Disney's THE LION KING Plays Special Benefit Performance for The Actors Fund Today at the Kennedy Center

The Actors Fund, a national human services organization that helps all professionals in performing arts and entertainment, is pleased to announce that the producer, cast, and management of Disney's The Lion King have added a special performance to benefit The Fund today, July 30 at 1:30pm in the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, D.C. The entire company will donate their time and talent for this performance that will directly benefit The Actors Fund.

Tickets for this special performance, and all other performances of The Lion King (currently playing the Kennedy Center Opera House through August 17, 2014), are on sale now at the Kennedy Center box office or by calling Instant Charge at (202) 467-4600. Patrons living outside the Washington metropolitan area may dial toll-free at (800) 444-1324 or visit us online at www.kennedy-center.org. The Kennedy Center reminds patrons that the only way to guarantee the authenticity of the ticket is to purchase from one of these authorized ticket outlets.

The North American touring productions of The Lion King have been seen by more than 15 million theatergoers and grossed over $1 billion to date. Having already played more than 70 cities across North America, The Lion King now proudly makes its Washington, D.C. return in the Kennedy Center Opera House. The current schedule is listed below.

The Actors Fund is a national human services organization that helps everyone-performers and those behind the scenes-who works in performing arts and entertainment, helping more than 17,000 people directly each year, and hundreds of thousands online. Serving professionals in film, theatre, television, music, opera, radio and dance, The Fund's programs include social services and emergency financial assistance, health care and insurance counseling, housing, and employment and training services. With offices in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, The Actors Fund has been-for 132 years-a safety net for those in need, crisis or transition. Visit www.actorsfund.org.

In its 17th 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, 22 global productions have been seen by more than 70 million people and, cumulatively, run a staggering 106 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, Spanish and Portuguese), productions of The Lion King can currently be seen on Broadway, London's West End, Hamburg, Tokyo, Madrid, Sao Paulo, Sydney, Australia and on tour across North America, the U.K., and Japan. The Australian production marks the tenth concurrent worldwide production of The Lion King, the highest number of productions running at any one time in the show's history. To date, The Lion King has played 19 countries on every continent except Antarctica.

Among the most successful titles in entertainment history, The Lion King's more than $5 billion worldwide box office to date, exceeds that of any film or entertainment title in 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 around the world.

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 APRIL 2015:

Washington, D.C. - Kennedy Center Opera House

June 17 - August 17, 2014

Montreal - Place des Arts

August 19 - September 7, 2014

Boston - Boston Opera House

September 9 - October 12, 2014

Columbus - Ohio Theatre

October 14 - November 9, 2014

Milwaukee - Milwaukee Theatre

November 11 - December 7, 2014

San Antonio - Majestic Theatre

December 10, 2014 - January 5, 2015

Ft. Lauderdale - Broward Center for the Performing Arts

January 7 - February 1, 2015

Memphis - The Orpheum Theatre

February 3 - March 1, 2015

Louisville - Kentucky Center

March 3 - 29, 2015

Cincinnati - Aronoff Center

March 31 - April 26, 2015

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