Video: See Tshidi Manye Take Her Final Bow as Rafiki in The Lion King After 9,000 Performances

When the lights rose up on Tshidi Manye in The Lion King August 31, before she sang the first notes of "Circle of Life," the audience were already applauding with excitement. At that Sunday's performance at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre, ushers handed out Playbills that contained a very important insert that noted this: It was Manye's final performance as Rafiki. She has performed that role over 9,000 times, and is the longest-running Rafiki. Manye earned her entrance applause that night. See her final bows in the video above, as well as some parting words from her castmates.

Manye, who is from South Africa, first started with The Lion King as a Bird Lady in the Toronto production in 2000 before becoming Rafiki. She then joined the Broadway company in 2004 as Rafiki. She has performed for over 15 million people, including five sitting presidents. She also sang in the chorus of The Lion King 1994 film soundtrack.

In the insert from Sunday evening's Playbill, Lion King director Julie Taymor paid tribute to Manye, writing: "Tshidi Manye is the heart and soul of The Lion King. Not just because her character is our omniscient guide through the story. It’s because Tshidi brings to vivid life in Rafiki the spirit of the Songoma, the South African shaman/healer, melded with her own unique personality and brilliant talent. Tshidi is the glue that binds the show—beloved by our audiences, and every one of the 100+ people who have worked alongside her eight times a week for a quarter century. Representing the show fiercely and gloriously for thousands of performances and countless TV and personal appearances, she makes me proud to be a director and theatre-maker. Tshidi, you are the essence of The Lion King. Our Lion Queen."

In the curtain call remarks, after the entire cast had taken their bows, Pearl Khwezi (who plays Nala) let audiences know more about Manye, saying: “To us, she has been a sister, a mother, a friend, a roommate, a dressing roommate, a silent leader of every shenanigan. She’s mastered the art of throwing a rock and hiding her hand. In front of her family that is here with us today, we would like to honor her and thank her. Thank you for your love. Thank you for the music, thank you for the laughter, thank you for the joy.”

Bonita J. Hamilton (another long-running actor who has played Shenzi for 20 years) then added: “We celebrate you, we honor you, we love you.” Manye then received her rightful flowers, both literally (with a bouquet), and then metaphorically as she stepped forward to take one more solo, and final, bow.

Though she didn't make any remarks that evening, Manye did tell The New York Times that she wants to go back to South Africa temporarily to spend time with family and to unwind “physically, spiritually, mentally.”

Tshidi Manye with *The Lion King* snow globe

The role of Rafiki was created on Broadway by Tsidii Le Loka. Manye's successor is Ntsepa Pitjeng-Molebatsi, who stepped into the role temporarily earlier this year.

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

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 10,900 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. Several musicians have been in the orchestra pit since its Broadway opening, including Karl Jurman, who has been musical director since 2005.

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.

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.

Other members of the creative team include Michael Curry (who designed the masks and puppets with Taymor), as well as sound designer Steve Canyon Kennedy, hair and makeup designer Michael Ward, associate director Anthony Lyn, associate choreographer Marey Griffith, music supervisor Clement Ishmael, production supervisor Lisa Dawn Cave, and general manager Thomas Schlenk with casting by ARC's Mark Brandon. Anne Quart serves as executive producer.

The musical is produced by Disney Theatrical Group, under the direction of Andrew Flatt, executive producer Quart, and Thomas Schumacher.