Join the circle of life and experience the majesty of The Lion King on Broadway, whose unique stagecraft brings the Disney film to life unlike anything else on stage. Get The Lion King tickets now and see the third-longest-running show in Broadway history.
The Lion King on Broadway roared onto the scene in 1997, just three years after the release of the animated classic. The plot of the film remains the same on stage: Simba, a young lion cub, must defeat his evil uncle Scar and take his rightful place as King of the Pride Lands.
The Lion King opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre, the home base of Disney on Broadway, in November 1997, transferring to the Minskoff in 2006.
The successful reimagining of The Lion King on stage is largely thanks to the creative genius of director and costume designer Julie Taymor. In 1998, she won two Tony Awards in those respective categories, and the production itself picked up a total of six Tonys, including Best Musical. Her costumes incorporate various theatrical traditions of puppetry, with headdresses that portray the animal character each actor represents while never hiding the actor's face. They are highly detailed, merging textiles and fabrics with elements of African traditions and customs. As much as the timeless story, the stagecraft is one of the main reasons The Lion King on Broadway is iconic on its own.
Elton John and Tim Rice wrote the music for The Lion King musical and movie. All the beloved songs from the animated classic remain in the musical, including "Circle of Life," "I Just Can't Wait to Be King," "Be Prepared," "Hakuna Matata," and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" Lebo M, Hans Zimmer, Mark Mancina, and Jay Rifkin also wrote additional songs for the musical, such as "They Live in You," "Shadowland," and "Endless Night."
The Lion King runs 2 hours and 30 minutes, including an intermission.
The Lion King is the perfect introduction for kids to the wonders of live theatre, and its themes and stylistic maturity are timelessly appropriate for theatregoers of all ages. So feel the love tonight and see why The Lion King in New York remains the pride of Broadway.
(Photos by Joan Marcus)
2hr 30min. Incl. 1 intermission.
Musicals, Broadway, Holiday, Must-See, Award winners, Classic, Family / Kid-friendly
Ages 6+.
October 15th, 1997
By: Music by Elton John, Lyrics by Tim Rice, and a Book by Roger Allers & Irene Mecchi, with Additional Music by Hans Zimmer, Lebo M, Mark Mancina, & Jay Rifkin
Director: Julie Taymor
Producer: Disney Theatrical Productions
Cast list: Vincent Jamal Hooper (as Simba), L. Steven Taylor (as Mufasa), Pearl Khwezi (as Nala), Tshidi Manye (as Rafiki), Stephen Carlile (as Scar), Ben Jeffrey (as Pumbaa), Fred Berman (as Timon), Cameron Pow (as Zazu), James Brown-Orleans (as Banzai), Bonita J. Hamilton (as Shenzi), Robb Sapp (as Ed), Donovan Louis Bazemore and Jayden Theophile (alternating as Young Simba), Mariama Diop and Evie Winter Lee (alternating as Young Nala)
Design: Richard Hudson
Lighting: Donald Holder
Costume: Julie Taymor
Choreography: Garth Fagan
Sound: Steve Canyon Kennedy
Wheelchair access, elevators
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Day of week | Matinee | Evening |
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Monday | - | - |
Tuesday | - | 7:00 PM |
Wednesday | 2:00 PM | 7:00 PM |
Thursday | - | - |
Friday | 2:00 PM | 8:00 PM |
Saturday | 2:00 PM | 8:00 PM |
Sunday | 1:00 PM | 6:30 PM |
Based on the animated Disney classic, The Lion King features hit Elton John songs like "Circle of Life," "Hakuna Matata" and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" Witness the story of a lion cub following in his father's royal footsteps, brought to life with awe-inspiring puppetry evocative of the African savannah. Learn more about tickets to the six-time Tony-winning Best Musical.
The Lion King is playing at Minskoff Theatre. The theatre is located at 200 West 45th Street (between 7th and 8th Avenue), New York, 10036.
The running time of The Lion King is 2hr 30min. Incl. 1 intermission.
The recommended age for The Lion King is Ages 6+..
Book tickets for The Lion King on New York Theatre Guide.
Tickets for The Lion King start at $129.
The Lion King features music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice. The script is by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi, who adapted it from the Disney film's screenplay by Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton.
The Lion King's songs include all the film favorites, such as "The Circle of Life," "Be Prepared," "I Just Can't Wait to Be King," and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." There are also multiple songs written specifically for the musical. Learn more about all the songs in The Lion King on Broadway.
The Lion King is recommended for ages 6 and up. Like the movie, the musical's content is appropriate for all ages, but very young children might get restless due to the show's length. Please note that children 4 and younger are not permitted in Broadway theatres.
The Lion King opened in October 1997. The musical is now the third-longest-running Broadway show of all time.
Julie Taymor directs The Lion King on Broadway. She won two Tony Awards for her work, which included designing the show's unique puppets.
The Lion King musical is mostly the same as the movie. The plot is the same, but the musical features multiple additional songs beyond the ones from the film. Additionally, one of the main characters, Rafiki, is a female character, whereas the character was male in the film.
The Lion King has been running for 25 years and counting and is among the best-reviewed shows on New York Theatre Guide. Our five-star 20th-anniversary review reads, "The Lion King continues to be a wonderful evening at the theatre. You will laugh, cry and marvel at all the beauty around."
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