Prepare to be awestruck by the opening act of Disney’s “The Lion King.” A lone singer on stage emits a tribal call that is echoed by performers in every seating section of the theater, shortly before actors dressed in oversized animal costumes run through specially made aisles. The costumes are nothing short of amazing as they move with every muscle twitch.
Be forewarned: the presence of these actors in the aisles has an almost magnetic effect on children in the audience that pulls them over the laps of strangers to the center aisles to see if the elephants and tigers are real.
That energy and visual spectacle during the first 10 minutes sets the tone for the entire performance, which relies more on over-the-top staging and gorgeous sets than acting or vocal standouts—save Brent Harris, who plays the evil Scar with humor and moderation.
Like other Disney musicals, this performance definitely caters to the kids in the audience, as well as novice theatergoers. The show closely follows the animated movie with many of the same lines and numbers. There are a few moving songs that pander to traditional musical sensibilities, but they seem almost out of place in the two and a half hour show that’s paced by an African drumbeat.
The drumbeat is created by two percussionists who flank the stage with an array of drums and rainsticks. The rest of the orchestra is led by conductor Rick Snyder, who is so into the show he sings along most of the time.
Every actor seems to feel the same passion, sustaining the workout-level energy from the opening scene to closing curtain. I was exhausted for them.
—Julie Leupold
