The Lion King

The Lion King.

Circle Of Life. Hakuna Matata. James Earl Jones. Simba. Elton John.

That’s about it. I didn’t know much else. I have not seen the animated version. The live action version of the film was ridiculously wonderful.

The national tour visited Tanger Center in Greensboro. Cool. We’ll go. We went.

I want Sophia and Miles to love musicals as much as I love musicals. I can’t force them, but I hope. We’ll see if they tap their toes or fall asleep before intermission.

I wanted it to be great. I wanted it to be spectacular. I wanted the audience to roar. I wanted the drums to pound. I wanted to be knocked out of my seat. I wanted the cast to have the performance of a lifetime. I wanted, I wanted, I wanted.

Oh, my. I needn’t worry. Everything for which I wanted, delivered. Again, again and again.

It was great. It was spectacular. The audience roared. The drums were pounding. THE LION KING was fit for royalty.

I knew the setting was the grasslands of Africa. That was not a surprise. I did not expect to encounter the depth and influence of African culture throughout the production.

It was a glorious celebration wrapped in the traditions and folktales of Africa.

The music and vocal performances were breathtaking. It was every bit as magical as I imagined it could be.

The ensemble danced from a collective soul. It was full of life, grief and love.

Technically, there were no mistakes. Every light cue, every drum beat, every thread of fabric, every stroke of makeup. Every element was exactly as it should have been. I rarely use the word, but… it was perfection.

If anything, THE LION KING brings all the elements of storytelling together in a collaboration that stands the test of time.

Spoken word. Dance. Music. Puppetry. Art. It’s all there.

It’s a landmark production. The accolades are well-deserved. The ovation wasn’t long enough.

One of the best nights I’ve spent in a theatre in a long time.

We clapped. Toes tapped. Sophia and Miles sang all the way home.

Thank you, cast and crew of THE LION KING. Thank you. Bravo.