Description: We planned our trip at the last minute, so we weren't able to get tickets at a reasonable price for any of the newest shows. However, we had all heard that The Lion King was an interesting show, so we chose that. Our seats were about halfway back on the main floor, on the left side. We had an unobstructed view and paid $118 per seat. There were many children in the audience but all were quiet and well-behaved once the show began.
The show began slightly late, but started with performers coming down the aisles of both the floor and the balcony with puppets of various animals, singing the main title, "The Circle of Life". Most of the animal characters aside from the lions were portrayed by a combination of a human and a puppet. The humans behind the hyenas were a little distracting, but the rest were innovative and interesting to watch. The young actors portraying young Simba and Nala were incredibly professional and gifted. The scenery was simple but used in creative ways. The story is essentially the same as the movie, but some of the jokes had been changed. I found that odd and disconcerting because I know the movie well enough to tell when a line had been changed, and it seemed that the new punchlines were not an improvement. However, the new music that was added to the show fits well.
After the show, we spent about half an hour in the lobby. It is on the second floor of the building, and has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Times Square. So, we were complete tourists snapping shots out of the windows of all the neon. Overall, we enjoyed the show and since we had time for only one Broadway experience, we are glad we did not take a chance on an unknown story.
Close