Lion King Backdrops

The Lion King is a musical based on the 1994 Disney animated film of the same name with music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice along with the musical score created by Hans Zimmer and choral arrangements by Lebo M. Directed by Julie Taymor, the musical features actors in animal costumes as well as giant, hollow puppets. The show is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions.

The musical debuted July 8, 1997, in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Orpheum Theatre, and it was an instant success. The show premiered on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theater on October 15, 1997 in previews. The official opening was on November 13, 1997. On June 13, 2006, the Broadway production moved to the Minskoff Theatre where it is still running after more than 6,700 performances. It is Broadway’s third longest-running show in history and the highest grossing Broadway production of all time, having grossed more than $1 billion.

The show debuted in the West End’s Lyceum Theatre on October 19, 1999, and is still running. The cast of the West End production were invited to perform at the Royal Variety Performance 2008 at the London Palladium on December 11, in the presence of senior members of the British Royal Family.