and Kailah McFadden.

The North American touring production of THE LION KING has been seen by over 13.5 million theatergoers and grossed over $875 million to date. Having already played more than 60 cities across North America, THE LION KING now proudly makes its Buffalo return at the Shea's Performing Arts Center. The current schedule is listed below.

Now in its 14th year, THE LION KING remains ascendant, continuing to reign as a cultural phenomenon and one of the most popular stage musicals in the world. Since its 1997 Broadway premiere, 18 global productions have been seen by more than 60 million people, grossed over $4.6 billion to date and have cumulatively run 83 years. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions (under the direction of Thomas Schumacher), THE LION KING is the seventh longest-running musical in Broadway history and one of only five productions in theatre history to play for ten years or more, both on Broadway and in the West End. Translated into seven different languages (Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch, Mandarin, Spanish), the show has been performed in 14 different countries on five continents. THE LION KING can currently be seen on Broadway (its flagship production), on stages across North America, and in Las Vegas, London's West End, Hamburg, Tokyo, Singapore and Sapporo. In October, the first Spanish production will bow in Madrid.

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, making Taymor the first woman in theatrical history bestowed with the honor. 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. 

On stage, Taymor's creative vision blends elements of African art and Broadway artisanship to depict anthropomorphic animal characters. Taymor, along with designer Michael Curry, has created hundreds of masks and puppets for THE LION KING. 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: Steve Canyon Kennedy (sound design), Michael Ward (hair and makeup design), John Stefaniuk (associate director), Marey Griffith (associate choreographer), Clement Ishmael (music supervisor). Anne Quart serves as associate producer.

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 LION KING is part of the 2011-12 M&T Bank Broadway Series presented by Shea's and Albert Nocciolino. Season ticket packages, which include THE LION KING, are on sale now. To purchase, call 716-847-0850, go to sheas.org or to the Shea's Ticket Office, 650 Main St.

For more information worldwide, visit LionKing.com or sheas.org.

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR SCHEDULE THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2012:

Buffalo - Shea's Performing Arts Center
October 4 - 30, 2011

Denver - Buell Theatre
November 2 - December 4, 2011

Baltimore - Hippodrome Theatre
December 7 - January 8, 2012

Minneapolis - Orpheum Theatre
January 11 - February 12, 2012

New Orleans - Mahalia Jackson Theatre
March 14 - April 15, 2012

Orlando - Bob Carr Performing Arts Center
April 17 - May 13, 2012

Miami - Adrienne Arsht Center
May 17 - June 10, 2012

Greenville - Peace Center for Performing Arts
June 12 - July 8, 2012

Houston - Hobby Center for the Performing Arts
July 10 - August 12, 2012

St. Louis - Fox Theatre
August 15 - September 2, 2012

 

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