On July 14, cast members of Broadway’s The Lion King were forced to improvise their costumes for the matinee performance after a flood at the Minskoff Theatre, resulting from the July 13 blackout, soaked numerous costumes of the musical’s principals.
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L. Steven Taylor, who plays Mufasa, and Tshidi Manye, who plays Rafiki, began the afternoon with a pre-performance announcement, explaining that they and a few others would not be dressed in their full regalia. “In the spirit of what theatre is, we’ve decided to proceed with the show,” Taylor said.
“You came to see a great show and we're going to give it to you,” he continued. “Not only are you guys going to witness a once-in-a-lifetime version of Lion King, you guys get to be a part of it.”
Watch an excerpt of the opening “Circle of Life” from the adjusted performance below. The cast is expected to perform in their full costumes beginning with the July 16 evening performance.
