Last night, Laughing Place had the pleasure to attend Disney’s The Lion King 30th Anniversary: A Live-to-Film Concert Event, and we are here to share all the excitement of the star-studded celebration!
Disney’s The Lion King 30th Anniversary: A Live-to-Film Concert Event held at The Hollywood Bowl was spectacular. Over the past 30 years, 1994’s The Lion King has inspired two sequels, two TV shows, an incredibly successful Broadway musical, 2019’s live action remake, and the upcoming prequel Mufasa. The theatrical celebration included a live orchestra, sets, dancers, and incredible performances and appearances by Billy Eichner, Bradley Gibson, Ernie Sabella, Heather Headley, Jason Weaver, Jeremy Irons, Lebo M., Nathan Lane, North West, and Jennifer Hudson.
For mega fans of The Lion King, merchandise to commemorate the event was being sold throughout the venue.
In preparation for the night’s performance, Disney Concerts hosted a quick game of The Lion King trivia awarding participating families with 30th anniversary blankets.
The Live-to-Film concert began at 8pm, kicking off with an epic performance of “Circle of Life.” Dancers clad with costumes from the Broadway show crowded the isles of The Hollywood Bowl in the opening number. Lebo M., the original singer of the iconic song, joined in the performance as did Jennifer Hudson. It was an incredible way to commence the two and a half hour event.
In between the larger than life performances, the live orchestra and choir accompanied clips of the beloved animated classic. The Hollywood Bowl was covered in projection mapping, really immersing the audience into Pride Rock.
Next up, Jason Weaver, the original singing voice of young Simba, announced the Hollywood debut of North West. The 10-year reality star showed off her vocal power with “I Just Can’t Wait to be King.”
Onto the next wild performance, Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe winner Jeremy Irons performed his iconic villain anthem “Be Prepared” with a legion of hyena dancers.
In a very special performance, Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella, the original voice talent for Timon and Pumbaa, performed “Hakuna Matata” together for the first time ever. Jason Weaver also joined them as Simba for the number.
Closing out the first act of the event, Lebo M. returned to the stage to perform a song from the Broadway musical.
Opening the second act, Billy Eichner, Timon in 2019’s The Lion King live action remake, sang “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” with Nathan Lane. The actor encouraged audiences to sing along to this do-wop classic.
In an exclusive first look, Lebo M. returned to the stage to perform a never-before-heard song from Disney’s upcoming live-action prequel Mufasa. We were also treated to a performance of “SPIRIT” by the incredibly talented choir.
Returning to the stage, Lebo M. performed” He Lives in You,” a powerful selection originally written by M. for 1995’s The Lion King-inspired album Rhythm of the Pride Lands. The song was later incorporated into the Broadway production. It was a highlight of the evening.
Continuing the celebration of the Broadway production, Heather Headley, the original actress to play Nala in the stage-adaptation, performed “Shadowland.” The performance was, possibly, the most powerful of the evening. Following in the footsteps of Headley, Bradley Gibson, who played Simba on Broadway from 2018 to 2020, performed another song exclusive to the stage production.
Closing out the evening, Jennifer Hudson returned for a beautiful rendition of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” leading to a finale of dancers, confetti cannons, fireworks, and a group bow for the amazing cast and crew of the celebration.
Disney’s The Lion King 30th Anniversary: Live-To-Film Concert event was a roaring good time. In an unmissable experience, Disney brought the party to Pride Rock. A second performance of the concert event will take place tonight May 25th. You can check ticket availability on The Hollywood Bowl’s website. If you are unable to attend tonight’s performance, do not fret. Disney Concerts filmed the entire event and a special will be released on Disney+ at a later date. You can also check for future Disney Concert events at The Hollywood Bowl at the venue’s upcoming events page.
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