Bring your family and friends to an exciting spectacle at the Cadillac Palace Theatre! From November 17, 2022, to January 14, 2023, the iconic Broadway destination of Chicago is hosting the award-winning musical, The Lion King! The musical is based on the 1994 Walt Disney Animation film of the same name and tells an incredible journey of Simba from being a prince to a runaway and finally fulfilling his destiny as king of the Pride Lands. This groundbreaking musical is known for its out-of-this-world scenic design, and innovative costumes, and the production never ceases to amaze the audience wherever it goes! The musical, directed by Tony-Award-winning director Julie Taymor with music by Grammy-Award-winning artist Elton John, features a stellar cast with support from an outstanding creative team. Moreover, The Lion King instills values of love, honesty, and courage. This musical is guaranteed to give memories that will last forever! So hurry and grab your tickets now!
The Lion King tells the story of a lion named Simba. On the day Simba was born, all the kingdom’s animals gathered around Pride Rock for a glimpse of the lion cub who would become king. His father, Mufasa, currently rules the Pride Lands and teaches Simba valuable lessons in life and his future duties as king. Simba, who grew into an adventurous cub, often escapes into forbidden places, simultaneously dodging his babysitter Zazu. With his friend Nala, Simba sets out on a dangerous adventure where he encounters hyenas, considered outcasts of the kingdom due to their unruly and mischievous nature. After being warned by Zazu, Mufasa saves the cubs and later reprimands Simba for breaking the rules.
Meanwhile, Simba’s evil uncle Scar, who had raised an army of hyenas, is planning to steal the kingdom by killing his brother, Mufasa. Knowing that his brother will always come to Simba’s aid, Scar sets up a trap for Simba in a gorge. Scar lured Mufasa to the gorge and eventually murdered his brother, letting him fall into the stampede triggered by the hyenas. Scar blames Mufasa’s death on the clueless and heartbroken Simba. Simba runs away from home and meets new friends who help him forget his past. Will Simba find happiness in his new home, or will he return to take his rightful place as king?
This incredible story focuses on an endearing father and son relationship and Simba’s coming of age moment as the young cub grows into a handsome lion. The Lion King musical, produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, debuted in Minneapolis for its trial run in 1997. The production finally opened on Broadway a few months after its Minneapolis show. Two years later, the musical opened in London’s West End and has surpassed 7,500 performances. In 2017, The Lion King became one of the highest-grossing musicals of all time, earning $8.1 billion in box office sales.
Apart from the show’s incredible direction and scenic design, the award-winning score has also brought the production’s popularity to new heights. The musical features the colossal hits “Circle of Life,” “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” “Hakuna Matata,” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” The score was mainly written by Elton John and Tim Rice, with several contributions from South African producer Lebohang Morake, Mark Macina, Jay Rifkin, Tsidii Le Loka, and award-winning composer Hanz Zimmer. The score and the choreography contain many African cultural influences.
The Lion King musical has won numerous awards thanks to its brilliant production and remarkable score. In 1998, the Broadway production of The Lion King won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Direction of a Musical, and Best Scenic Design. Apart from the Tony’s, the musical also garnered eight Drama Desk Awards, a Theater World Award, two Laurence Olivier Awards in London, three Moliere Awards in France, and four Helpmann Awards in Australia. The Lion King has been enjoyed by over 100 million people worldwide and was recorded as Broadway’s third longest-running musical.
With a beloved storyline, breathtaking music, brilliant direction, and exquisite scenic and costume designs, it is no mystery why the musical generally received rave reviews from critics. For example, Ben Brantley from the New York Times praised the musical for its impressive visuals and nostalgic value, “Seen purely as a visual tapestry. There is simply nothing else like it. Suddenly, you’re four years old again, and you’ve been taken to the circus for the first time.” Meanwhile, Greg Evans from Variety loved the musical more than the film, “Julie Taymor’s staging of Disney’s “The Lion King” is a marvel, a theatrical achievement unrivaled in its beauty, brains, and ingenuity. Leaping far beyond its celluloid inspiration, the stage version improves upon nearly every aspect of the hit 1994 animated film.” Furthermore, Jess Cagle from Entertainment Weekly mentioned, “The Lion King can make you fall in love with theater no matter what theater it’s in.”
Fans of the film will be pleased to know that the musical, although somewhat different from the movie, still possesses the original story’s charm. Steven Suskin from the New York Stage Review can attest that “The Lion King was astonishing, in the jaw-dropping manner of speaking. And today, 21 years later, it still is…Taymor, the avant-garde director to whom Disney entrusted the piece, outdid herself…Everything still looks wonderful, and looks practically brand new, too.”
“Julie Taymor’s staging of Disney’s “The Lion King” is a marvel, a theatrical achievement unrivaled in its beauty, brains, and ingenuity. Leaping far beyond its celluloid inspiration, the stage version improves upon nearly every aspect of the hit 1994 animated film.” – Variety.
“Awe-inspiring! Broadway theater is alive again. [Julie] Taymor’s imaginative ideas seem limitless. It’s a gorgeous, gasp-inducing spectacle. Most important – against all odds – it has innocence. The show appeals to our primal, childlike excitement in the power of theater to make us see things afresh.” – Time Magazine.
Lastly, Micheal Kuchwara from Alternative Press has nothing but good words to describe the musical, “Make no mistake: The Lion King is a rare theater experience. The musical is intelligent spectacle, extravagance with a purpose and a heart. From the moment it begins, The Lion King offers astonishing stage magic. Performers walking on giant stilts become giraffes, birds, and a pride of lionesses, dance with a solemn gracefulness that is breathtaking.”
This November, The Lion King musical makes its phenomenal return to the Cadillac Palace Theatre. Since 1926, the theater has been the destination for Chicago’s premier entertainment. The theater has also been the destination for pre-Broadway hits and touring Broadway productions. The venue boasts magnificent architecture reminiscent of the Palace Theatre from Fontainebleau and the Palace of Versailles. The interior is adorned with decorative mirrors with gorgeous marble installations. The building’s interior is topped with brass ornaments providing the venue with exquisite details. Cadillac Palace Theatre has 2,500 plush seats and a state-of-the-art audio and lighting system.
From November 17, 2022, to January 14, 2023, the Cadillac Palace Theatre proudly hosts the unprecedented musical, The Lion King! The touring production will feature a stellar cast composed of Gerald Ramsey as Mufasa, Darian Sanders as Simba, Spencer Plachy as Scar, Gugwana Dlamini as Rafiki, Kayla Cyphers as Nala, and many more. The show will also feature the original scenic design by Richard Hudson, lighting design by Donald Holder, and mask and puppet design by the award-winning Michael Curry.
“Seen purely as a visual tapestry, there is simply nothing else like it. Suddenly, you’re 4 years old again, and you’ve been taken to the circus for the first time.” – The New York Times.
“The Lion King can make you fall in love with theater no matter what theater it’s in.” – Entertainment Weekly.
“A jaw-dropping magnificent spectacle. The show and the playhouse are enchanting. The unprecedented production is worth every penny. If this is Disney’s idea of a theme park, we are delighted to report that the theme is quality.” – Newsday.
If you’re looking for a great musical, you should bring yourself, your friends, and your family to The Lion King Musical at the Cadillac Palace Theatre! See the beloved story of Simba come to life and find out why critics are praising The Lion King as one of the top musicals of all time. Tickets to see The Lion King at the Cadillac Palace Theatre are now available! Hurry and secure your passes now before it’s too late!