THE LION KING Sells Out 4-Week Nashville National Tour Stop

Disney's THE LION KING celebrated its second sold-out engagement in Nashville, which concluded on Sunday, June 2 at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. The triumphant four-week return grossed over $5.3 million at the box office and entertained more than 73,000 patrons during 32 performances. The show's six-week premiere engagement in 2006 played a sold-out run at TPAC.

It is estimated that the Nashville engagement of THE LION KING generated an $18.5 million economic benefit to the city from travel, hotels, restaurants, parking and other businesses patronized by both theatergoers and production staff. This figure is based upon a Touring Broadway League report which found that, on average, Broadway tours contribute an economic impact 3.5 times the gross ticket sales to the local metropolitan area's economy.

"Everyone has been roaring with excitement throughout THE LION KING's four-week run, and the response we've seen from both audiences and the community has been overwhelming," said Kathleen O'Brien, TPAC president and chief executive officer. "We especially want to thank our friends at Disney Theatrical Productions and THE LION KING for their help in returning this amazing production to Nashville. They truly represent the 'best of Broadway' that we strive to deliver each season, and we can't wait to have them back again."

"We are truly overwhelmed by how warmly the Nashville community has once again embraced THE LION KING," said Jack Eldon, Vice President, Domestic, Disney Theatrical Productions. "It is incredible to reflect that the response to this production was just as strong as when it premiered in Nashville seven years ago in 2006. We thank the city of Nashville and our partners at TPAC for another sensational engagement and look forward to someday returning."

The North American touring production of THE LION KING has been seen by more than 15 million theatergoers and grossed over $983 million to date. After 11 years on the road, THE LION KING continues to celebrate unparalleled achievements and delight new audiences throughout North America. The current schedule is listed below.

In its 16th year, THE LION KING remains ascendant; it is the highest-grossing Broadway show in New York history and one of the most popular stage musicals in the world. Since its Broadway premiere on November 13, 1997, 21 global productions have been seen by more than 70 million people and, cumulatively, run a staggering 96 years. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions (under the direction of Thomas Schumacher), THE LION KING is only the second show in history to generate five productions worldwide running 10 or more years. Translated into seven different languages (Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch, Mandarin, Spanish and Portuguese), productions of THE LION KING can currently be seen on Broadway and on tour across North America, in Tokyo and on tour in Japan, in London's West End and on tour throughout the UK, and in Hamburg, Madrid and Sao Paolo. To date, THE LION KING has played 98 cities in 16 countries on every continent except Antarctica.

Among the most successful titles in entertainment history, with a cumulative gross in excess of $5 billion, the stage production of THE LION KING has already earned more than the biggest hit films in movie history: more than the Lord of the Rings trilogy combined, more than the six Star Wars films combined, and more than Avatar and Titanic, the two highest-grossing films in movie history, combined.

The award-winning musical will celebrate a new milestone in December 2013 when it returns to Australia, making it the tenth concurrent worldwide production of THE LION KING, the highest number of productions running at any one time in the show's history.

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. 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.

The show's director, costume designer and mask co-designer Julie Taymor continues to play an integral part in the show's ongoing success. The first woman to win a Tony Award for Direction of a Musical, Taymor has in recent years supervised new productions of the show in Las Vegas, Madrid and the UK tour and just completed casting the Brazilian production in Sao Paolo.

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 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: Michael Curry, who designed the masks and puppets with Taymor, Steve Canyon Kennedy (sound design), Michael Ward (hair and makeup design), John Stefaniuk (associate director), Marey Griffith (associate choreographer), Clement Ishmael (music supervisor) and Doc Zorthian (production supervisor). Anne Quart serves as associate producer.

For more information worldwide, visit LionKing.com.

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR SCHEDULE THROUGH AUGUST 2014:
Tulsa - Tulsa Performing Arts Center
June 4 - July 7, 2013

Cleveland - State Theatre
July 9 - August, 4, 2013

Charlotte - Belk Theater
August 6 - September 1, 2013

Pittsburgh - Benedum Center
September 3 - 29, 2013

Dallas - Music Hall at Fair Park
October 2 - 20, 2013

Tempe - ASU Gammage Auditorium
October 22 - November 17, 2013

Los Angeles - Pantages Theatre
November 20, 2013 - January 12, 2014

Honolulu - Blaisdell Concert Hall
January 14 - March 9, 2014

Seattle - Paramount Theatre
March 11 - April 6, 2014

Atlanta - The Fox Theatre
April 10 - 27, 2014

Toronto - Princess of Wales Theatre
April 30 - June 15, 2014

Washington, D.C. - Kennedy Center Opera House
June 17 - August 17, 2014

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