THE LION KING, Vancouver Sets Record for Highest Grossing Week in Canadian History

The Lion King set a new record for the single highest box office gross in Canadian theatrical history in its final week at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver last week. The record-smashing gross of $1.9 Canadian ($1.87 US) occurred in a week when all five of Disney Theatrical Productions' North American productions topped $1 million in gross, with the cumulative total exceeding $7 million.

The five productions are: Mary Poppins on Broadway and at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and productions of The Lion King on Broadway, in Las Vegas and in Vancouver.

The former Canadian box office record was held by The Lion King's previous week in Vancouver.

The Lion King continues in its record-breaking 13th year at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre and in its 2nd smash year at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas with the North American tour moving to Salt Lake City this week followed by stands in Chicago, Norfolk and Durham.

Mary Poppins continues to sell out in its 4th year at the New Amsterdam Theatre on Broadway with the North American tour continuing its smash Kennedy Center engagement through August 22nd. Stops in Charlotte, Indianapolis and Buffalo are next on the schedule.

ABOUT THE LION KING
THE LION KING continues to reign as one of the most popular shows on Broadway and around the world. The global phenomenon can also be seen on stage across North America and in Las Vegas, London, Hamburg and Tokyo. Now in its 13th year, THE LION KING is the eighth longest-running musical in Broadway history and one of only five musical productions in theatre history to play for ten years or more on both Broadway and the West End.

THE LION KING has been seen by more than 50 million people in 13 different countries and translated into five different languages (Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch).

THE LION KING has won more than 70 major awards worldwide, including the 1998 Tony Award® and NY Drama Critics Award for Best Musical, the 1999 Grammy® for Best Musical Show Album, and the 1999 Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Choreography and Best Costume Design. Julie Taymor was the first woman in theatrical history to win the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical. She is also the winner of the 1998 Tony Award for Best Costume Design.

Taymor, along with designer Michael Curry, has created hundreds of masks and puppets for THE LION KING. Scenic design is by Richard Hudson; costume design is by Julie Taymor; lighting design is by Donald Holder. Choreography is by Garth Fagan. The book has been adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed the animated feature and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the film's screenplay.

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 "Shadowlands." For more information worldwide, visit www.LionKing.com

ABOUT MARY POPPINS WORLDWIDE
With four productions currently running on three continents, MARY POPPINS is one of the biggest stage musical successes to emerge from London or New York in recent years. Worldwide to date, the show has grossed over $430 million and welcomed 5.9 million guests.

The Broadway production of MARY POPPINS officially opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre on November 16, 2006 and has been seen by over 2.4 million theatergoers and grossed $191 million to date. According to figures released by The Broadway League, MARY POPPINS placed on the Top Ten lists for both highest-grossing and best-attended shows of the 2009-10 Broadway season, an indicator of its remarkable success.

MARY POPPINS received its worldwide premiere at the Prince Edward Theatre in the West End in December 2004. Following its successful three-year London run, the production launched an acclaimed U.K. tour. The MARY POPPINS North American tour has also garnered continuous critical praise and achieved box office success since its launch in Chicago in March 2009. In addition to Broadway and North America, MARY POPPINS can also be seen at the Circus Theatre in Scheveningen, Holland, outside of Amsterdam, and in Melbourne, Australia at Her Majesty's Theatre. Later this year, MARY POPPINS opens in Sweden, Denmark, the Czech Republic and Hungary, with plans underway for future productions in Israel, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Korea, Canada and Japan. For more information worldwide, visit www.MaryPoppins.com

Don't Miss a Toronto News Story Sign up for all the news on the Spring season, discounts & more...