Previews: THE LION KING at Straz Center

Returning to Straz Center from April 2-20 is the Broadway sensation The Lion King, winner of six Tony Awards®, including Best Musical. Directed by the Tony Award-winning Julie Taymor, the production is a visual feast filled with hope and adventure. The musical also boasts some of Broadway's most iconic songs, composed by the legendary Elton John and Tim Rice.

Sasha Caicedo, an ensemble member who puppeteers Cheetah, shares her excitement and experiences in this iconic production.

For Caicedo, performing in The Lion King is a dream come true. "I literally grew up dancing, and I've always watched performances via the television because I didn't grow up being able to afford to see live shows," she shares. "To be able to be on stage and do this every day - yes, it gets tiring on the body - but it's literally a dream of mine since I was a child that has come to fruition."

When asked about her favorite scene to perform, Caicedo reveals that it's actually a scene she's not in. "I think 'Be Prepared' is genius; the scenery changes from oranges and yellow and sunrises and the bright greens of meadows to dark, gray, black, and almost angry, and you can feel Scar's anger and frustration," she explains. "I love the juxtaposition of how that happens seamlessly within seconds on stage. It just makes you feel like you're in this completely different world than being out in the Pride."

As a Miami native, performing in Florida holds special significance for Caicedo. "I feel like I'm performing for my family every day. I love being amongst my Latin community and being home and wondering who's out there watching, whether it be someone from school like middle or high school or teacher or my family," she says. "It's very special to be home, especially for that one little brown-skinned Latina in the audience. If they see me and they see themselves in me, and they're inspired to do this in life - Oh, my God, that's the biggest goal or dream I could ever ask for."

Working with a diverse and talented cast and crew is one of the highlights for Caicedo. "It's beautiful. It feels like a giant moving family, and we all get to feed off of one another and learn about one another's cultures, backgrounds, and languages," she shares. "Most of us backstage are on Duolingo and were learning cross languages just to communicate and learn with one another, whether it be French or Zulu or Creole or Spanish like we are all interchanging languages and cultures, and it's very beautiful backstage to be part of."

Caicedo has heartfelt advice for aspiring young performers who dream of being in a Broadway production. "Keep going if this is what they really want to do, no matter how many closed doors or people saying that they don't belong or there's just not the right fit," she encourages. "They are uniquely themselves, and that person is exactly what someone else, some production or some show is going to need. Never be discouraged, especially as a Latin artist; we get jumbled amongst the thousands, ignored and pushed back, but our stories are becoming much more open and well known."

Touring with The Lion King has brought many memorable moments for Caicedo. "It's always beautiful when we come together for our barbecues, or we play Whirlyball, a mixture of go-kart with basketball and lacrosse," she recalls. "Coming from Miami, it is the most hilarious, fun adventure the whole company can go. But I never knew what that was until I got on tour with The Lion King."

One of the most heartwarming comments Caicedo has received from an audience member is about loving her portrayal of Cheetah. "It melts me so much whenever they say that, and then I see them mimic my movement or try to walk or scratch like I do on stage," she says. "It's the most beautiful thing to watch a child's eyes light up when they see me in person when I have hair, and it's like meeting a character at Disney in person. It's really magical and endearing."

Caicedo believes The Lion King resonates with people of all ages and backgrounds. "We all grow up with Disney, not just The Lion King. And so we all know what that feeling is of being a kid again," she explains. "The audience really does get taken back by the massive production of what The Lion King brings on stage with the music, the costumes, the singing, and the dancing. If you've never seen it, it does change your perspective of a Disney story, yes, but also of a Broadway performance.

Not many people in South Florida have the privilege of seeing so many live performances, and so when the family does get to see it, it becomes something very captivating. I think a story that touches the most for everyone, especially with the South Florida or Latin audience, is the point of coming back to family. We see how Simba becomes lost; he doesn't know himself anymore and is trying to figure that out. The only way to do that, Rafiki advises him, is not to just look within himself and remind himself that he has his family within him but that he needs to go back home. That's how you replenish yourself. That's how you figure out who you are, how you take lead of your ancestry, and your roots is going back home. And the importance of family."

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