I remember when I first saw the Lion King when I was just 9-years-old. I was instantly captivated by the opening scene. Throughout my childhood, I watched this movie countless times. It easily became my favorite Disney movie and no other Disney film has come close to topping it. Naturally, being such a huge fan of the movie, I had wanted to see it on Broadway since it first debuted 1997. Out of all the Broadway plays I’ve ever wanted to see, this one was the one I wanted to see the most. I finally got my chance last night. I didn’t go to Broadway in New York, but Broadway came to Philly.
I may be working a bit backwards with this particular review, but I’m going to sum it up by first saying that I have mixed feelings about the show overall. However, I do highly recommend it.
I loved the opening scene. It was fantastic. I feel bad for all the people who came in late. Seriously, don’t do this! Not only do you distract others, but you miss parts of the show. You really don’t want to do it with this show.
Aside from that scene, I’d say another well-done and lively scene was when (spoiler alert) Mufasa dies. All in all, the first act was much better than the second.
Now, I’m not saying the second act wasn’t good. It was! But the first act was amazing. The cast was great, too, but I’d say Drew Hirshfield, who portrayed Zazu, stole the show. He probably got the loudest applause at the end. You wouldn’t think it’d be Zazu who stands out the most, but he sure did.
My other favorite characters were Patrick R. Brown as Scar (dead-on!) and the hyenas (played by Keith Bennett, Robb Sapp, and Jacquelyn Renae Hodges), who were also hilarious.
They stuck to the story, for the most part, but threw in some differences from the film’s storyline here and there. Some were okay and worked well; others I thought were a bit unnecessary and strange. There were also some extra songs that weren’t in the movie that I didn’t particularly enjoy and thought the show could have done without, or done differently. They were just a bit draggy and boring. I think if they maybe had cut those out and beefed up some of the classics a bit more, this show would have been perfect.
Buying Your Tickets
Whether the Lion King is touring and visiting a city near you, or you’ll be visiting New York and want to see the Lion King on Broadway, Ticket Liquidator is a terrific source for finding all upcoming show tickets.
While You’re in New York City
If you’ll be visiting New York, we highly recommend the New York Pass if you’ll be visiting the areas top tourist attractions. This one pass gets you access to more than 80 attractions in the city, and saves you a lot of money overall. There are also a lot of other perks of having this pass, including Fast Track entry. Learn more about and purchase the New York Pass on their official website.
