Disney's THE LION KING JR! Rules at Playhouse Stage

Disney's The Lion King JR. is playing at The Duluth Playhouse starting on March 16 at 7:00pm for 2 weeks through March 26, 2017. The 90-minute musical is based on the Broadway production directed by Julie Taymor and the 1994 Disney film.

The Playhouse Children's Theatre cast and crew contains approximately 55 students led by Playhouse Artistic and Education Director, Kate Horvath. This production is also utilizing the talents of more parent volunteers and community members to make each and every costume piece seen in the show, from the lion masks of Mufasa, Simba, and Scar to the cheetahs celebrating the circle of life!

"You may forget that these are students between the ages of 12-18, but you won't forget how a Prideland full of animals can teach us to be more human," said Kate Horvath, director of this production.

Disney's The Lion King JR! is the epic adventure of a curious cub named Simba as he struggles to accept the responsibilities of adulthood and his destiny as King. Along the way, the young lion encounters a colorful cast of characters including spunky lioness Nala, charismatic meerkat Timon, and loveable warthog Pumbaa. To claim his rightful place on the throne and save his beloved Pridelands, Simba must find his inner strength and confront his wicked Uncle Scar. Disney's The Lion King JR! features classic songs from the 1994 film such as "Hakuna Matata" and the Academy Award®-winning "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" as well as additional songs penned for the Broadway production.

"When Rafiki enters to invite the company to take the stage we are also inviting you to participate in the story," said Horvath. "You can see the raw edges of the fabric, the strings that attach, the bodies of the puppeteers - their faces and masks co-existing. It is the simplicity of the spectacle, the magic of storytelling, and themes that resonate which make The Lion King an enduring classic. "

All tickets to The Playhouse Children's Theatre production are $17 (which includes a $2 ticket processing fee) and are available online at duluthplayhouse.org/childrens-theatre or by calling The Playhouse Box Office at 218.733.7555.

The Duluth Playhouse was founded in 1914 and is one of the nation's oldest community theatres. We produce year-round season packed with dramas and musicals on our main stage along with a full season with our Children's Theatre and Underground Theatre. We offer exceptional entertainment, training, and performance opportunities in theatre arts that inspire, challenge and engage the region we serve. Over 40,000 people attend a Playhouse show each season with visitors from across the region, the state, the nation, and even internationally. Live theatre is our passion, and we strive to make each performance better than the last.

Disney Theatrical Group (DTG) operates under the direction of Thomas Schumacher and is among the world's most successful commercial theater enterprises, bringing live entertainment events to a global annual audience of more than 19 million people in more than 50 countries. Under the Disney Theatrical Productions banner, the group produces and licenses Broadway musicals around the world, including Beauty and the Beast; The Lion King; Elton John & Tim Rice's Aida; TARZAN®; Mary Poppins, a co-production with Cameron Mackintosh; The Little Mermaid; Newsies; Peter and the Starcatcher; and Aladdin. Other successful stage musical ventures have included King David in concert, the national tour of On the Record, several touring versions of Disney's High School Musical, and Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame in Berlin.

Music Theatre International (MTI) www.mtishows.com, is one of the world's leading dramatic licensing agencies, granting schools as well as amateur and professional theaters from around the world the rights to perform the largest selection of great musicals from Broadway and beyond. MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists, and book writers of these shows to provide official scripts, musical materials, and dynamic theatrical resources to over 60,000 theatrical organizations in the U.S. and in over 60 countries worldwide.

MTI is particularly dedicated to the idea of theater as education and has created special collections for younger performers. The MTI Broadway Junior Collection® includes JR. titles, 60-minute musicals for performance by middle school children; and KIDS titles, 30-minute musicals for performance by elementary school children. MTI School Editions™ are musicals that have been annotated for performance by high school students, and the Theatre For Young Audiences (TYA) Collection are 70-minute musicals designed for adults to perform for children.

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