Archive for July 16th, 2010
Vancouver Singer Ian Yuri Gardner returns to Lion King Cast
The Lion King at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre
The local Vancouver singer Ian Yuri Gardner has spent most of the past seven years in various stage productions of The Lion King. Yes, this show has legs, especially when Gardner comes onstage as a giraffe.
Gardner plays a “swing” in the cast, meaning he’ll be onstage in several different roles during any given show.
“We’re in puppets the majority of the time,” Gardner says. “There’s lots of choreography even for the singers. We’re never just standing there.”
Disney’s movie cartoon was adapted for the Broadway stage by director Julie Taymor 13 years ago, with the story’s various animals represented by huge puppets manipulated by the cast. The stage version has since become a durable audience-pleaser as well.
Gardner’s giraffe moment comes during the opening song “Circle of Life,” which recreates the movie’s panorama of wildlife. Gardner plays one of the two giraffes in that sequence, requiring him to walk on all fours with stilts on his hands and feet, while singing.
“It takes a while to get used to it,” Gardner says. “Some people never get used to it — they go out there still nervous, but I actually enjoy it. This is one of the most unique shows that I have ever been a part of.”
Gardner was born in Britain, but grew up in Vancouver, graduating from Gladstone secondary in 1986, the year his school choir sang at Expo.
He went on to a career doing musical theatre in Vancouver, singing on cruise ships, and producing his own shows in Britain and Canada. The travelling continued when he first joined a production of The Lion King in Toronto in 2003.
After that production’s run, he joined a production in Holland (for which the cast had to learn Dutch), and eventually joined the Broadway show in New York, where he stayed for two-and-a-half years.
“I heard the tour was coming back to Canada so I asked to join,” he says over the phone from a U.S. tour stop. “They always called me, every time I thought that was enough of The Lion King.”
He will do as many as 20 costume changes in a show, and the touring schedule involves eight shows a week.
“The fact that it’s coming back to Vancouver makes it full circle for me,” he says. “My goal has always been to open up my own production company doing a variety of events in Vancouver. I’m slowly heading that way more permanently. I’ll still be in The Lion King for a little bit, but I’m definitely on my way back home.”
Lion King is currently performing at Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, BC Canada through August 08, 2010.
Timings: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays, 2 p.m. Saturdays, 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sundays. Until Aug. 8
Buy Lion King Vancouver BC Canada Tickets.
{Via Postmedia Network Inc}
Salt Lake’s The Lion King Schedule 8/11-9/26
Casting has been announced for the Salt Lake City engagement of Disney’s The Lion King. Salt Lake City’s most eagerly awaited stage production ever will leap onto the Capitol Theatre stage from Wednesday, August 11 to Sunday, September 26, 2010. The press opening night is Friday, August 13 at 8:00 pm.
The engagement has already sold more than 83,000 tickets and generated more than $6.5 million at the box office. Even with all this success, there are still seats available with the best locations in the weeknight and Sunday performances during the last two weeks. Patrons are encouraged to contact the Capitol Theatre Box Office for availability at 801.355.5502.
On stage, Director Julie Taymor’s creative vision blends elements of African art and Broadway artisanship to depict anthropomorphic animal characters. The sardonic and deviously cunning “Scar” is played by J. Anthony Crane. Dionne Randolph is “Mufasa,” the great warrior and ruler of the Pridelands. Brenda Mhlongo is the wise baboon shaman “Rafiki.” Tony Freeman portrays the prim and proper hornbilled bird “Zazu.” Ben Lipitz is the carefree warthog “Pumbaa” and Nick Cordileone is the wisecracking meerkat “Timon.” Mufasa’s son, “Simba,” the lion prince born to be king, is played by Adam Jacobs and Syndee Winters is the loyal lioness “Nala.”
The three evil hyenas are played by Omari Tau (“Banzai”), Monica L. Patton (“Shenzi”) and Ben Roseberry (“Ed”). The role of “Young Simba” is alternated between Jerome Stephen, Jr. and Kolton Stewart and the role of “Young Nala” is alternated between Monique Lee and Madai Monica Williams.
The North American touring production of The Lion King has been seen by over 12.5 million theatergoers and grossed over $815 million to date. The tour is one of seven productions running worldwide, along with New York City, London, Hamburg, Paris, Tokyo and Las Vegas. Having already played 60 cities across North America, The Lion King continues to entertain audiences in new cities.
In Salt Lake City, The Lion King will play Tuesday through Thursday evenings at 7:30 pm; Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm; and Sunday at 6:30 pm with matinees at 2:00 pm on Saturday; Sunday at 1:00 pm; and Thursday, August 12 and Friday, September 24 at 2:00 pm. There will not be a 6:30pm performance on Sunday, September 26. There will be a special matinee performance on Wednesday, August 18 at 2:00pm to benefit The Actors Fund. Ticket prices start as low as $37.50. Premium Ticket Packages, which include prime seat locations, a commemorative souvenir program and an exclusive merchandise item, are also available.
Buy Lion King Salt Lake City UT Tickets.
{Via BroadwayWorld.com}
Lion King Roars into Vancouver BC
The Vancouver premiere of Disney’s The Lion King opens tonight, Thursday, July 15 at 7:30pm at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre for a limited engagement of four weeks through Sunday, August 8. In Vancouver, The Lion King plays Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 7:30pm, Sunday evening 6:30pm, Saturday matinees at 2pm, Sunday matinees at 1pm with an additional matinee performance on Wednesday, August 4 at 2pm. There will be no 6:30pm performance on Sunday, August 8.
After the Vancouver engagement The Lion King will return to Canada in April 2011 when the record-breaking musical comes back to Toronto where it had its Canadian premiere in April 2000, entertained 2.9 million theater patrons and played 1,560 performances (closing in January 2004). The North American touring company will begin performances on April 19, 2011 for a limited five-week run at the Princess of Wales Theatre, the same venue where the Toronto production was originally housed.
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