BWW Reviews: THE LION KING Roars Again at OCPAC

After almost a decade of traveling the country (to go along with countless international productions as well as a recently planted sit-down production in Las Vegas), the National Touring company of DISNEY'S THE LION KING returns to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for a strictly-limited three-week run through June 13, to dazzle a new generation of wide-eyed audiences, offering the chance for many to relive one of the most celebrated, most creatively-staged musicals to ever grace the Broadway stage. There is no denying the awe-inspiring wonder this show elicits out of its rapt audience; even after years of seeing the show's last visit to the O.C. (as well as the three-year sit-down production that christened the newly-refurbished Pantages Theatre in Hollywood back in 2000), the show surprisingly holds up well with age, especially when you consider what other shows have followed in its wake.

Debuting in 1997-and stands as Broadway's eighth longest-running show in history-THE LION KING dominated the Tony Awards in 1998, winning six of its 11 nominations. Not only did it win Best Musical, it also awarded Best Director to the show's creative mastermind, Julie Taymor. Based on an already gargantuanly-popular Disney animated film, THE LION KING was reimagined for the stage not by simply mimicking the original film's animated roots, but by an innovative combination of puppetry, masks and make-up, and enchantingly animalistic movements that sparked children's imaginations and fascinated their adult counterparts. Visions of Shakespearean-like tragedies is at the heart of its very familiar story: young prince cub Simba (Elijah Johnson) is perplexed by following the status quo and the very natural order of Pride Rock, set forth by his father, the King Mufasa (Dionne Randolph, speaking similarly as his animated counterpart James Earl Jones). Simba feels that once he is King, he can set his own rules. Mufasa's brother Scar (a devilish Brent Harris) wants to rule the kingdom for himself, but realizes that Simba is the direct heir to the throne. Working with three wise-cracking hyenas (scene-stealing Andrea Jones, Omari Tau, and Ben Roseberry), Scar plots to kill his brother and nephew, thereby taking over as the King. This very adult-leaning story takes a turn when a wildebeest stampede (arranged by Scar and the hyenas) results in a devastating tragedy, forcing young Simba to run away from Pride Rock. Hiding out in the forest, he meets a couple of new friends, Timon the meerkat (Tyler Murree) and Pumbaa the flatulent warthog (Ben Lipitz), who both show him a new carefree way of living, complete with a catchphrase ("Hakuna Matata"). When an old friend and love interest Nala (Marja Harmon) discovers that a grown-up Simba (André Jackson) is still alive, the quartet devise a plan to overthrow Scar and reclaim Simba's rightful place as King.

The familiar story is accompanied by some of the Disney catalog's most recognized musical compositions, created by Elton John and Tim Rice. Even the soaring, original orchestral score of Hans Zimmer in the original film finds new life in the stage version, where these iconic songs are joined by new music by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin and Taymor herself. Unlike the film, the stage version's musicality is much more attuned to its geographic roots in Africa which is a great complement to the show's overall vibe and grand design.

THE LION KING ushered in a new kind of imaginative staging-a well-orchestrated, well-choreographed symphony of graceful dance, ingenious puppetry, infectious music, and its very unique Disney-esque theatrical ability to inspire dropped jaws of wonder. Taymor conducts all of these elements to come together in wondrous harmony, not only for the audience to suspend its preconceived notions of theater, but to also suspend any belief that clichéd "children's entertainment" be void of artistry and creative integrity.

The opening number alone-from the haunting African chants of Rafiki (a marvelous Phindile Mkhize) to the stirring sunrise in the savannah sequence-sets up the very wonder and spectacle of this musical. Like the majestic Noah's ark-like parade of animals during the animated film's stirring opening sequence that presents the lion cub's birth to Pride Rock, the stage musical lays down a regal procession of large-scale animals, more elaborate than any theme park parade you'll ever see (even the Orange County Performing Arts Center's usual seating layout was altered to accommodate this intricate staging). The large cast march in en masse down the aisles and up to the stage-all to the giddy excitement of the young and the young-at-heart alike. Even this reviewer admits that a sense of kid-like excitement filled my increasingly judgmental heart once those animals startEd Strolling down the aisles next to me.

That is exactly what Disney does best, especially with live storytelling: it surrounds you in its wonders, enveloping you into the action so that you're not just a mere observer. Like seemingly endless queues in its theme park rides and its spectacular attractions, Disney surrounds you with the sights, sounds, and senses of its storytelling devises, imagineered for maximum pleasure. In this musical, you're on Safari in the Serengeti, watching nature from the protective encasement of your seat. Watch out! Those hyenas are running down those aisles!

But here, Taymor (whose next project is the long-delayed Spider-Man musical) extends that idea of Disney-esque theatricality with her own inspiring ideas of innovation, artistry, and staging. She amplifies the story by filling the stage with lively, humanized environments, where actors and eloquently fluid dancers fill the stage: they are not only animals, they are also vegetation and plant life, and they manipulate everything from ants to flying birds. This cast of 50+ works much like a well-organized herd: instinctive and moving. Its plainly evident underneath the mounds of beautifully crafted costumes and make-up that the humans playing the roles are present, whether on stilts portraying tall, majestic giraffes, as a gang of frightening hyenas, puppeteers of birds or gazelles, or as the lions themselves. Masks and costumes (a collaborative collection by Taymor and Michael Curry) play a significant part of the illusion; at times, the actors disappear behind them, other times, their very-human faces tell the whole story. Particularly, in the case of Timon and Zazu, the performances are so spot-on that sometimes, the puppeteers just disappear subconsciously.

But all these technological marvels and overt theatricality reveal something else, especially now after several years of playing packed houses: some of the show's heart and soul gets a little lost in all that eye-popping creativity. While the beauty of the sets and costumes are certainly worthy of all the praise and sensational accolades that they have received through the years, they are a bit of a distraction in order to hide some of the show's flaws, most specifically its story. There are also one or two jarring moments of disconnect, particularly an inserted pseudo-hip-hop dance break segment with shirtless dancers. But these are minor blights, especially considering what does go right with the show: to go along with its technological marvel and visual splendor, the brilliant cast offers a remarkable showcase of talent that not only requires them to sing and dance to exhaustive lengths, but in some cases, manipulate the mechanical aspects of their own transformations.

Mkhize's portrayal of Rafiki is not only quite hilarious, she also fills her baboon character with an incredible singing voice, perhaps the best of the entire ensemble. The exceptional comedy team of Murree and Lipitz (as Timon and Pumbaa, respectively), the entertaining Hyena trio of Jones, Tau and Roseberry, and Tony Freeman's amusing puppetry of Zazu provide many of the show's laughs. Zazu, in particular, conjures up some of the show's heartiest laughs with some very meta moments ("This wasn't in the cartoon!") in the musical-some even quite adult-skewing humor that will likely go over the little ones' heads, thankfully.

The main cast is also noteworthy. Randolph's rich baritone is perfect for the regal King Mufasa. As Scar, Harris is perfectly wicked as Mufasa's vengeful brother, but some of his singing does get drowned out a bit by his louder, more bombastic musical accompaniment. Young Simba (Johnson, in this performance) and Young Nala (Jamariana Tribble, in this performance) do great work in the first act as the rambunctious little lion cubs. Their grown-up counterparts offer up great performances as well: Harmon (as the adult Nala) is blessed with a beautiful voice, and Jackson (as the adult Simba)-despite being a bit awkward and 'screamy' with higher notes of songs-provides a second-act, Yul Brynner-esque acting performance that is worthy of his eventual triumph in this spectacularly huge production.

THE LION KING, by its own merits, is a blockbuster that knows it's a blockbuster, but serves it to you with the master strokes of an ingenious artist. The achievement of such a Broadway musical-or any theatrical production for that matter-that can stir the excitement and wonder of both young impressionable children and cynical, 'been-there-seen-that' adults, is a commendable enterprise that rightly earns all of its deserved admiration. Despite its age, DISNEY'S THE LION KING is still a must-see theatrical experience, if only to marvel at the genius creations of Julie Taymor and to see the glimmer of giddy happiness that comes out when those giraffes and gazelles come alive magically on that stage.

Score: 8 / 10*

Top Photo: Phindile Mkhize as Rafiki. Bottom Photo: André Jackson as Simba and Marja Harmon as Nala.
Photos by Joan Marcus. ©Disney.

Read the BWW Interview with THE LION KING's Tyler Murree (Timon) here.

*Broadway World's new score card system. For details, click here.

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Tickets to see DISNEY'S THE LION KING start at $23.25 and are available online at OCPAC.org, at the Center's Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling 714.556.2787. For inquiries about group ticket discounts for 15 or more, call the Group Services office at 714.755.0236. The TTY number is 714.556.2746. The 2 p.m. performance on Saturday, June 12 will be sign-language interpreted.

Performances continue through June 13 and are on Tuesdays - Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. There will be an additional matinee performance on Thursday, May 27 at 2 p.m.

For more information, visit OCPAC.org.

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