The Lion King Debuts in Las Vegas
May 17th, 2009 by ivnet
You won’t find any sleeping lions in the jungle of this city tonight – after two weeks in preview mode, The Lion King will finally have its gala premiere and official opening tonight, May 15, at 7:30 pm. And as we’ve learned in our interview with associate director John Stefaniuk, the Vegas production is one of the biggest that Disney Theatrical Productions has ever staged, with a bigger set, bigger cast, and even a few big surprises.
“When they decided to come to Vegas, they wanted to bring the full Broadway lavish production rather than an augmented version of the show that doesn’t use quite as many technical elements. We decided to bring the entire production – as a matter of fact, a larger production than one we’ve ever done before, including Broadway, to Vegas,” Stefaniuk explained.
That production includes more than 200 puppets, including rod puppets, shadow puppets, and full-sized puppets; 21 musicians, 17 wardrobe people, and 5 hair/makeup artists; 700 lighting instruments; and twelve bird kites in one number alone.
For the Vegas show, Stefaniuk and the Disney ‘core’ team hand-picked an international cast of performers with credits in The Lion King and other shows all over the globe. Playing the sardonic and devious “Scar” is Thom Sesma, while Alton F. White plays the role of the regal lion king “Mufasa.” His son “Simba” will be played by Clifton Oliver, and Kissy Simmons will play the courageous lioness “Nala.” Buyi Zama will play the wise baboon shaman “Rafiki,” and giving life to the wisecracking meerkat “Timon” is Damian Baldet. His friend “Pumbaa” will be played by Adam Kozlowski, while the prim and proper hornbilled bird “Zazu” is played by Patrick Kerr.
The cast also features nine South African natives, including Buyi Zama, and three ensemble members from Las Vegas.
And even if you’ve seen The Lion King before, you’re sure to get a unique experience every time you see it, especially here in Las Vegas. Each cast has its unique chemistry, and when it comes to the Mandalay Bay production, the chemistry is even fiercer when you add in the spirited South African south members and the energy from the Vegas audience.
“It’s funny, you rehearse the show and rehearse the show, and no matter how much you rehearse it, it’s that feedback and that energy back from the audience that really gives the actors that last piece that you just can’t give them,” said Stefaniuk.
If you want to enjoy a little additional Lion King fun or get excited for the show, drop by the chilly ice lounge Minus 5 today to check out a cool new ice sculpture of Simba. Carvers began yesterday at 1 pm and put the final touches on his mane at 6:30 pm.
Also, guests can get a behind-the-scenes look at the Vegas production at an exhibit on display at The Shoppes at Mandalay Place. The exhibit features historical photographs, imagery from Lion King productions around the world, and maquette models designed by director Julie Taymor that served as prototypes for the countless costumes and puppets developed for the show. Spread throughout the Shoppes at Mandalay Bay, the exhibit follows how The Lion King was brought to the stage, revealing the vision behind its choreography, costumes, puppets, masks, music, and more.
And don’t forget to check out the show itself! The Lion King performs nightly Saturday through Thursday at 8 pm on weekdays and at 4 pm and 8 pm on weekends