The Lion King Touring Production Set To Close Ahead of Big Changes
It's the Circle of (Broadway) Life
The Lion King is one of Disney's most successful properties, not just on the big screen, where it has set box office records twice, but on the stage as well. The Lion King is currently being performed on Broadway and as a touring production. Some big changes are in store for one of them, but it will require the show to close down first.
What's Happening:
- The Lion King has been a touring stage production since 2002. The show has played in nearly 100 cities in the last 24 years.
- Having run essentially continuously for nearly a quarter century, The Lion King touring production is set to (temporarily) end with its August 15, 2027 performance, just under a year from now.
- The pause is part of a planned reimagining of the show. According to Playbill, Original Lion King Broadway director Julie Taymor is part of the team that will be working to reimagine the production.
- No details regarding what sort of changes are planned for the show, but one assumes that newly designed costumes and puppetry, as well as new uses of technology, will be considered.
- No return date is being given, and there isn't even an estimate, so it's unclear how long The Lion King will stop touring, but what is clear is that a return is planned.
More Disney Broadway News:
- Sherri Shepard is set to take the role of the Genie in Disney's Aladdin on Broadway.
- Disney Legend and Broadway star Lea Salonga recently received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- While The ion King is taking a break, another touring production, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, continues and recently held a special night for D23 members.