Interview: Erick D. Patrick of THE LION KING at Kansas City Music Hall

Today we are speaking to one of the Lead Actors in Walt’s Disney’s production of “The Lion King.”  “The Lion King” opens on May 22 for a two week run through June 1 at the Kansas City Music Hall.

Erick D. Patrick is speaking with us today, May 14, from Orlando, Florida where “The Lion King” touring company is completing a one-month residency as it passes a special milestone. “The Lion King” will have been performed to over twenty- seven million people.

“Lion King” will close in Orlando on Sunday May 18th before packing up its bundles for sixteen shows at the Kansas City Music Hall beginning on Thursday, May 22.

Erick Patrick is the actor playing Simba, son of the original Lion King and the legitimate heir to his jungle throne in this touring “Lion King” production. Erick hails from the KC area and is a graduate of Olathe South High School,

Erick Patrick: Yeah, we just celebrated our 23rd anniversary of the touring company. I think they wanted us to do something special with Disney World being so close and whatnot.

BroadwayWorld: Have you had a chance to go over there?

Erick Patrick: Oh yeah, I actually went to Disney World for my very first time, and it was every bit of amazing. It was magical.

BroadwayWorld: What was your favorite ride?

Erick Patrick: Definitely, the Guardians of the Galaxy. The thing was so fun, I mean, I waited in line about two hours, but it was well worth it. It is a space simulator. Uh, kind of like a roller coaster, but there are also projections and wind and things like that. It really feels like you're flying through space.

BroadwayWorld: For those of us who have not yet seen “The Lion King,” please share us what we should expect as the show opens.

Erick Patrick: Oh wow, where do I even begin? I mean, you're going to see amazing storytelling. You're going to see beautiful puppet work. Some of the best singing that you've ever heard. And obviously it's a story about a young lion who is on a journey of self-discovery. Or alternately, how he finds his way back home and accepts his calling

BroadwayWorld: Who is Simba?

Erick Patrick: I guess Simba is the first male lead in the show. Yes, technically Simba is actually second to Mufasa. But you know, Simba is probably the one character that people know the most from the show.

BroadwayWorld: And what are the challenges to becoming him?

Erick Patrick: When I approach any acting role, I just try to look for the honesty and truth within the text and focus on bringing that to the stage. I think that with some of the specific being, you know, we need a 16 year old kid. I'm, I'm turning 30 this year and Simba is not like most regular 16 year olds. He's not mature in any way.

His growth has been stunted because he's been away from his. Family and away from those life lessons so. I just tried to bring like a child- like innocence to the role whenever I can. There's also, you know, like a big physical feature. It's a lot of jumping. It's a lot of movement throughout the show. So I must make sure my body is prepared for that. And lastly, vocally, it's pretty demanding as well. So just really making sure that I'm in the best shape physically and vocally to execute the rigors of the of the job.

BroadwayWorld: What makes this production of “The Lion King” so unique and so different from other touring shows?

Erick Patrick: I really must go back to the puppetry. The puppetry is unlike anything that Is out there or that it's available for any musical right now. It is one-of-a-kind and also we go into the rich history through the five different languages that are represented in the show from Swahili to Zulu. There's so many languages ohh. Like there's such a rich cultural experience. It's often like it's a learning experience for a lot of people. We're showing people a world that they may have not been introduced to otherwise.

BroadwayWorld: How long have you been touring with the Lion King?

Erick Patrick: I've been with the company for a little bit over a year and a half. I actually spent my first year in the ensemble and I was covering Simba, but I was in the male ensemble.

One day I was like in the Rhino costume and then I was a plant. And then I would cover Simba when our Simba character at the time was out.

After a year, I was offered a contract to play Simba full time. It's become  really special to me.

BroadwayWorld: I read something about a period of time when the Simba in Toronto was hurt and you stepped in.

Erick Patrick: Yeah. So that was like at the very beginning of my Simba contract. I think I had been playing Simba on the tour for a little bit over a month. And then the general manager of Disney called me. He was in a pinch. Is there any way you could open the Toronto production? The actor who had been hired to play Simba was injured.

I said I would love to do it. I was supposed to be there for six weeks, but it took three months for the other actor to heal.

It was a really beautiful experience. it was really cool to experience a totally new company and create the show in another way.

Our touring cast consists of some people who have been here for as long as twelve years. So it's a very well oiled machine.

In Toronto it was really fun to experience something new.

BroadwayWorld: There appears to be a lot of stuff to transport.  How many tractor trailers does it take to move “The Lion King?”

Erick Patrick: It's somewhere between 18 and 20 trucks. It's the biggest show in the world. Everyone in the industry right now is downsizing. They go down a couple tiers and we're one of the only full production touring companies left out there.

BroadwayWorld: How many people does it take to stage “The Lion King”

Erick Patrick: Ohh, my goodness. I think there's somewhere between 30 to 40 cast members and a traveling crew of maybe another 20. And that's not including local hires that help us with hair and makeup and wardrobe. I estimate between 100 and 150 people work at every stop.

BroadwayWorld: What other shows have you participated in?

Erick Patrick: I was in Jesus Christ Superstar. And then I've done “Motown the Musical.” “Dreamgirls.” I've done a production of “Model We” um, I've, I've been in a couple TV shows. I've been on Law and order and FBI's “Most Wanted” Ohh actually yes, My character did survive those.. I wasn't shot or killed or anything.

BroadwayWorld: How long did it take you to get your “Actors’ Equity Card”?  Being part of the Union is an important part of becoming a professional actor.

Erick Patrick: Oh OK so that's interesting. It all depends. It depends on what you book out of school, which projects you book. I opted to do a non-equity production of Motown the Musical. After I got judged in that production, the next production I did was an equity contract and I was able to get my card that way.

BroadwayWorld:For those readers who don’t know much about “Equity,” please share the requirements to join the Union?

Erick Patrick: Nowadays, you just buy your way in. There's no point system anymore. You just can buy your way into Equity. So I knew there was a certain number of hours you could work and do it that way. You could work a multitude of regional gigs and through the regional gigs you would earn points towards your equity membership.

BroadwayWorld: OK, You graduated from Olathe South and went straight to the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts for a two year program?

Erick Patrick: Oh Yes,

BroadwayWorld: You appear to be an athlete. Did you participate in high school sports? 

Erick Patrick: Um, so I actually, I remember I, I broke my dad's heart. I played sports all my life and then up until about freshman year of high school, I really had to make a decision. I was doing both acting and singing and playing all sports.

And basically my Guidance Counselor was like, you're not going to be able to do all of these things in high school. So I was on the wrestling team and I loved wrestling and I had to break my dad's heart. And I'm like, hey, I'm actually done playing. I had the courage to focus on becoming an actor.

 So, yeah. So I was an athlete. I played a bunch of sports. I ran track. I wrestled. I played football. I played baseball. I played basketball. But ultimately I had to stop to really focus on acting and singing.

BroadwayWorld: What makes a young man from suburban KC decide to pursue a life on stage?

Erick Patrick: As I grew up, I always loved the stage. Early on, I actually grew up very shy. I had a pretty bad speech impediment, a really bad stutter and that kind of made me quiet and made me not want to speak. It made me not want to do things publicly. And somewhere around puberty that stutter kind of cleared up and I started to sing.

It's really strange when I tell this story, I don't really know if there was really an Impetus for the singing. I just kind of started doing it randomly.

I was in the car one day with my mom and I was singing along to the radio and she was like, “that's pretty good.” And I was like, “Oh, is it” OK? Sure.

So I started singing in church a lot and I just kind of broke out of my shell and I just loved being in front of people. I stumbled on acting and I haven't looked back.

BroadwayWorld: What was your first show?

Erick Patrick: The first show that I ever did was. The show called “Zombie Quest” and I was in, I think I was in 7th grade and it was kind of like, I think the production was around Halloween time and we were all different versions of zombies. I couldn't really even tell you what it was about. really, but. Yeah, that was my first show. I think that's crazy.

BroadwayWorld: Is your family still in the area?

Erick Patrick: Oh yes, all of my family actually lives in the KC area. I have three sisters. I've got step sisters and step brothers and my Mom and Dad, my Aunts and Uncles and Grandparents. Everyone is in the Kansas City, MO, Kansas area.

BroadwayWorld: You must be excited.

Erick Patrick: Oh, I can't wait. I've been looking forward to this since I signed the contract. Dad lives in Lee’s Summit and Mom lives in KC, MO.

BroadwayWorld: What are you looking forward most to doing during your two week stay in KC?

Erick Patrick: Well, obviously Seeing family and all that, I've haven't been home in a couple years, maybe like five years. So that's going to be a nice little reunion, a nice homecoming. But also, I mean, I, I'd be lying if I didn't want to go to Gates (Barbecue). About a decade since I had Gates and I have to get that.

BroadwayWorld: Well, welcome home and I hope you enjoy your time with us and I know we will enjoy watching you.

“The Lion King” opens in Kansas City on May 22nd and continues at the Kansas City Music Hall through June 1.  Tickets are available at Ticket Master online or at the Box Office.

Erick Patrick has definitely conquered his childhood stutter.