Disney's The Lion King
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Study Guide
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A Teacher’s Guide
Get to Know the Show
History of Disney’s The Lion King
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Celebrating 27 landmark years on Broadway, The Lion King continues ascendant as one of the most popular stage musicals in the world. Since its premiere on November 13, 1997, 28 global productions have been seen by over 112 million people. Produced by Disney Theatrical Group, under the direction of Andrew Flatt, Anne Quart, and Thomas Schumacher, The Lion King has made theatrical history with three productions worldwide running 20 or more years and two others running 25 or more years.
Performed over its lifetime in nine different languages (English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch, Spanish, Mandarin and Portuguese), there are currently eight productions of The Lion King around the world: Broadway, London, Paris, Hamburg, Madrid, Tokyo, Sao Paulo and on tour across North America. The Lion King has played over 100 cities in 28 countries on every continent except Antarctica; its worldwide gross exceeds that of any film, Broadway show or other entertainment title in box office 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.
Director, costume designer and mask co-designer Julie Taymor, the first woman to win a Tony Award for Best Director of a Musical, remains actively involved in the show, launching new productions and maintaining the flagship Broadway production.
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The Broadway score features Elton John and Tim Rice’s songs 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 Lebo M’s rich choral numbers.
Elton John, Lebo M, and Hans Zimmer all collaborated on the 2019 version of the film, executive produced by Julie Taymor and Thomas Schumacher, which has gone onto extraordinary worldwide success.
The book has been adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed the animated The Lion King 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), Anthony Lyn (associate director), Marey Griffith (associate choreographer), Clement Ishmael (music supervisor), Lisa Dawn Cave (production supervisor), Thomas Schlenk (general manager) and ARC/Mark Brandon, CSA (casting). Anne Quart serves as executive producer.
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Play Video
Back to School
Building a Show - Episode 5
Play Video
Behind the Mask
Building a Show - Episode 4
Play Video
A Sneak Peek at Rehearsals
We're taking you behind the scenes.
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Costumes
Building a Show - Episode 3
Play Video
Casting Call
Building a Show - Episode 2
Play Video
The Return of the King
Building a Show - Episode 1
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Meet the Toronto Cast
Casting Announced - Toronto Production.
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Disney's The Lion King
Performances begin November 2, 2024.
Play Video
Disney's The Lion King Announcement
Awards
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Tony® Awards, 1998
- Best Musical
- Best Director of a Musical - Julie Taymor
- Best Choreography - Garth Fagan
- Best Scenic Design - Richard Hudson
- Best Costume Design - Julie Taymor
- Best Lighting Design - Donald Holder
Drama Desk Awards, 1998
- Best Director of a Musical - Julie Taymor
- Best Choreography - Garth Fagan
- Best Featured Actress in a Musical - Tsidii Le Loka
- Best Scenic Design - Richard Hudson
- Best Costume Design - Julie Taymor
- Best Lighting Design - Donald Holder
- Best Puppet Design - Julie Taymor & Michael Curry
- Best Sound Design - Tony Meola
Outer Critics Circle Awards, 1998
- Best Director of a Musical - Julie Taymor
- Best Choreography - Garth Fagan
- Best Featured Actress in a Musical - Tsidii Le Loka
- Best Scenic Design - Richard Hudson
- Best Costume Design - Julie Taymor
- Best Lighting Design - Donald Holder
Drama League Awards, 1998
- Best Director of a Musical - Julie Taymor
- Best Choreography - Garth Fagan
New York Drama Critics Award, 1998
- Best Musical
Theatre World Award, 1998
- Best Featured Actor in a Musical - Max Casella
Astaire Award, 1998
- Outstanding Choreography - Garth Fagan
Grammy® Award, 1998
- Best Musical Show Album - Mark Mancina, Producer
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Laurence Olivier Awards, 1999
- Best Choreography - Garth Fagan
- Best Costume Design - Julie Taymor
Evening Standard Award, 1999
- Theatrical Event of the Year
Ivor Novello Music Awards, 2000
- International Achievement in Musical Theatre
Critics’ Circle Theatre Award, 1999 (UK)
- Best Designer - Julie Taymor & Richard Hudson
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Hollywood Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild Awards, 2000
- Best Makeup for a Theatrical Production - Beth Thomspon, Tiffany Hicks, Roger Stricker, Darren Jinks, Brenda O’Brien
Backstage West Awards Garland, 2000
- Costume Design - Julie Taymor
- Mask and Puppet Design - Michael Curry
- Lighting Design - Don Holder
- Makeup Design - Michael Ward
Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, 2000
- Costume Design - Julie Taymor
- Mask and Puppet Design - Michael Curry
- Lighting Design - Don Holder
Ovation Awards, 2001
- Best Musical
- Director, Musical - Julie Taymor
- Featured Actor, Musical - Danny Rutigliano
- Choreographer - Garth Fagan
- Set, Larger - Richard Hudson
- Lighting - Donald Holder
- Costumes - Julie Taymor
NAACP Theatre Awards, 2001
- Best Producer - Disney Theatricals, Peter Schneider, and Thomas Schumacher
- Best Set Design - Richard Hudson
- Best Lighting - Donald Holder
- Best Costumes - Julie Taymor
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National Broadway Theatre “Star” Awards, 2003
- Best Direction – Julie Taymor
Carbonell Awards (Florida), 2003
- Best Performance
- Best Director – Julie Taymor
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Dora Awards, 2000
- Outstanding Costume Design - Julie Taymor
- Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role (Play or Musical) - Jonathan Wilson
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1998
- The show won the 11th prize of the year in the ranking of an influential magazine Weekly Pia.
1998
- The show won The Best Musical Award of an influential magazine Monthly Musical.
1999
- The advertising won Yomiuri Advertising Award In 1999, the show won the 1st prize of the year in the ranking of Weekly Pia.
2000
- The show won the 1st prize of the year in the ranking of Weekly Pia.
2001
- The show won the 10th prize of the year in the ranking of Weekly Pia.
2002
- The advertising display won the Best Signboard of "The 1st Railway Advertising Design Contest" Sponsored by Japan Railway Kyushu.
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“Musicals” - Awards, 2001/2002
- Best Director - Julie Taymor
- Best Sets and Costumes - Julie Taymor and Team
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2004
- Helpmann Award for Best Musical
2004
- The MO Award for Musical Theatre Production of the Year
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John Kraaijkamp Musical Awards, 2004
- Best Female Supporting Actress in a Large Musical – Nomvula Dlamin
- Best Male Supporting Actor in a Large Musical – Laus Steenbeeke
- Best Creative Performance – Julie Taymor
- John Kraaijkamp Musical Awards 2005
- Best Musical of 2005
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Folha de Sao Paulo Awards, 2013
- Best Musical