Disney's Lion King Roars into Lyceum, 19 Oct
Date: 7 January 1999
Walt Disney has finally put rumours and speculations to rest and announced that The Lion King will indeed arrive in the West End this autumn. The Broadway hit musical, based on Disney's popular animated feature film, will open at the Lyceum Theatre on 19 October 1999, following previews starting sometime in September.
The Broadway production, which opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre in November 1997, boasted a reported budget of $15 million, making it the most expensive show ever seen on the Great White Way. It has also proved a hit with reviewers and audiences having won 24 major awards including the Tony Award for best musical. It continues to be one of the most sought after tickets in New York.
Acclaimed director and designer Julie Taymor, who has a background in experimental theatre as well as opera, will reunite the original award-winning Broadway creative team in London. Choreography is by Garth Fagan; costume designs by Julie Taymor with puppetry and masks by Taymor and Michael Curry. Richard Hudson is the set designer and hair and make-up are by Michael Ward. Lighting design is by Donald Holder and sound design by Tony Meola.
The Lion King features 15 musical numbers, including the five from the record-breaking film. Unlike the screen version, however, African sounds and rhythms are fused on stage with Western popular music to create the musical's distinctive sound. As on Broadway, the score also includes three new songs written by Elton John and Tim Rice with additional numbers by South African born Lebo M, Julie Taymor, Mark Mancina and Hans Zimmer. The book is by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi.
The Lion King is produced by Walt Disney Theatrical Productions produced, under the direction of Peter Schneider and Thomas Schumacher.
The RNT production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, presented in the West End by Cameron Mackintosh, opens at the Lyceum later this month. It is due to clear out at the end of June to make way for The Lion King and make its own way to Broadway. Booking for The Lion King opens 21 March 1999.
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