The Lion King at Minskoff Theatre

The tale of The Lion King starts in a vast savanna territory in Africa; set in The Pride Lands, the young heir Simba is destined to succeed as King, before tragedy strikes because of the actions of his evil uncle Scar and his intention to overthrow Simba's father, Mufasa, and become ruler himself. The first part's course of incidents leads to Simba's banishment from his rightful place and the story of his ultimate return to overthrow his uncle Scar and save his people.

The musical, since its creation, had to maintain accuracy using real-life sources from real African society and history given the show's content. The story itself is actually based on real African warriors and actual events – Simba being the animal version of Sundiata Mansa, the founder of the Malian Empire who was appropriately named The Lion of Mali.

Julie Taymor, the first woman in Broadway history to gain a Tony for Best Direction of a Musical, paid due homage to the original film as source material, particularly costume design, which resulted in a faultless Broadway production of The Lion King. The regalia alone are gracious representations of several traditional tribes in Africa, an exemplification of which is Simba’s outfit in the play which as it happens inspired by Kenyan Maasi warriors' armor. Just like the previous 1994 film, the remarkable musical score written by Elton John and Tim Rice stays true to its African roots, with the stage adaptation even adding numbers with lyrics that are performed either in part or completely in African dialects like Swahili and Zulu. Additionally, the African inspiration is also noticeable in choreography, with several of the dances showing off the seamlessness of Bali-inspired dance.

The costume design, African influence, and superb acting all blend together so well to deliver an excellent musical. On Tuesday 15th October 2024 and at New York, The Lion King from Broadway is hosted in Minskoff Theatre - famous to locals and visitors for holding the best musicals and plays due to the best amenities and topnotch sound system that theater venues can offer. Tickets to this musical on Tuesday 15th October 2024 are now available and may be bought by clicking the links that can be seen above this page.