New `Lion King' stage show to debut
A “Lion King” musical stage show with singers, dancers and drummers coming this summer to Disneyland will offer a new adaptation of the ancestral story of how a young lion cub becomes king of the jungle.
The “Tale of the Lion King” show will open Saturday at Disneyland's Fantasyland Theatre.
Concept art shows the new “Lion King” stage in the Fantasyland Theatre with drummers on multilevel platforms, dancers and singers amid the audience and character performers surrounded by animal cutouts underneath a large Tree of Life.
The “Tale of the Lion King” moves to the Fantasyland Theatre after playing on the banks of Disney California Adventure's Paradise Bay in the “World of Color” viewing area before the pandemic closure of the park.
The modest-size California Adventure show, which had an ensemble cast of 18 performers, will likely expand to match the scale and size of the Fantasyland Theatre. The Disneyland presentation will feature new original musical arrangements and choreography.
The California Adventure production featured new musical arrangements of popular songs from the original film, which marked its 25th anniversary in 2019. At the time, the theme park stage show served as a movie tie-in for the photo-realistic, computer-generated remake of “The Lion King.”
The new score incorporated elements inspired by the original compositions. Vocal performances were paired with a percussive soundtrack provided by a troupe of drummers.
Set on the African plains, the story told the tale of the battle for Pride Rock after the death of Mufasa the lion king. The exiled Simba the lion cub must figure out how to grow up and take back his rightful throne from Scar, Mufasa's murderous brother.
Disney Live Entertainment began rehearsals in late April for actors, singers, dancers and drummers joining the “Lion King” show as a traveling troupe of African storytellers.
Disney hired vocalists for the African lion roles of Simba, Nala, Mufasa and Scar as well as Pumbaa the warthog, Timon the meerkat and hyenas Banzai and Shenzi. An earth mother character named Mwongozo — Swahili for “guide” — will serve as the show's narrator.
The debut of “Tale of the Lion King” on Saturday will also bring new menu items inspired by the show to the nearby Troubadour Tavern food stand.