According to Taymor, every piece of cloth used to create the costumes in the show was hand-printed and painted. Some costumes represent scenery and different environmental elements of the show. One of the biggest challenges for director Julie Taymor was bringing the animals to life on stage, though It’s not just the animals that are personified through costumes. Fifteen different flutes from countries such as India and China are used throughout the show - each one in its own unique way to represent a character or a specific setting. One of the most important instruments to the show is the flute. The live symphony orchestra that performs below the stage and is hidden to the audience is the show’s invisible superstar. Instruments like the Djembe and Bongo drums act as a narrator to help tell the story. Once the show starts, you’ll see them play throughout as the sounds of Africa are brought to life right before you. When you find your seat inside the Opera House, you’ll see two percussionists on the sides of the stage. Percussion is one of the more integral aspects of South African music, and it’s no stranger to the The Lion King on Broadway. Throughout the Broadway show, you’ll hear six different African languages either sung or spoken.

tied together the unique rhythms and chants of South African culture into the score composed by Hans Zimmer to make The Lion King stand out as one of Disney’s more diverse films. The soundtrack and score shared just as important of a role.

Melting pot of culturesĪnimators of the original film visited Kenya in order to portray the most accurate depiction of African wildlife, but it was more than what meets the eye for the variety of cultures that culminate within the film. If you’re wondering how other scenes play out, such as how the wildebeest scene is brought to life, you’ll have to wait and see the show. Pride Rock appears five times throughout the show and is battery-operated to expand outward like an accordion to 18 feet wide at its fullest position onstage.

Detroit opera house lion king