The beginning of The Lion King is perhaps the most well-recognized opening scene in modern cinematic history, with its glowing orange sun rising over the horizon and the infamous opening notes of “Circle of Life.” But how does one create the same spine-tingling effect for the stage?

As the cast of The Lion King slowly fills the theater, audience members cheer each time a new animal appears and gracefully approaches Pride Rock. Leaping antelopes, prancing zebras, looming giraffes, and even shuffling elephants all come together to fill the stage with the savannah as Rafiki’s (Mukelisiwe Goba) siren song draws them in from every direction. 

Loosely based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, The Lion King follows the story of Simba (Darian Sanders), a young lion cub and heir apparent to the Pride Lands. After his uncle Scar (Peter Hargrave) kills Simba’s father Mufasa (Gerald Ramsey), Simba is forced to flee and grow up in exile, raised instead by the wisecracking meerkat Timon (Nick Cordileone) and lovable warthog Pumbaa (John E. Brady), before returning to the Pride Lands to take his rightful place as king. 

Young Simba (Bryce Christian Thompson in this performance) steals the show as he zooms around the stage. His sweet and cocky naivety is matched by Young Nala’s (Ritisha Chakraborty in this performance) snark in their number “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King.” As the stage fills with colorful, larger-than-life animals, they sing with the unbridled confidence of happy-go-lucky kids with nothing to fear. 

Comparatively, Ramsey commands the room with a powerful, regal presence as he teaches Simba there is far more to being king than just telling others what to do. Keeping all of the best lines from the film, his number “They Live in You” gives him ample opportunity to show off as he brings an air of truth and wisdom to his performance. 

While Mufasa brings a powerful and calming presence, Scar has all of the slimy, conniving, almost lackadaisical energy we have come to expect from our Disney villains. In true Disney fashion, he lays out his elaborate plan for greatness in a catchy rock-like number, “Be Prepared.” The pulsing drumbeat and unmatched choreography of the hyena dancers adds an impressive visual layer to Hargrave’s snarling vocals. 

Sanders shines as Simba as he blends childhood cockiness with newfound princely responsibility. His number “Endless Night” follows true musical theater form as Sanders finally gets his big-belt, leading man song, full of smooth and silky notes that ebb and flow like gentle waves. 

While Simba must learn to find his strength and reclaim the throne, Nala is a force to be reckoned with. Khalifa White brings her own regal energy to her performance, particularly during her number “Shadowland.” While often overlooked when discussing great Disney princess songs, White makes sure it will be a moment to remember as she is guided by the generations of powerful women in her pride that came before her, giving her the strength to remember her purpose and her past. Backed by overlapping harmonies from her fellow lionesses, White grows in power and confidence as her rich and controlled tone fills the room. 

Of course, where would a king be without those around to guide him? Nick LaMedica provides some well-timed snark as the lovable, high-strung Zazu as Young Simba and Young Nala do their best to…ruffle his feathers. Cordileone and Brady shine as the lovable Timon and Pumba, and their number “Hakuna Matata” has all the bright, quippy cheer these two characters are known for. 

Rafiki is often an underrated character, but Goba makes sure she will not be forgotten. She is a fireball of energy and has some of the best one-liners in the show, keeping both characters and audience members on their toes. Her number “He Lives in You (Reprise)” is a chills-inducing moment full of powerful vocals and impressive visual effects, proving Rafiki is much more than we give the character credit for. 

But when discussing The Lion King, the success of the performance is directly intertwined with the visual effects the production team manages to bring to the stage. Recreating animation for a theatrical audience is never an easy task, but director Julie Taymor has poured her heart and soul into the production and created a visual masterpiece that has ruled over Broadway for nearly 30 years, and the technical team accomplishes this Olympic-sized feat with a delicate and flawless touch. Puppeteering and the use of lighting and shadows bring The Lion King to life on stage as scenes like the wildebeest stampede and the apparition of Mufasa become gut-wrenching, emotional, and tangible, thanks to scenic designer Richard Hudson, lighting designer Donald Holder, and mask and puppet design from Julie Taymor and Michael Curry. 

In the case of The Lion King, mastering the technical elements is not only critical for the crew and production team, but for the cast as well. There is a fine line between mimicking the animals in a subtle, yet authentic, way, and looking like an exercise for a high school drama class. Fortunately, each cast member not only takes on the physical motions of their animal, but masters the puppeteering that creates the infamous Lion King effect. Hired as actors, rather than puppeteers, each cast member must learn how to operate the costume and physical mechanism that allows them to create the visual shapes of the animals they portray. Colloquially known as “the Julie Taymor effect,” we as audience members see almost two productions at once — one in which we are watching actors on a stage, and another one that allows us to almost block out the faces of the performers and focus solely on the animals we see before us as their own entities, thanks to flawless costume design from Taymor. 

The production features music and lyrics by Elton John and Tim Rice, additional music and lyrics from Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor, and Hans Zimmer, a book from Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi, and choreography from Garth Fagan. 

The Lion King runs at the Durham Performing Arts Center through Sunday, June 9, 2024. Tickets can be purchased here. This production makes sure of theatrical haze and strobe lights.

Feature Photo Credit: Deen-van-Meer

Additional production photos can be found below.