The Lion King at William H. Mortensen Hall

Disney’s The Lion King follows the struggles of the little lion cub Simba, who prematurely is forced to accept his role of becoming the leader of the Pride Lands due to unjust killing of his father, Mufasa. Mufasa, who is a well-loved King by all of the territory he rules, gets stabbed in the back by from Scar, Simba’s uncle, which leads to his death. This forces the lion cub into to escape for years, and where Simba's coming-of-age story and his subsequent return to his land and his seat on the throne.

Taken from the original 1994 film of the same title created by Disney, The Lion King was skillfully transformed to the Broadway platform by director Julie Taymor and the stunning cast and production crew. Its premiere in 1997 was the first of its kind, being received positively by critics. Greg Evans of Variety encapsulates The Lion King with very positive words in his review, sharing that “Julie Taymor's approach of Disney's The Lion King is a phenomenon, a assured box office hit unequaled in its creativity, uniqueness, and vigor. Exceeding expectations as a film follow-up, the live version greatly upgrades nearly every aspect of the classic 90s animated film, from design elements and storytelling to Lebo M's writing and the newly African-inspired pop numbers of Elton John and Tim Rice."

Disney's The Lion King was also met with the top commendations from theatergoers. One specifically makes mention of how this musical adaptation can aptly be considered “The best Broadway has to offer”, expressing how he experienced that “the show was fantastic. It was full of color and the song and dance acts were phenomenal. The crafted 3D puppets really brought the roles to life.” Most theatergoers who have watched the shows over the previous 20 years can attest that despite being an adaptation of a motion picture, Disney's The Lion King went above and beyond the original.

The approaching November’s run of The Lion King will be hosted in Mortensen Hall at Bushnell Theatre at Connecticut on Friday 29th November 2024. Mortensen Hall at Bushnell Theatre, being just as alive and creative as the musical with its beautifully planned stage setup and seating arrangement is considered by theatergoers as the ideal choice to host this acclaimed musical.