Disney’s ‘Lion King’ displays dazzling prominence at Saenger
By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic (“Steppin’ Out“)
The Entergy Broadway Across New Orleans season welcomed back one of its most successful road shows this past week when Disney’s The Lion King opened an 18-day run at the Saenger Theatre.
The beloved musical ranks as the highest grossing musical of all time with more than $11 billion dollars in sales worldwide, and is still enjoying huge crowds at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway, where it transferred 20 years ago after an earlier, nearly decade-long opening on Broadway in 1997.
The Elton John and Tim Rice musical is noted for many things: its simple, yet elegant stage designs, its splendid choreography and its intricate and amazing costuming to name but a few. The entire production was conceived and directed by the über talented Julie Taymor with Garth Fagan serving as a noteworthy choreographer.
There’s hardly anything like the musical’s opening song “The Circle of Life” that brings all manner of jungle beasts of the air and giants of the field lumbering through the aisles of the auditorium as they join tall giraffes and others on stage.
Rafiki, played by Zama Magudulela, is the jovial mandrill and mystical shaman. He presides over the presentation of the lion cub Simba, who is born to Mufasa (David D’Lancy Wilson), the reigning Lion King and his devoted lioness Sarabi (Jennifer Theriot). Mufasa is played with great intention by Wilson, establishing the figure as a kindly, but determined leader who expects his son to ascend to the throne one day. Theriot’s Sarabi has an understated role, while the young Simba role is played alternately by Aaron Chao and Jonah Watson. He is given instruction in how to be a proper king by Mufasa.
It is important that the responsibility of training the sion of the pride is taken on by Mufasa, whose strong performance clearly establishes him as a stern but kindly father figure and wise leader. In addition, the majordomo to Mufasa is Zasu, played by Nick Lamedica, whose job is to reinforce the instruction Simba received from his father.
Peter Hargrave plays Mufasa’s scheming brother Scar to great effect, especially in “Be Prepared,” set in an elephant graveyard. Knowing that Simba is a direct threat to his hope to one day overthrow his brother, Scar is an opportunist who seizes a moment when Mufasa is unsuspecting to launch an attack and stage a coup.
The actors playing the young Simba in Act I do a very good job of portraying him as an tentative and näive cub, not at all experienced in the ways of the weary world. He and the young Nala, played by either Journey Compas or Marley Gomes, carry on as playful youngsters unaware of Scar’s Machiavellian designs on the throne.
Early in Act I, the playful relationship between the young Simba and Nala is established in “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King.” , He is inserted in the number to keep the young ones in line and give out advice to his charges.
When an unforseen stampede takes Mufasa by surprise, Scar jumps into action, commiting fratricide and cleverly convinces the impressionable young Simba that he is to blame. Simba’s shame leads to a self-imposed exile away from the pride and Scar and his demanding pack of hyenas begin their rule over the savannah.
The popular “Hakuna Matata” at the end of Act I introduces Timon (Nick Cordileone), a surly meerkat and his gassy warthog friend Pumbaa (Donny Grumich) into the equation. Their puppetry is handled adroitly and the punchy one-liners – especially those that deal with breaking wind – make for lots of giddiness in the audience.
When the Act I curtain comes down, a successful switch with the older Simba, played by Gilbert Domally, is accomplished. It is Domally who brings the arc of Simba to its logical conclusion. He is a carefree spirit buoyed down by his enormous guilt in thinking he has brought about his father’s demise. Domally takes us on a fitful journey of his own self-worth, transforming from a reluctant exile to that of a proud warrior ready to fight for his father’s name and accept his destiny.
Syndee Winters plays the older Nala in Act II. She matches with Domally in key scenes that establish their relationship, most particularly emphasized in “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” One of the great songs in the Disney lockbox, the sweeping chorus of the ensemble carries the action with slight comedic counterpoint provided by Cordileone and Grumich as Timon and Pumbaa.
There is little that can be done to improve The Lion King. It stands as a ferocious musical that shows no sign of slowing down. It has established itself as a powerful beast with very strong legs.
Adapted from the Disney screenplay by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts and Linda Wooverton, the book of The Lion King is by Mecchi with Roger Allers. Scenic desgin is by Richard Hudson, while superb sound design is by Steve Canyon Kennedy. Music direction is by Karl Shymanovitz with orchestrations by Robert Elhai and David Metzger. Live muic is produced on the stage by Mark Mancina with accitional vocal scores and arrangements by Lebo M, who also directs the chorus.
Taymor’s costumes and Fagan’s choreoraphy are the icing on the cake lit up by Donald Holder’s impressive lighting designs. With Disney’s The Lion King, it truly takes a village of talented creatives to carry off this monumental work now enjoying its 29th continuous year on the Great White Way.
Disney’s The Lion King continues its national tour at the Saenger Theater now through Sunday, November 8. Tickets available for October are here and shows for November are here.
