Revisiting The Disney Magic of The Lion King

The theatre is a beautiful thing to uplift the heart, mind, and soul.  The play in dramatic or musical form takes on engaging dimensions of the expression that elevates and cultivates one’s consciousness to a higher realm of thinking.  This phenomenon occurs especially if the theatrical experience taps into one’s center of wonder, creativity, and intuitive thinking. This episode of curiosity occurred while at a job on the merchandise team of The Lion King at the Dreyfoos Concert Hall at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach.  The Dreyfoos Concert Hall is just shy of a twenty-two hundred seats.  When the theatregoers enter the hall there’s a mandatory security check-in at the metal detectors walk through that is a reminder of the current sad affairs of today’s threat of guns and bombs at entertainment venues.  It does not take away from the magnificent spiraling three open tiers in the front of house for concessions with tables and chairs and a marketing kiosk on the first floor and the store enclave on the second floor.  When the theater house is ready to open, the red rope barriers move away, and the anticipation on the audience smiling faces beam that theatre is alive and well.

 I saw The Lion King twenty-two years ago in 1997 on Broadway in previews when the Disney opened The New Amsterdam Theatre after major renovations to restore the original splendor for this production. Julie Taymor’s vision that occurred on stage was inventive, imaginative, artistic, and mind-boggling creative.  I marveled at the animal costumes, the puppetry, the dancing, and Elton John and Tim Rice’s magnificent score.  

I took on the assignment to work at the merchandise kiosks because I wanted to revisit the musical, work for Disney, and have a job for eight performances.  I could not see the production at the Kravis Center since the run was practically sold out except for the limited, costly seats in the orchestra.  

It occasionally happens that actors enter from the lobby down the aisles onto the stage for the opening after the audience is seated.  The opening number, “The Circle of Life,” the actors imitating animals used the lobby for entrances, and it was so cool to see great actors work the puppet characters deftly.

What makes The Lion King the #1 grossing musical is the show taps into the inner child in all of the audiences; parents, children, and humans who love the marvel of theatre.   Disney Theatrical marketing magic is ever enticing from the tour merchandise manager and company.  The audience leaving the theatre with the theatrical experience and filled totes certainly puts the thoughts of unlawful violence at bay.