The Lion King Celebrates 4,000th Bway Performance, 5/27

Disney's The Lion King will play its 4,000th performance on Broadway on Sunday, May 27 at the 1:00pm matinee.  The Tony Award-winning musical opened November 13, 1997 (previews began October 15) at the New Amsterdam Theatre and is now playing at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre.  

Disney's The Lion King moved in its entirety, including all 52-cast members and the entire 24-member orchestra, from the New Amsterdam Theatre on June 4, 2006 and began performances nine days later at its new home the Minskoff Theatre (Broadway at West 45th Street) on June 13, 2006. The move followed the completion of custom renovations to accommodate the Tony Awardâ-winning production.

Worldwide, the musical is the winner of over 70 major awards: six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, eight Drama Desk Awards, six Outer Critics Circle Awards, the New York Drama Critics Award for Best Musical, a 1998 Theatre World Award, the Astaire Award for Outstanding Choreography, a Drama League Award and a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.

In addition, director Julie Taymor made Broadway history by becoming the first woman in theatrical history to win the Tony Award for Best Director of a Musical.

The score features Elton John and Tim Rice's music from the animated film along with three new songs by John and Rice, additional musical material by South African Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor and Hans Zimmer and music from an album inspired by the animated film, "Rhythm of the Pride Lands," written by Lebo M, Mark Mancina and Hans Zimmer. 

Costume design is by Julie Taymor.  Choreography is by Garth Fagan.  The book has been adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed the animated feature and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the screenplay of The Lion King. 

Other members of the creative team include: Steve Canyon Kennedy, sound design; Michael Ward, hair and makeup design; Jay Binder, casting; Joseph Church, music director; Robert Elhai, David Metzger and Bruce Fowler, orchestrators.

The pre-Broadway engagement had its world premiere on July 13, 1997 in Minneapolis at the historic Orpheum Theatre.  The pre-Broadway engagement ran for eight weeks, closing on August 31, 1997. 

Now in its 10th year on Broadway, The Lion King hasbecome a worldwide phenomenon with eight productions worldwide: New York, London, Hamburg, Tokyo, Seoul, Johannesburg two U.S. national tours, and upcoming in Paris.

Tickets for The Lion King are available at the Minskoff Theatre Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets or by calling Ticketmaster at (212)307-4747.  Prices range from $40.-$121.25.  For group sales and information please call (800)439-9000.

Visit www.DisneyOnBroadway.com for more information.