Getting its start in 1997, The Lion King Musical has attracted lovers of theatre and the animated movie alike over the years. Recently, this larger than life production made its way to the Greenville area and I had the privilege to go see it for the first time. Watching one of my favorite childhood movies come to life on the stage was a thrilling experience and I highly recommend it to lovers of music and high quality visuals. If this is your first time going to see the musical, there are definitely some things to appreciate.
First of all, the character designs and puppet-work are simply breathtaking. Each costume reflects not only the spirit of the all-animal cast, but of the culture the story original stems from. The make-up was masterfully applied, really giving the characters so much personality and life without them having to speak a single word.
The larger puppets are extraordinary to watch as well. My mother summed it up perfectly when she said "the giraffes look incredibly life-like." Sometimes its really hard to remember that these creatures are not living breathing animals walking across the stage. One of my favorite things about the play was watching the animals move across the stage because a lot of them were designed in such creative ways. The antelopes and birds moving and flying around was astounding to watch.
Another thing that is fun about this musical is how the stage is not limiting. Sometimes the performers would take to the audience or balconies, almost incorporating the audience into the play. It made for some amazing visuals and made the performance seem even larger than it really was.
The music was absolutely wonderful. If you are a lover of the old Lion King songs or someone looking for something new, you will have a good time. The older songs were fun to hear and it was fun to see them incorporated onto the stage. The new songs are absolutely amazing to listen too, full of heart and spirit of the culture. With moving lyrics and powerful instrumental additions, I promise you will not be disappointed with the musical selection.
The visuals were beautiful as well. The lighting and props were used to there fullest with the elephant graveyard, the watering hole, the jungle, and pride rock. All were wonderfully crafted and seemed to be plucked right out of the movie or nature. It was, in the end, a very visually appealing movie to sit through.
Overall, The Lion King Musical was a wonderful experience. I would definitely recommend people who loved the animated movie to go see this musical. It was wonderfully crafted and the performances were awe-inspiring. Go see it soon while you still have the chance!
