The long-running, Tony-winning The Lion King celebrated its 11,000th performance on Broadway September 20.
To commemorate the milestone, the company celebrated the 162 members of the cast, crew, orchestra, and theatre staff who have been part of The Lion King family for between 5 and 27 years, including 18 who have been involved since the first performance of the international hit in 1997.
Watch the celebration at the Minskoff Theatre in the Instagram video below. And, check out some of Broadway's other longest-running productions here.
Visit the Playbill Store for The Lion King merchandise.
The principal Broadway 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, Vincent Jamal Hooper as Simba, Pearl Khwezi as Nala, James Brown-Orleans as Banzai, Bonita J. Hamilton as Shenzi, and Robb Sapp as Ed.
Watch: International Casts of The Lion King Perform Multilingual 'Circle of Life'
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 11,000 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.
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.
