**** Highly Recommended The audience was clearly ready and waiting for the much anticipated return of The Lion King, judging by the cheers that greeted the first notes sung by Rafiki the Mandrill (Mukelisiwe Goba). I could see expressions of sheer awe on people’s faces as animals – everything from giraffes to elephants to birds in the sky – walked up the aisles toward the stage. Everything about The Lion King is larger than life and because it’s a Disney production, everything is perfect! I give it 4 Spotlights.
After a few minutes, you almost forget that the animals are puppets and that most of them have people inside, manipulating their movements. The costumes and masks are absolutely amazing. The choreography is equally amazing. Whether dancing or not, the actors moved their bodies just the way their animals would move. Even playing plants/grass, the actors can move with the wind.
The story opens at Pride Rock, as Rafiki presents the new cub born to King Mufasa (David D’Lancy Wilson) and Queen Sarabi (Jennifer Theriot) to the gathered animals. The king’s brother, Scar (Peter Hargrave), who planned on inheriting the throne until the birth, skipped the ceremony.
Obviously, when Mufasa tells Simba (Bryce Christian Thompson or Julian Villela) he must never go past the boundaries of their land, like every small boy, he immediately wants to go there. Uncle Scar adds to the allure by telling him that that forbidden place is an elephant graveyard.
Simba and his friend, Nala (Jaxyn Damasco or Emmanuella Olaitan) tells the lionesses a big fib about where they’re going so they get permission to go if Zazu (Nick LaMedica), his father’s advisor, goes with them. When they’ve successfully lost Zazu, they explore the elephant graveyard. Suddenly three scary hyenas, Shenzi (Martina Sykes), Banzai (Forest VanDyke) and Ed (Sam Linda). surround them. The hyenas circle them, intending to eat the cubs but Mufasa leaps to the rescue.
Meanwhile, Scar sulks, resenting his brother. When he meets up with the hyenas who also hate Mufasa, he decides to kill his brother. After he succeeds, Scar terrifies Simba until he runs away, instructing the hyenas to kill him.
Simba is rescued from the circling buzzards by Timon (Robert Creighton) a meerkat and Pumbaa (Danny Grumich) a warthog, who introduce him to their carefree and bug-eating life as they sing Hakuna Matata.
Now grown-up, Simba (Gilbert Domally) stayed with Timon and Pumbaa but now he’s looking for something he’s missed. One day he meets a lioness, who turns out to be his old friend Nala (Thembelihle Cele), all grown up. When Nala tells him how things have changed under Scar’s rule – for the worse – he decides to go home.
The Lion King ensemble: Kayla Rose Aimable, Ellen Akashi, Eric Bean, Jr., Layla Brent, Shaquelle Charles, Reoagile Choabi, Daniela Cobb, Lyric Danae, Maurice Dawkins, Cedrick Ekra, Camryn Hampton, Valériane Louisy Louis Joseph, Joel Karie, Gabisile Manana, Keyveontae’ Martin, Justin Mensah, Sarita Amani Nash, Nhlanhla Ndlovu, Aaron Nelson, Yuka Notsuka, Sicelo Ntshangase, Sayiga Eugene Peabody, Poseletso Sejosingoe, Eric Shawn, Kevin Ricardo Tate, Jennifer Theriot, Brena K. Thomas, Courtney Thomas, Ben Toomer, Denzel Tsopnang, Brinie Wallace and Jordan Nicole Willis.
The Lion King orchestra: Conductor - Karl Shymanovitz; Associate conductor - Danny White; Keyboard 1 - Eric Banitt, Eryn Allen; Keyboard 2/Assistant Conductors – Paul McCaffrey, Ben Johnson; Guitar – Robert Tye; Bass – Michael Brown; Drums – Phil Martin; Marimba – Mike Faue; Percusson – Stephan Monssen, Rueven Weizberg; Flutes – Darlene Drew; French Horn – Tim Riley.
Disney’s The Lion King runs through October 19th at Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph, Chicago. Running time is 2 hours, 30 minutes with an intermission. Performances: Tuesday through Friday at 7:00 pm; Saturdays at 2:00 and 7:30; Sundays at 1:00 and 6:30. Tickets range from $45-$175. FYI (312) 977-1710 or www.broadwayinchicago.com.