Posts Tagged ‘Lion King Broadway Success’
Lion King Musical National Tour Reaches $1 Billion Ticket Sales
The national tour of the hit Broadway musical The Lion King announced on July 11 that it has crossed $1 billion in ticket sales since its launch in 2002. The tour of the Tony-winning show has been seen by over 15 million people in over 70 cities across North America. The Lion King will make stops in 11 cities in the 2013-2014 season, including Pittsburgh, Dallas, Tempe, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Seattle, Atlanta and Toronto.
The show stars Jelani Remy as Simba, Patrick R. Brown as Scar, L. Steven Taylor as Mufasa, Tshidi Manye as Rafiki, Nia Holloway as Nala, Andrew Gorell as Zazu, Ben Lipitz as Pumbaa and Nick Cordileone as Timon.
The Lion King continues to rule, both on Broadway and on Tour. After opening in 1997, it quickly snared six Tonys, including Best Musical. In 2012, it became the highest grossing Broadway show in history. The play is based on the Academy Award-winning 1994 Walt Disney animated movie, now the highest-grossing hand-drawn film ever. Directed by Julie Taymor, the bright and colorfully resplendent musical paints a dreamscape of jungle characters in animal costumes as well as giant, hollow puppets.
A lively stage adaptation of the Academy Award-winning animated film, The Lion King tells the classic journey of young royal heir Simba. With jaw-dropping puppets, masks and costumes designed by director Julie Taymor, The Lion King is a visual spectacle unlike anything seen on stage before. One of Broadway’s biggest hits since its premiere in 1997, the show won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The score by Elton John and Tim Rice features the songs “The Circle of Life,” “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” and “Can You Feel The Love Tonight.”
The Lion King’s 15th Broadway Anniversary Gallery by TheaterMania.com
Disney’s Tony Award-winning musical The Lion King celebrated its 15th Anniversary performance on Sunday, November 18, with a special multi-lingual rendition of the show’s iconic anthem “Circle of Life,” sung by six “Rafikis” from around the world. Julie Taymor, Lebo M., and Six Rafikis Mark The Lion King’s 15th Anniversary on Broadway – The Photo Gallery by David Gordon at TheaterMania.com
Most of the musical’s original creative team, including Tony Award-winning director/co-costume designer Julie Taymor and vocal arranger/composer Lebohang “Lebo M.” Morake, took the stage after curtain-call for a celebratory bow. As confetti canons fired, they lead the packed house in a musical encore (joined by multi-lingual monkeys).
The current cast of The Lion King features Patrick R. Brown (Scar), Alton Fitzgerald White (Mufasa), Tshidi Manye (Rafiki), Jeff Binder (Zazu), Benn Jeffrey (Pumbaa), Fred Berman (Timon), Andile Gumbi (Simba), and Chantel Riley (Nala).
Check the complete gallery {Via TheaterMania.com}
The musical currently plays Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre. Buy Lion King Broadway Tickets Online, SAVE $10 on orders of $350 or more by using the code AFF$10.
The Lion King’s 15 Years on Broadway, Anniversary Special – by Broadway Buzz
Disney’s Tony-winning musical The Lion King celebrates 15 magical years on Broadway. The landmark production, which combined cutting edge technology with inventive new uses for masks and puppets, opened at the newly refurbished New Amsterdam Theatre on November 13, 1997. A decade and a half later, The Lion King continues to be one of the hottest tickets in town at Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre.
In honor of its anniversary, Broadway.com shares 15 fascinating facts about the show everyone loves.
1. Julie Taymor became the first woman to win a Tony Award for Direction of a Musical for her work on The Lion King and took home a second Tony for the show’s costumes.
2. Before giving a Tony-nominated performance as Mufasa, Samuel E. Wright provided the voice of Sebastian the Crab in Disney’s film The Little Mermaid and debuted the Oscar-winning song “Under the Sea.”
3. The character of Rafiki was changed from an old man in the film to a woman in the musical in order to provide a leading role for a female actress. Good call: Tsidii Le Loka received a Tony nomination for her performance.
4. The Broadway production has played through three Presidential administrations, four mayoral elections and the opening and closing of 536 Broadway shows.
5. The Rhinos in the musical wear Vans sneakers.
6. With a cumulative gross in excess of $5 billion, The Lion King has earned more than the Lord of the Rings film trilogy combined, more than the six Star Wars films combined and more than Avatar and Titanic combined.
7. Pumbaa’s costume weighs 45 pounds and is worn like a backpack.
8. The box office clout of The Lion King shows no signs of waning: 125,000 more tickets were sold in its 15th year than in the 14th, and 50,000 more tickets were sold than in the 10th year of the run.
9. Dancers in black costumes, gloves and hats manipulate pieces of Mufasa’s face on poles to create the scene in which he appears to Simba under the stars.
10. The Lion King’s 21 productions have played in 98 cities in 16 countries on every continent except Antarctica.
11. Pride Rock can rotate in either direction and is segmented into three parts, which go up and down separately (but in order).
12. Though The Lion King lost the 1998 Tony for Best Score to Ragtime, three of Elton John and Tim Rice’s songs had already been nominated for the Oscar. “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” won Best Song in 1995 over “The Circle of Life” and “Hakuna Matata.”
13. The Lion King orchestra is comprised of 23 musicians: 17 in the pit, two percussionists in the boxes and four brass instrumentalists who play down the hall because they don’t fit into the pit.
14. Despite being small, Zazu the bird is actually the most complicated puppet in the show.
15. In order to get into costume, the actor playing the giraffe sits at the top of a six-foot ladder and has a dresser help attach his headpiece and stilts to his feet and hands.
The Lion King Will Celebrate 15 Years on Broadway November 13
The multiple Tony Award-winning musical The Lion King will celebrate 15 years on Broadway Nov. 13 at the Minskoff Theatre. To mark the milestone Broadway.com will roll out a series of Character Study videos featuring the musical’s leading actors.
Lion King Broadway company is currently headed by Patrick R. Brown as Scar, Alton Fitzgerald White as Mufasa and Tshidi Manye as Rafiki.
Based on the popular Disney film, The Lion King opened on Broadway on November 13, 1997 at the New Amsterdam Theatre and won six Tony Awards in 1998 including Best Musical. Director Julie Taymor became the first woman in history to win the Tony for Best Direction of a Musical. The show has spawned 19 productions around the world and has been translated into seven different languages. The Lion King is the fifth longest-running show in Broadway history.
The musical currently plays Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre. Buy Lion King Broadway Tickets Online, Save $10 on orders of $350 or more.
Lion King Will Become Fifth Longest-Running Broadway Show
Disney’s The Lion King will become the fifth longest-running Broadway show on Wednesday, August 15 with the 2:00 PM matinee performance at the Minskoff Theatre. With 6138 performances, The Lion King will surpass the original Broadway production of A Chorus Line (with 6,137 performances).
In its 15th year, The Lion King remains ascendant, recently becoming the highest-grossing Broadway show in history. Since its Broadway premiere on Nov. 13, 1997, 19 productions around the globe have been seen by more than 65 million people, grossed over $4.8 billion and, cumulatively, run 91 years. The Lion King is only the second show in history to generate five productions running 10 or more years. The Lion King has become an international hit with productions playing all around the globe.
The musical currently plays Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre. Buy Lion King New York NY Tickets and Save $10 on any orders of $250 or more, by using the code SUMMERFUNTN at checkout.
Lion King Broadway Box Office Update for Week Ending 07/15/2012 – Crossed $2 Million
The Lion King crossed the $2 million mark to top the chart in a strong week. Lion King Broadway Musical grossed $2,002,353 and had an attendance rate of 100.0%, about 0.4% more than that of the previous week. The 28 shows on the boards grossed $23,438,088, improving around 7.38% from the previous week’s totals.
Below are the Top 12 Grosses from BroadwayWorld.com for the week ending 07/15/2012.
1. The Lion King – (MINSKOFF) $2,002,353
2. Wicked – (GERSHWIN) $1,980,214
3. Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark – (FOXWOODS) $1,738,983
4. The Book Of Mormon – (EUGENE O’NEILL) $1,637,543
5. Evita – (MARQUIS) $1,212,448
6. Newsies – (NEDERLANDER) $1,055,178
7. Mary Poppins – (NEW AMSTERDAM) $1,021,205
8. Once – (JACOBS) $1,015,977
9. Jersey Boys – (AUGUST WILSON) $955,638
10. The Phantom Of The Opera – (MAJESTIC) $914,957
11. Mamma Mia! – (WINTER GARDEN) $863,782
12. Nice Work If You Can Get It – (IMPERIAL) $814,142
{Via BroadwayWorld.com}
Lion King Musical Broadway Box Office Update – June 24, 2012
Lion King Musical Broadway grossed $1,953,376 and had a 100.0% attendance rate, same as that of the previous week. The 32 shows on the boards grossed $24,987,783, improving around 2.90% from the previous week’s totals.
Below are the Top 14 Grosses from BroadwayWorld.com for the week ending June 24, 2012.
1. Wicked – (GERSHWIN) $2,038,405
2. The Lion King – (MINSKOFF) $1,953,376
3. Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark – (FOXWOODS) $1,609,734
4. The Book Of Mormon – (EUGENE O’NEILL) $1,602,661
5. Evita – (MARQUIS) $1,219,699
6. Newsies – (NEDERLANDER) $1,034,393
7. Once – (JACOBS) $1,008,136
8. Nice Work If You Can Get It – (IMPERIAL) $998,578
9. Jersey Boys – (AUGUST WILSON) $947,229
10. Mary Poppins – (NEW AMSTERDAM) $902,417
11. The Phantom Of The Opera – (MAJESTIC) $890,564
12. Priscilla Queen Of The Desert – (PALACE) $727,110
13. Gore Vidal’s The Best Man – (SCHOENFELD) $720,259
14. Mamma Mia! – (WINTER GARDEN) $682,931
{Via BroadwayWorld.com}
Lion King Broadway Box Office Update for the Week June 10, 2012
Lion King Broadway Musical grossed $1,847,364 and had a 100.1% attendance rate, about 0.1% more than the previous week. The 35 shows on the boards grossed $24,964,889, improving around 7.51% from the previous week’s totals.
Below are the Top 13 Grosses from BroadwayWorld.com for the week ending June 10, 2012.
1. Wicked – (GERSHWIN) $1,990,184
2. The Lion King – (MINSKOFF) $1,847,364
3. The Book Of Mormon – (EUGENE O’NEILL) $1,615,231
4. Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark – (FOXWOODS) $1,489,655
5. Evita – (MARQUIS) $1,387,065
6. Newsies – (NEDERLANDER) $997,067
7. Jersey Boys – (AUGUST WILSON) $946,692
8. Nice Work If You Can Get It – (IMPERIAL) $907,652
9. The Phantom Of The Opera – (MAJESTIC) $873,562
10. Once – (JACOBS) $845,343
11. Mary Poppins – (NEW AMSTERDAM) $827,112
12. Gore Vidal’s The Best Man – (SCHOENFELD) $758,637
13. Mamma Mia! – (WINTER GARDEN) $720,055
{Via BroadwayWorld.com}
Lion King Enters Broadway Record – Highest Grossing Show of All Time
Box office revenues show that “The Lion King” has recently swiped the title of Broadway’s all-time highest grossing show from “The Phantom of the Opera.” Box office figures released Monday show that “The Lion King” last week enters Broadway’s record of all-time highest grossing show despite having run for a decade less.
The Disney show opened in November 1997, and after taking more than $2m at the box office during Easter week, Lion King’s cumulative gross earnings hit $853.8m. By comparison, The Phantom of the Opera, which opened in January 1988, added $1.2m to its cumulative gross, which now stands at $853.1m.
The upstart’s victory is due in large part to its higher average ticket prices and a slightly larger theater. Monday’s data shows “Phantom” had an average paid admission of $98.97, while “The Lion King” fetched $155.09.
Thomas Schumacher, producer and president of Disney Theatrical Productions, also gave credit to Julie Taymor, the director, costume and mask maker of “The Lion King.” ”Her vision, continued commitment to the show and uncommon artistry account for this extraordinary success,” he said in a statement.
In comparison, “The Lion King” looks like a pup: It is the sixth longest-running show on Broadway with over 5,900 performances over 14 years and has sold just over 10 million tickets.
“It doesn’t surprise me,” said Cary Ginell, a music historian and biographer who edited the seventh edition of “Broadway Musicals: Show By Show.” He compares “The Lion King” to a Disneyland ride.
Ginell tips his cap to the new box office king and doesn’t see a time soon when it abandons its kingdom. “‘Lion King’ is the perfect family musical and I think it always will be as long as expenses don’t go so far up that they won’t be able to afford to put it on anymore.”
Read the complete news {Via PostBulletin.com}
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Lion King Broadway Box Office – Update for Week April 08, 2012
Lion King Broadway grossed $2,081,189 and had a 100.0% attendance rate, same as that of the previous week. The 39 shows on the boards grossed $27,986,522, about 14.90% more than that of the previous week’s totals.
The start of April school vacations, family and tourist demand resulted in a big hit for the Broadway shows. As a result several of the shows – “Wicked,” “The Lion King,” “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” and “The Book of Mormon” – brought in huge sums per person on average, according to weekly box office data published on Monday. Wicked, Lion King and The Book Of Mormon grosses crossed $2 million sales last week.
Over all, Broadway musicals and plays grossed $28 million last week, compared to $23.8 million a week earlier and $22.1 million for the comparable week last season.
Below are the Top 10 Grosses from BroadwayWorld.com for the week ending April 08, 2012.
1. Wicked – (GERSHWIN) $2,183,025
2. The Lion King – (MINSKOFF) $2,081,189
3. Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark – (FOXWOODS) $2,010,621
4. The Book Of Mormon – (EUGENE O’NEILL) $1,590,235
5. Mary Poppins – (NEW AMSTERDAM) $1,364,848
6. Evita – (MARQUIS) $1,271,544
7. The Phantom Of The Opera – (MAJESTIC) $1,262,881
8. Newsies – (NEDERLANDER) $963,625
9. Mamma Mia! – (WINTER GARDEN) $947,575
10. Jersey Boys – (AUGUST WILSON) $942,780
{Via BroadwayWorld.com}