Interview: Darnell Abraham of DISNEY'S THE LION KING at Ottawa's National Arts Centre

I had the privilege to speak with Darnell Abraham about his background and his role as Mufasa in the upcoming Broadway Across Canada presentation of Disney’s The Lion King, including some insight into the preparation that goes into such a physical role, favourite scenes, and the timelessness of the musical's themes.

Can you tell me a little about yourself? Was being a Broadway star something you always wanted to do?

I always feel sheepish when I hear that, I never set out to be this famous guy! I think of myself as an artist trying to bring my best to every project. I grew up actively involved in theatre as a kid; my elementary school had a performing arts program, so I was introduced to Shakespeare at a very young age. The first school play I did in first grade was excerpts from King Lear, where I played King Lear – so sophisticated for a first grader!

Sidney Poitier was another iconic figure for me. My grandmother used to make all my costumes, and she had all the Sidney Poitier movies on VHS, and she would say that I was going to be the next Sidney Poitier. So, it was amazing to have the full support of my whole family. I stuck with it all through junior high, then in high school my focus started turning more towards music. During my undergrad and in grad school, I pivoted towards classical music and classical voice and got my master’s degree in classical music. I like opera, but I don’t love it, so in 2013 – relatively recently – I decided to pivot back to musical theatre. But these detours prepared me for the rigours of doing eight shows a week, with things like vocal health, which allows me to do what I love to do. And I haven’t looked back.

When people ask, “if you’re not on stage, where would you rather be?” I have to say, with my wife and my cat, Charlie, or back home visiting my parents in California. There is something to be said about home, and the safety, warmth, and simplicity of being at home, where I’m just Darnell, or Uncle Darnell. Those are the things that are the most important to me.

Disney’s The Lion King is the longest-running tour [since April 2002] and it is the highest grossing musical of all time. How does it feel to join the cast of such a monumental and beloved production?

The scope of how it feels is hard to put into words… it is tremendous. To be a part of, not only the commercial success, but the heart of what the show represents, is a dream come true for me, and particularly to play the role of Mufasa. People say that it’s a great show for kids and I’m like, no, it’s a great show for everyone. The themes are so far-reaching that, whether you are a three-year old or an eighty-three year old audience member, I think everyone, including those of us on stage, are affected by what is happening in the production. To be a part of that is an incredible honour and to play the man himself … I’m still wrapping my head around it. When I auditioned for the role, even though it was a role I had wanted to do, I don’t think I could have anticipated its significance. Cicely Tyson once said in an interview that, as an artist, there are times that you come across a role that makes your skin tingle and that’s when you know that you have something special in front of you. I have felt that a few times during my career, and the role of Mufasa is one of them. I feel a huge honour and a sense of responsibility that I don’t take lightly.

*** SPOILER ALERT***

Mufasa’s death is arguably one of the saddest Disney moments ever – but on the flip side, Mufasa also has this foreshadowing number called “They Live in You”, which is incredibly spiritual and moving. Can you tell me a little bit about that number and the message behind it?

The trauma, right?! We have this beautiful scene with father and son where he says, I will never leave you … and then he dies [laughs]. What is most important for me is to play the role in a way that is authentic, genuine and real. To have the permission to do so is a gift and I have to thank the creators for that gift. There is James Earl Jones – the legendary voice of Mufasa – and Samuel E. Wright, who originated the role on Broadway, and all of the people who came after. But none of those people are me, and I am not them. So, to be able to come into this space and have no expectation to portray it in a specific way allows me to bring my humanity into the artwork and shows that the show is a living organism that is always evolving.

My aim is to play the role as the father we’ve known, the father we wish we had known, or the leader we hope to be one day. Mufasa is flawed; he is imperfect, but he has a desire to protect what is good. The relationship between him and Scar is rooted in love; he loves his brother, but he is frustrated because he wants Scar to seize the moment and participate in the beauty of what is good. But they cannot reconcile their differences and that leads to heartbreak. I like to think of Mufasa as a father first and a king second.

Mufasa is the Lion King – we have good kings and bad kings and those in between. What makes Mufasa a great king is that he understands the relationship and balance of all things. There is a line in the show, where he says, “everything exists in a delicate balance; as king, you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures.” And I think the key word in there is balance and respect. And then he breaks it down and says, “from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope, everything is connected in the great circle of life”. And I think that right now is a great time for us all to be reminded that we are connected. Mufasa is trying to figure out how to answer Simba’s question of “will we always be together?" and it is heartbreaking because you see the innocence of a child. How does he answer this question so that it is honest, but it still protects Simba’s innocence? I think of my grandmothers, who have passed on. Even though I can’t see, hear, or touch them, I know that they are close by. We are not only living in a tangible world, but we are also living in parallel with something that is intangible, like a river flowing – the river of life, if you will. And you feel that throughout the show. There are also disruptions, like when Scar takes over the pride lands and shows what happens when you cut off that river of life – death lies there.

You made such a great point – seeing the connection between all the creatures, all of humanity, regardless of socio-economic status, race, gender, religion – all of us being seen as equal. It really is a great time to be reminded of that and I think that is the biggest takeaway from the show, especially in these troubled times.

Absolutely. The previous show I was in was such a positive experience for me and, as an artist, when you experience artistic success, it leaves you wondering what is next. Not just what will the next job be, but will the next thing I take on be as fulfilling as the last? And I have to say that not only with The Lion King, but with the role of Mufasa, it is a resounding yes. It is exceeding my expectations and hopes for what that next thing could have been. And I think that part of that is because of the timeliness and timelessness of the show. With the overall geopolitical climate right now, I think we all need to be reminded of our humanity and our universal connections to each other. I personally believe that when we stop seeing each other as human beings, we allow the worst of ourselves to step on stage, and we must always fight against that.

It is impressive when you think about how old the musical is and how relevant it still is today, even if where we are today is perhaps very different from what we envisioned then.

If you think about it, in 1997 it was on the hills of apartheid in South Africa, which I think is largely why there is such a large South African cultural influence on this show. Julie Taymor, the creator, really wanted to weave that into the fabric of the show as a response to the times and here we are, 27 years later, and the show is still answering that call; it really is a testament to the strength and the brilliance of the show.

As a lion, of course, Mufasa very different from your past roles; what kind of physical preparation do you need to do?

That’s for sure! I have this big mask on top of my head, which is very cool. Now I don’t think about it very much, but it took some getting used to. Part of my preparation was watching animal documentaries – lions, tigers, the big cats. Even being a cat dad to Chalie has its advantages; watching how he walks through spaces has been a tremendous help. There is also the intentional marriage with traditional Balinese movement which, in some ways, is similar to feline movement. I spent hours upon hours watching myself in the mirror working on movement. My legs and my back would be so sore, but that was part of my process.

I also thought about the symbolism of a lion and what that means. We know that a lion represents strength, majesty, and being a warrior – the lion is the king of the jungle, he has confidence, he is at the top of the food chain, he is the apex predator. But at the same time, when watching these documentaries, we see male lions playing with cubs, showing a fatherly figure.

I’ve never shared this before, but when I was in Rwanda in 2005 doing some humanitarian work, the local leaders gave me a name which translates into “blessed lion” and they said, “this is what we believe is in your future”. Now, almost twenty years later, this feels sort of like a fulfilment of a prophecy that was spoken over me and so, to step into this role... I’m still processing it.

A prophecy not just in playing the literal role of a lion, but more importantly, in having this ability to spread this message of connectedness.

Yes, I think that’s exactly right. I feel like I am a steward trying to do right by what is placed in front of me – and having a good time in the process.

Do you have a favourite scene or number in the musical?

I would say that “Day with Dad” is one of my favourite scenes. In the animated film, this is where Mufasa takes Simba out on Pride Rock and it’s the first time we get to see their father-son relationship. It reminds me of whenever I got to spend time with my dad, on our fishing trips. I’m the only boy in my family, so when my dad and I had a chance to escape together, just the two of us, it was always special for me, and he would share his wisdom with me. So “Day with Dad” for me is a moment of tribute to my own dad, who is the Mufasa in my life.

Also “They Live In You”, just because of the message… last night when I was doing it, I choked up! And I really like “Endless Night”; it was written by Julie Taymor, who wrote it after her father passed away. In the context of the show, Simba is in turmoil because Mufasa said, “I will always be with you”, but in that moment, Simba feels completely alone. He’s thinking, “you promised that you would always be there whenever I needed you”… for me, I think the reason why that is one of my favourite scenes is that we get a chance to witness a very vulnerable moment. I think that most of us have experienced something similar in our adult lives. So even though it is still very much Disney, it is also just very much real life. But I do think that this moment sets up the scene for when Mufasa reappears, and that is the big shift in the show. I could keep going – there are so many good moments in the show!

I am looking forward to seeing you in the role and getting reacquainted with the show!

This cast and crew are a dream to work with. At the end of the day, no matter what show you are on, it is a team sport, and the success of the game depends on how well the team is able to work together. Even though the show has been around for a very long time, I think the success lies in the people who make it happen, from the performers on stage, the crew backstage, and our company managers and stage mangers. The fact that I get to work with such fine people is a blessing.

Do you have a dream role?

I just got here so I am focusing on this journey and new discoveries within this experience, but I would love to originate a role. If there was an opportunity to reprise a role, I would love to do Coalhouse from Ragtime on Broadway – that would be a dream role for me. I would also like to do some television. I don’t think I would ever leave the stage, but I think getting some time behind the camera would be beneficial. I also think there is some value to being on stage and behind a camera, and then to become a producer. But I just try to stay open to wherever the journey leads.

---

See Darnell Abraham as Mufasa in Broadway Across Canada’s presentation of Disney’s The Lion King from October 24th through November 10th at the National Arts Centre. Click the link below for more information or to buy tickets.

* Note this interview has been edited for length and conciseness.

To post a comment, you must register and login.