THE LION KING Returns To Birmingham Hippodrome Next Summer
The internationally acclaimed production will come to Birmingham for 10 weeks from Thursday 6 July to Saturday 16 September 2023.
The Walt Disney Company UK and Ireland and Birmingham Hippodrome have announced that Disney's THE LION KING will return to the Hippodrome next summer.
The internationally acclaimed production will come to Birmingham for 10 weeks from Thursday 6 July to Saturday 16 September 2023. Priority tickets will be available from 11am Tuesday 11 October*. The general sale will begin at 11am on Friday 14 October.
The show returns to Birmingham for the first time since 2013, when it enjoyed a triumphant sell out run.
Birmingham Hippodrome Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer, Jon Gilchrist said: "We're absolutely thrilled to welcome The Lion King to Birmingham Hippodrome for an amazing ten week run next Summer. It's such an iconic production and we're really proud that we can bring this internationally renowned show to the West Midlands as part of our stellar season next year."
The story of THE LION KING leaps into life using spectacular masks, puppets and costumes to tell the story of Simba's epic adventures, as he struggles with the responsibilities of adulthood and becoming king.
Julie Taymor's internationally celebrated stage adaptation of THE LION KING opened on Broadway in 1997 and 25 global productions in nine different languages have been created since then (English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch, Spanish, Mandarin and Portuguese). THE LION KING is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, under the direction of Thomas Schumacher.
The previous tour of THE LION KING broke attendance records across the nation. Since the UK premiere in 1999, THE LION KING London has entertained more than 16 million theatregoers and is the sixth longest-running West End musical of all time.
The stunning artistry of the production is the work of a team of designers which drew on diverse cultural influences to recreate the rich colours and vast expanses of the African savanna in this daring and inspiring reinvention of one of the most successful animated feature films of all time.
Julie Taymor, one of the world's most innovative directors, brought a vast array of disciplines to THE LION KING, including extensive experience staging epic theatre and opera productions, exploring classic myths through ritualised puppetry, mask, and movement. The Lion King was the first musical Taymor directed in the commercial theatre and she made Broadway history by becoming the first woman to win the Tony Award® for Best Director of a Musical.
The Broadway show's full creative team, which won five Tony Awards® for its work on THE LION KING, reunited in 1999 to recreate the show in London. Julie Taymor and Michael Curry created hundreds of masks and puppets.
Scenic design is by British designer Richard Hudson and lighting is by Donald Holder. Costume design is by Julie Taymor, and choreography by Garth Fagan. The book was adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed the animated feature and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the screenplay.
The original score from the animated film was expanded for the stage and now features 15 musical numbers. As well as writing completely new songs, South African composer Lebo M created an evocative blend of African rhythms and chorales, with additional material by Julie Taymor and Mark Mancina.
Elton John and Tim Rice have added three new numbers to the five that they wrote for the award-winning score of the animated film. The resulting sound of THE LION KING is a fusion of Western popular music and the distinctive sounds and rhythms of Africa, including the Academy Award®-winning Can You Feel The Love Tonight and the haunting Shadowland.
*Priority on sale for Very Me Rewards by Vodafone: Tue 11 October, 11am
Priority on sale for Birmingham Hippodrome Friends - Wed 12 October, 11am
Priority on sale for Birmingham Hippodrome Groups & Disney sign up - Thu 13 October, 11am
General on sale: Friday 14 October, 11am
For more information please visit: thelionking.co.uk/tour
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