Theater | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper: Squeals of laughter and applause erupted throughout the theater as the parade of animals marched to the stage of The Benedum Center at the beginning of The Lion King. The animals came from every direction — first stage left, then right, the balcony, and down the aisles from the back. Actors with stilts attached to all four limbs, mimicking the height of the giraffes they were portraying; leaping antelopes, attached to heads and arms; birds floating above beautiful women dressed all in white; an elephant moving with the help of multiple actors; the most gorgeous cheetah — who moved so gracefully, it was easy to forget there was a human attached to the puppet — I’ve ever seen.
4 comments:
I am pretty sure the Lion King was the first stage performance I saw as a child. I remember distinctly being in awe with the color puppets, the pounding music, and gorgeous movement on stage. I am so glad that after years of touring across the country, it hasn't changed in the slightest. The awe and wonder the author of this article described resonated with me. This production is perfect for children, as it keeps them thoroughly engaged throughout the entire 2 hour performance. It is a nice break for many parents, who today have trouble keeping kids engaged and sitting still when phones have altered patience and expectations. It is also a great performance for adults too, as they grew up with this story from Disney and it still entertains them. I haven't seen the Lion King in many years and wish I could go see the production at the Benedum. It would be nice to experience child-like wonder again, if only for a little while.
I first saw Lion King when I was an elementary school. The moment the Elephant came through the audience I was crying. The show is so beautiful and the way Julie Taymor (the Director) Staged the show is incredible. I obviously saw the movie over the summer and while it was good there is nothing like the live stage adaptation. I haven’t seen to many national tours, but the few I have seem to match up pretty well with the Broadway Company. This tour is slightly different as it has scaled down somethings. I wonder how scaled back they made it. I get to Shadow the stage management team this week and im excited to see the differences. Im also interested in seeing how a tour changes some of its blocking (animals in the audience) depending on the venue they are in. All of these questions I am sure will get answered when I shadow!
The Lion King holds a special place in my heart as the first ever Broadway Musical that I ever saw. Eight year old me was so excited and in awe of the animals traveling down the isles, the music and the atmosphere that was created in the Miskoff theatre. I am not surprised that the show has ran for as long as it has, and that even years later it is successful on Broadway and touring around the world. The author draws on the music in the show, and how we as audience members have heard it several times over but it still brings a smile to our faces. The author also draws on the misconception that this is a show for children. This is a beloved, feel good show that brings together beautiful musical and design elements that span from the costumes to the lighting to the set in which people of all ages enjoy.
The Lion King has always been one of my favorite movies as a child and still to this day. I remember the Lion King staged performance as the Broadway performance I had ever seen. I remember being absolutely mesmerized by the singing, the choreography, and the scenery. It was absolutely magical. What made me love it even more was that I saw it very recently and still loved it. After having some experience working in technical theatre in high school, I appreciated all of the artistry so much more. The costumes, the choreography, the scenery, and the vocals are all absolutely beautiful. I loved everything the author wrote about the production of The Lion King and I completely agree. The Broadway production of The Lion King continues to be a magical experience for everyone of all ages. Even those who had next to no knowledge about the story itself, such as the author, will almost always find something beautiful within the performance.
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