BWW Interviews: David Benken, Technical Director for THE LION KING

David Benken, Technical Director for Disney Presents THE LION KING The Broadway Musical. The Lion King makes its triumphant return to the Belk Theater following its record-breaking 2007 engagement. The Tony Award winning musical with an unforgettable score including Elton John and Tim Rice's Oscar-winning song "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" and "Circle of Life" is part of the Duke Energy Broadway Lights Series presented by Blumenthal Performing Arts, August 6-September 1. A special added performance on Thursday, August 22, at 1:00PM will benefit the Actors Fund. Tickets are on sale now at the Blumenthal Box Office: 704-372-1000 and online at BlumenthalArts.org.

David Benken, whose talent is amazing, has a long list of credits as Technical Director on Broadway including The Little Mermaid, Coram Boy, Mary Poppins, The History Boys, The Woman in White, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Democracy, Jumpers, The Boy from Oz, The Lion King, A Class Act, The Wild Party, Peter Pan and for the tour of Producers, Beauty and the Beast, Kiss Me Kate, Carousel, Miss Saigon, Les Miserables and Evita. He has also been the Technical Director for Phantom, Producers and We Will Rock You in Las Vegas.

Benken was diligently working on a new Disney show when I called him to talk about The Lion King.

LAW: Where are you, and what are you doing today?

DB: (Slight laugh) I'm in New York City in the Disney office. We are working on the Aladdin show. It's the next show Disney will be bringing to Broadway.

LAW: You must have a very creative spirit, How did you start in this industry?

DB: I started quite a number of years more than I'll tell you about. I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. I tried out for the high school musical. After I auditioned, they asked me if I could do lighting backstage. (Laughs) I guess that's what they thought of my singing.

LAW: Where do you live?

DB: I live in New York City on the lower west side.

LAW: When did you decide to come to New York?

DB: I left Ohio after college and I worked as a technical director for the Lexington Opera House in Kentucky. I then moved to Colorado to work for Hewlett Packard as a programmer, but, I went back to theater when I came to New York to work on The Lion King.

LAW: That's two different worlds. What do you like better the corporate world or the entertainment world?

DB: There are plus and minuses in both, but you don't get the applause working in corporate.

LAW: What was your first professional job?

DB: I had a few lighting jobs while I was in school, but my first job as technical director was at the Lexington Opera House. It's an old vaudevillian theater built in 1800.

LAW: How is the technical director different from the director?

DB: The director is captain of the ship. The director has the vision. The technical director finds a way to make it happen; to implement the vision within budget.

LAW: What other shows have you been technical director for?

DB: I've done many.

LAW: How long have you been with The Lion King?

DB: I have been with The Lion King since the beginning,... almost 20 years.

LAW: How did you get the job?

DB: I knew the general manager of The Lion King through a mutual friend. I sent my resume and it was a fit.

LAW: What are the technical components of the show?

DB: There are so many,... the sound, lighting, sets, projections and effects. It's the biggest show on Broadway.

LAW: How do you determine from a site survey if the venue will allow for all of the aspects of the Broadway show to keep its integrity?

DB: It's a big show and we want it to play as it would on Broadway. Actors have to be able to position to the back of the theater to enter. Not every theater has that capability. Also, we have 500 lighting cues, 100 sound speakers, sets, puppets and 60 automated effects. We've played in Charlotte before. The theater is beautiful, so there was no need to travel to do a site survey. I'm in New York. I don't travel with the show.

LAW: How is The Lion King different from other shows?

DB: It's the biggest Broadway show ever done. The load-in takes 5 days to prepare. There are two duplicate sets, so we can set up while the cast is still performing in another city.

LAW: When does the tour end?

DB: There is no end date. We're booked for 2 to 3 years. I have been involved with [The Lion King] touring groups in North America, Madrid and Australia.

LAW: What else are you working on?

DB: I work freelance, so I work on many different productions, I just worked on Motown:The Musical and now we are planning Aladdin. It will play in Toronto 6-7 weeks and then go to New York City.

LAW: I look forward to seeing The Lion King.

DB: Have you ever seen it before?

LAW: No.

DB: You'll enjoy it,... the performers, the puppets, the effects... It's a great show!

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