The new production will open in Bristol in September before transferring to Edinburgh at the end of the year, with more cities to be fannounced. Starring American actor Dashaun Young (who has played the role of Simba since 2007 in many versions including Broadway, West End and Vegas), the tour will feature an international cast, with members from Belgium, Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Ireland, France and Spain, among many other countries.
There’s a new circle of live about to begin. And while London’s is far from reaching completion, it’s time for the rest of the UK to go wild (at least for a couple of hours) and discover the true king that lives in every one of us – just Hakuna Matata if you don’t find it. Next September, Disney’s most popular stage musical will grow a new sabana in Bristol, which will be transferred to Edinburgh in December – in a new national tour prologued by the attendance-breaking success of the previous one.
Starring American actor Dashaun Young in the role of Simba (which he first played in the North American tour in 2007 and also in the Broadway, West End, Vegas and South Korea shows), with the rest of the cast including more international members from Belgium, Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Ireland, France and Spain, among other countries. On the other hand, this new production will coincide with the 20th anniversary celebration of the West End show. Since its opening at the Lyceum Theatre in 1999, London’s The Lion King has wowed more than 15 million viewers – remaining the West End’s best-selling stage production and the sixth longest-running West End musical of all time.
With a cast of over 50 actors, singers and dancers, The Lion King‘s intricate world comes to life thanks to the using of masks, puppets, costumes and handcrafted effects that evoke folklore and tradition to tell Simba’s internationally acclaimed story – an epic adventure where he’ll struggle to accept the responsibilities of adulthood and becoming king. With songs by Elton John and Tim Rice (who added three new themes to the original five they had written for the film) and Lebo M and incidental music by Hans Zimmer, the show’s sound is a careful mixture of Western popular music and the distinctive sounds and rhythms of Africa, including the Academy Award®-winning Can You Feel The Love Tonight and the haunting Shadowland.
First Night Magazine 