Posts Tagged ‘Lion King Norfolk VA’
Lion King Grosses $4.6 million in Norfolk City
Estimates from city-run venue Chrysler Hall show that “The Lion King” brought $4.6 million into downtown Norfolk, with additional boosts for hotels and shopping. “The Lion King” played to 76 percent capacity during its five-week stay from November through January, according to the city. During that 38-performance run, 66,078 paying customers saw the show. Two performances were cancelled because of inclement weather.
“A show like this truly raises all boats in the harbor,” said John Rhamstine, director of Seven Venues, which manages Chrysler Hall. “It was more than just a healthy run. The $4.6 million gross was in spite of the fact that this is the second time in this market and the fact that we lost two performances to the snow. We were pleased not only with the numbers but to be able to host such a great cast and crew, who were not only professional but friendly. They truly seemed to enjoy being in Norfolk despite some challenging weather.”
“The Lion King’s” first run in Norfolk five years ago set a record, grossing $6.5 million with 98 percent capacity in sales by the end of its run in January 2006. That, however, was for a 45-performance run. A repeat was unlikely because 98 percent capacity is a rarity in the present economy. “The Lion King,” too, is in competition with itself, with 17 versions around the world, including productions in New York and Las Vegas.
The company is now playing in Durham Performing Arts Center, Durham, N.C., along with its 39 hyenas, 52 wildebeests, several giraffes, gazelles, zebras, an elephant and one money-making lion.
Future bookings will include, next season, another return of a previous box office success, “Wicked,” which had a successful run here two years ago.
Lion King returns to Chrysler Hall on Nov 30, 2010 for Five Weeks
Lion King returns to Chrysler Hall on Tuesday Nov 30, 2010 and will remain for five weeks, until Jan 02 2011. A run that long would once have been considered a risk. That was before the cub-turned-king helped establish Norfolk as a major theatrical market.
In the dead of night sometime this weekend, 18 tractor-trailers will plow through the streets of Norfolk headed for Chrysler Hall. They will carry 39 hyenas, 52 wildebeests, several giraffes, gazelles, zebras, antelopes, an elephant and one particular lion.
When the curtain at Chrysler Hall last dropped on “The Lion King” in January 2006, the show had set a local record by grossing $6.5 million. It sold more than 98 percent of its seats for a 45-performance run. The city reaped more than half a million dollars in admission taxes and parking revenues.
In the United States, Norfolk is one of three places where it will play next week. The other productions are on Broadway and in Las Vegas.
Chrysler Hall is undergoing a small renovation for the event. To stage the show’s opening, the entrance of an African menagerie, 97 seats were removed to create center aisles. Thirty-three additional seats were removed to house the massive sound and lighting equipment. The theater will return to its original state after Jan. 2.
Schumacher and his co-producer, Peter Schneider, have been involved with “The Lion King” for more than 20 years, since before it became the hit movie that turned into a stage phenomenon.
Lion King Musical show comes to Norfolk on Tuesday for the first time in five years. Lion King will take the stage Tuesday 30 November, 2010. Hope it will roar as loudly as it did five years ago. Get your Lion King Chrysler Hall Norfolk Tickets Online.