"The Lion King, Jr." is a delight for all ages
The Lion King is clearly one of Disney’s most beloved animated musical films, and for good reason; it wouldn’t have received a live-action remake earlier this year if it wasn’t. The film, released in 1994, tells the inspiring tale of a young lion cub, Simba, who faces many hardships at a young age but has great friends, like Nala, Timon, and Pumbaa, to help him along the way.
Now, seeing The Lion King on screen is a fantastic experience, but have you ever had the opportunity to see it live, right before your eyes? If you haven’t—or if you have, and loved it enough to see it again—then you definitely want to catch the Chattanooga Theatre Centre’s production of “The Lion King Jr.”, opening Friday night at 7 p.m.
“The Lion King Jr.” is essentially a musical combination of Disney’s animated musical film and the Broadway production that has been made more accessible for younger audiences and cast members.
Because the show retains many qualities from both the Broadway production and the original movie, audiences will definitely get the full “Lion King” experience.
The Chattanooga Theatre Centre’s production kicks off their 2019–2020 season and is one of the biggest shows the Youth Theatre has ever produced. The production is directed by Scott Dunlap and features a cast of 27, all of whom are between the fifth and 12th grades. The cast started rehearsals on September 3rd, and Dunlap said they’ve been extremely dedicated, as they have a full course load for the show.
“The show has six different African languages spoken in it, so there’s a glossary that comes with it of how to pronounce these things and what they mean, and [the cast] has done a great job with the vocabulary,” explained Dunlap. “We’ve also created some really cool moments about how Simba grows up or how certain things are revealed, how to take that movie magic and translate it to stage.”
“The Lion King Jr.” may be an abridged version of the full-scale production, but it still accurately and excitingly tells the story of Simba, which is really a story about a little boy who grows up and the difficulties and triumphs he faces along the way.
“It’s very much a story about growing up, and I think it ties in perfectly. It’s a great show for the youth theatre in many respects, and there’s some really beautiful moments happening in rehearsal,” Dunlap said. “I think it’s really exemplary for the youth theatre; there’s a lot of moments that would be difficult for adults to do, and they’re doing a fantastic job of making that happen as young adults.”
Dunlap also explained that the show will feature roughly 75 costumes and headdresses that the Theatre Centre is making themselves. Although there are only 27 cast members, the majority of the cast are portraying multiple characters, so it’s been a large undertaking. There will also be a bit of puppetry used to indicate who the characters are.
The music for the show, which is a combination of music from the Disney film and the Broadway production, is directed by Neshawn Calloway and was written by Tim Rice and Elton John. There will also be energetic dance numbers choreographed by Marie Dance.
The big musical hits from the movie will certainly be performed; “I Can’t Wait to be King”, “Circle of Life”, “Hakuna Matata”, and more. The show will also feature several newer songs from the Broadway production.
As for the choreography, Dance explained that it’s really fun; there’s a ton of movement from start to finish, such as cartwheels, jumping, and more, so audiences will be constantly entertained.
“It’s been amazing; the kids are so good at what they do. It’s been a great experience so far. I just hope everybody enjoys the show, and I hope it’s as heartfelt as I feel like ‘The Lion King’ is to me, because it’s one of my favorite movies,” Dance said.
The entirety of the story is told on the open African savannah. However, the CTC is utilizing a periaktos, which is something that originates from Greek theater thousands of years ago.
“A periaktos is a moving piece; it’s a three-sided slab. So it turns and rolls, and we’re able to put them in different locations and groupings to create different looks. We’re also able to change the mood, color, and setting pretty easily and quickly using these pieces,” Dunlap said.
“The Lion King Jr.” opens Friday night at 7 p.m. and will be performed through November 3rd, with evening shows Friday nights and 2:30 p.m. matinee shows on Saturdays and Sundays. The show is going to be performed in the mainstage theater, and tickets are available over the phone or online.
If you’ve ever wanted a chance to experience the magical story of The Lion King on stage, then you certainly don’t want to miss the incredibly talented Youth Theatre’s production of “The Lion King Jr.”.