NYC-ARTS Celebrates 20th Anniversary of THE LION KING with Julie Taymor, Today

NYC-ARTS, THIRTEEN's weekly arts and culture multi-platform showcase, brings arts lovers an all-access pass to the interesting, unusual and unique cultural offerings of the greater New York City region. On November 16, the series will feature the program's co-host and New York Emmy winner Paula Zahn in conversation with Tony Award-winning director of theater, opera and film, Julie Taymor.

Taymor's revival of David Henry Hwang's M. Butterfly, starring Clive Owen, which opened on October 26, marks her first return to Broadway since Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. The drama, inspired by a true story, won the 1988 Tony Award for best new play when it starred John Lithgow and B.D. Wong. Taymor's revival, which features a revised script by Hwang, is the first time the musical has returned to Broadway since its original, and successful 777 performance run.

Taymor is best known as the creative mind behind the stage adaptation of "The Lion King," for which she won two TONY AWARDS in 1998, for direction and costume design. She holds the distinct honor as the first woman to win a Tony Award for "Best Director of a Musical." November 15, 2017 marks the 20th anniversary of the Broadway production, which has become the most successful musical in history.

Co-hosted by New York Emmy Award winners Philippe de Montebello and Paula Zahn, with events around town reported by Ha, NYC-ARTS showcases both world-renowned and local, community-based arts organizations.

The program airs on Thursday nights at 8 p.m. on THIRTEEN and is also available to stream on NYC-ARTS.org on Friday mornings. Encore presentations generally follow on Sundays at 12 noon on THIRTEEN; Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on WLIW21; and Sundays at 8:30 p.m. on NJTV.

NYC-ARTS is a production of THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET, one of America's most prolific and respected public media providers.

Executive Producer: David Horn. Editorial Director: Joan Hershey. Supervising Producer: Mitch Owgang. Senior Producer: Bob Morris. For the digital platforms, Chief Digital Officer: Dan Greenberg. Director of Digital Production: Chris Mather.

NYC-ARTS is made possible in part by First Republic Bank and Swann Auction Galleries. Major funding for NYC-ARTS is also made possible by Rosalind P. Walter, the Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, the Thea Petschek Iervolino Foundation, the Jean Dubinsky Appleton Estate, Jody and John Arnhold, Ellen and James S. Marcus, The Lewis "Sonny" Turner Fund for Dance, Elise Jaffe and Jeffrey Brown, The Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, and the Elroy and Terry Krumholz Foundation. This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Additional funding provided by members of THIRTEEN.

Visit the NYC-ARTS Web site at NYC-ARTS.org for additional information.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos

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