After much speculation, Disney’s award-winning musical The Lion King will make its Queensland debut at QPAC’s Lyric Theatre in September, and its long awaited return to Melbourne’s Regent Theatre from February 2015.
“We are thrilled to bring The Lion King to Brisbane for the first time ever and I know that Queensland audiences will love this new Australian production of Julie Taymor’s visionary stage event,” said Thomas Schumacher, president and producer of Disney Theatrical Productions.
Currently playing in Sydney, Director Julie Taymor’s vision of the African savannah features the most multicultural cast of any Australian-produced stage musical to date including Nick Afoa as Simba, Josslynn Hlenti as Nala, Buyi Zama as Rafiki, Rob Collins as Mufasa, Josh Quong Tart as Scar and Terry Yeboah as Banzai.
Other principals include Cameron Goodall as Zazu, Russell Dykstra as Pumbaa, Jamie McGregor as Timon, Ruvarashe Ngwenya as Shenzi and Andre Jewson as Ed.
Since its Broadway premiere in November 1997, 21 global productions have been seen by more than 70 million people and translated into eight different languages (Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch, Mandarin, Spanish and Portuguese), and has been lauded for its spectacular and inventive use of puppetry, dance and African-inflected music.
The Lion King will commence its Brisbane season on 26 September 2014 – tickets go on sale on Friday 4 April. The Melbourne season will commence in February 2015 – tickets are set to go on sale soon. For more information, visit: www.lionking.com.au for details.
Image: Nick Afoa as Simba – photo by Deen van Meer ©Disney