Lion King cutting songs - anyone know if legit?

[everythingtaboo]

This was Twittered a little while ago? Is this legit?

BIG Friday News- The Lion King chopping 4 songs- more to follow...

http://twitter.com/broadway_buzz/status/13527734367

[LizzieCurry]

I hope so.

[angelxschunard]

If they cut "He Lives in You" I will cut someone.

[dramamama611]

Sounds a bit ridiculous...why fix what isn't broken, but anything is possible.

[Dollypop]

I've always felt that THE LION KING was about a half hour too long for a children's show. Maybe this will solve the problem.

[qolbinau]

Well it arguably is 'broken', but I'm just surprised that they would choose to 'fix' it after so many years.

[rosscoe(au)]

The Lion King, become way too long after the stunning opening number..Cutting the rest of the show seems like a good idea to me!

[CATSNYrevival]

Why don't they cut dialogue instead of songs? The book is the part that doesn't work.

[TechEverlasting]

I don't have any inside knowledge, but I strongly doubt they are cutting any songs. When I see the word "chopping" I assume that means they are shortening some pieces - deleting a few verses or choruses to make the show quicker.

Even that I find unlikely - regardless of whether or not anyone thinks this show "works" it's one of the most successful productions in the history of Broadway.

[singtopher]

Les Miserables cut a bunch of stuff during it's Broadway run.

[winston89]

Difference between this and Les Miserables is that during Les Miserable's original run on Broadway, the show was so long that Cameron had to pay the crew overtime almost every single night. The Lion King is around two and half hours or so and is the average length of a musical. I don't see any reason for it to be cut.

[Justin D]

Was this in regards to the Broadway version of the Vegas version, I could see them trying to shorten the Vegas one to the usual 90min. But why cut songs on the Broadway version? If they want to get rid of a chunk, I always hated the Timon in the waterfall bit. And the pointless bit about the cheetah pouncing on the geraffe is only so they can have time to change the set.

[adamgreer]

The cuts to Les Miz were made to get the show out before 11:00 and avoid having to pay the crew overtime. Had nothing to do with improving the quality of the show (though, I think the streamlined version works better)

[LizzieCurry]

Same here. The Les Miz fandom gagged all over itself when the cuts were first announced, and IMO they didn't work that well in the first incarnation -- but the show overall flows a bit better with them.

Lion King isn't long enough to cross that magical overtime threshold, though, is it? (It just feels like it.)

[Luv2goToShows]

broadway_buzz tweeted: 2 of the songs getting chopped from the lion king- morning report and chow down- the other 2 posted later today...

[Gothampc]

There used to be a song in Sweet Charity that Gwen Verdon would decide every night whether she wanted to sing or not. Was it Where Am I Going?

[fashionguru_23]

Some of the African Chanting can be removed. Like the opening of act two with the giant bird puppets, that stalls the show for a bit. I find it werid that they're cutting stuff now? Is Julie Taymor getting ready for cutting all of the crap in "Spiderman"?

Could this be the beginning of the end of The Lion King?

[Kad]

They should just cut that bizarre hyena dance break in "Be Prepared".

[CapnHook]

Morning Report and Chow Down?

Perhaps they just want the kid Simba & Nala on stage less? Less time to rehearse replacements. THAT would make sense...

BUT why NOW? Just trying to save money?

Regardless, I don't believe it. Cut two huge numbers like that?

[SNAFU]

I always felt that The Lion King is a Schizophrenic show. It wants to be a Disney kid's show and it wants to be a Julie Taymor, "ain't I a genius?" show and the two clash sometimes. After the opening number the show tries again and again to reach that original sense of awe Circle of Life created but falls short a little more with each attempt.
I also feel that there is really no emotion in the show, just pretty tableaux.

[fashionguru_23]

Yes it was "Where Am I Going?", Goth. An audience member actually send Gwen a note that he was upset about her cutting the song, that she calculated the time of the song, the ticket price, and a few other factors and sent him a refund!

Funny, how the two cut songs so far are the new Elton John/Tim Rice numbers.

[Dre2387]

I think all the music interlude from Can You Feel The Love Tonight should be cut. kinda not needed.

[mybigsplash]

Chow Down!!!!

[sally1112]

I think if they cut the first and second acts it would be a perfect show.

[Justin D]

I guess I can live without those 2 songs, although why cut Morning Report when they went and added it to the carton re-release.

But if it is to reduce the time the kids are on stage I guess I can understand, other than that I dont see why you would cut songs in a show that has been running for so long.

I love Les Mis but didnt miss the cuts, only a few of the times where a song's intro was cut.

I hope they don't cut any of Rafiki's chants.

They can remove that dance preak in Be Prepared as well as Can You Feel the Love Tonight.

Would hate for them to butcher one of my favourite songs (He Lives in You) like what they did to "Point of no Return" in Phantom Las Vegas.

[Lavieboheme3090]

"I think all the music interlude from Can You Feel The Love Tonight should be cut. kinda not needed."

A. None of it needs to be cut because it is a perfectly good show the way it is.
B. No one should ever touch anything having to do to with "Can you Feel the Love Tonight."
C. Just MHO.