THE LION KING to Stream Opening Number Exclusively on TikTok

In a Broadway first, The Lion King will exclusively partner with TikTok to stream the production's iconic opening number, "Circle Of Life," on September 14 in celebration of the hit show's return to the stage, 18 months after the shutdown of Broadway.

The live stream event will begin at 7:00pm EST and can be viewed on the Disney on Broadway TikTok account, @DisneyOnBroadway.

The live stream will include a pre-show hosted by Broadway cast member Adrienne Walker (Nala) that will bring viewers behind the scenes to meet the people who bring The Lion King to life on a daily basis.

The stream will culminate with a live feed of "Circle Of Life" from the Minskoff Theater, giving fans across the globe the chance to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime experience that would otherwise be limited to the 1,700 guests inside the theater that night.

watch as Walker announces the exciting livestream!

The live stream event is in support of The Actors Fund, which has provided more than $22.7 million in direct financial assistance to more than 16,700 people since the beginning of the Broadway shutdown. Earlier this year, TikTok firmly established itself as the leading platform for all things musical theatre, as creators and The Actors Fund came together to build out a crowd-sourced version of "Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical." Since then, the platform has remained the hub for fans and creators of theatre, dance, music and all things Broadway.

Angelo Desimini, Disney Theatrical Productions VP, Marketing, Publicity, Sales & Education, said, "We are thrilled to welcome audiences back to Broadway. But realizing that only 1,700 guests would get to experience our first performance in the theatre, we wanted to find a way for everyone to be part of this historic Broadway moment. Partnering with TikTok allows us to literally bring The Lion King into the hands of theatre lovers wherever they are to share in this once-in-a-lifetime evening."

"TikTok has become a home for Broadway and musical theatre lovers around the world, so we are excited to celebrate this milestone for the industry as the lights go back up on stages," said Catherine Halaby, Entertainment Content Partnerships Lead, TikTok. "With our partners, we are bringing the most innovative, entertaining, and creative content to the thriving musical theatre community on platform. By partnering with major productions like The Lion King, along with our community of creators and top Broadway stars, we want to bring Broadway entertainment to everyone and provide an inside look into the talent and magic of musical theater."

"We're honored to celebrate the return of Broadway with our good friends at Disney Theatrical, The Lion King and TikTok," said Joe Benincasa, President & CEO of The Actors Fund. "We can't wait for the very first 'Circle of Life' live performance back at The Minskoff Theatre - which, thanks to the live stream, will also be available to TikTok fans around the world who can experience the magic of Broadway and share their support for the performing arts community."

Follow @DisneyOnBroadway on TikTok.

Approaching 24 landmark years on Broadway, The Lion King continues ascendant as one of the most popular stage musicals in the world. Since its premiere on November 13, 1997, 25 global productions have been seen by nearly 110 million people. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions (under the direction of Thomas Schumacher), The Lion King has made theatrical history with six productions worldwide running 15 or more years and four others running 20 or more years.

The Lion King won six 1998 Tony Awards®: Best Musical, Best Scenic Design (Richard Hudson), Best Costume Design (Julie Taymor), Best Lighting Design (Donald Holder), Best Choreography (Garth Fagan) and Best Direction of a Musical. The Lion King has also earned more than 70 major arts awards including the 1998 NY Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, the 1999 Grammy® for Best Musical Show Album, the 1999 Evening Standard Award for Theatrical Event of the Year and the 1999 Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Choreography and Best Costume Design.

The book has been adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed the animated The Lion King feature, and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the film's screenplay. Other members of the creative team include: Michael Curry, who designed the masks and puppets with Taymor, Steve Canyon Kennedy (sound design), Michael Ward (hair and makeup design), Anthony Lyn (associate director), Marey Griffith (associate choreographer), Clement Ishmael (music supervisor) and Doc Zorthian (production supervisor). Anne Quart serves as co-producer.