Lion King Booking Opens Today!

Booking opens today for the West End production of Walt Disney's The Lion King. The Broadway hit musical, based on Disney's popular animated feature film, opens at the Lyceum Theatre on 19 October 1999, following previews 24 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 also proved a hit with reviewers and audiences having won 24 major awards including the Tony Award for best musical.

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.

To enquire about availability or to book your tickets now, use the What's On Stage online ticket service.

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