See Who Will Be Next Simba in The Lion King on Broadway

Longtime The Lion King cast member Mduduzi Madela will assume the role of Simba in the Tony-winning Disney musical at the Minskoff Theatre full-time beginning February 24. 

Madela has been in the ensemble of the Broadway company, covering the role of Simba since 2013, after several years performing in the musical's U.K. tour as well as productions in Paris, Las Vegas, and the Netherlands. The actor, who is the second South African artist to perform the role of Simba on Broadway, will succeed Vincent Jamal Hooper, who played his final performance February 4.

Madela as well as understudies Antwaun Holley and Jeremy Noel are covering the role in the interim period.

The principal company currently includes Gavin Lee as Scar, Ntsepa Pitjeng-Molebatsi as Rafiki, L. Steven Taylor as Mufasa, Blakely Slaybaugh as Zazu, Ben Jeffrey as Pumbaa, Fred Berman as Timon, Pearl Khwezi as Nala, James Brown-Orleans as Banzai, Bonita J. Hamilton as Shenzi, and Robb Sapp as Ed.

READ: The Lion King to Welcome New Young Nala and Young Simba on Broadway

Conceiver, director, costume designer, and mask co-designer Julie Taymor, the first woman to win a Tony for Best Director of a Musical, remains actively involved in the show, launching new productions and maintaining the flagship Broadway production. Composer Lebo M and Tony-winning choreographer Garth Fagan hold their own records: With The Lion King at over 11,100 Main Stem performances, they are the longest-running Black composer and choreographer in Broadway history.

Many of the artists and craftspeople who launched the show remain an integral part of it. Lindiwe Dlamini has performed in the musical since its first pre-Broadway preview in Minneapolis summer 1997.

READ: Bonita J. Hamilton Has Played the Hyena Shenzi in Broadway's The Lion King for 17 Years

The worldwide gross of The Lion King musical exceeds that of any film, Broadway show, or other entertainment title in box-office history.

The Lion King won six Tony Awards in 1998: Best Musical, Best Scenic Design (Richard Hudson), Best Costume Design (Julie Taymor), Best Lighting Design (Donald Holder), Best Choreography (Garth Fagan), and Best Direction of a Musical. The international hit musical has also earned more than 70 major arts awards, including the 1998 NY Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, the 1999 Grammy for Best Musical Show Album, the 1999 Evening Standard Award for Theatrical Event of the Year, and the 1999 Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Choreography and Best Costume Design.

Visit the Playbill Store for The Lion King merchandise.

The Broadway score features Elton John and Tim Rice’s songs from The Lion King animated film, along with three new songs by the pair. There's also additional musical material by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor, and Hans Zimmer. It also inspired an album: Rhythm of the Pride Lands, written by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, and Hans Zimmer.

The book was adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed the animated The Lion King feature, and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the film’s screenplay.

The stage production was originally produced by Peter Schneider and Thomas Schumacher. Other members of the creative team include Michael Curry (who designed the masks and puppets with Taymor), sound designer Steve Canyon Kennedy, hair and makeup designer Michael Ward, music supervisors David Kreppel and Sean Mayes, associate director Anthony Lyn, associate choreographer Marey Griffith, production supervisor Lisa Dawn Cave, general manager Thomas Schlenk, associate music producer Robert Elhai, music coordinator Michael Keller, orchestrators Robert Elhai and David Metzger, fight director Rick Sordelet, and casting by ARC's Mark Brandon.

The musical is produced by Disney Theatrical Group, under the direction of Andrew Flatt and Anne Quart.