The Lion King (musical)

*The Lion King*
The Lion King
	Broadway promotional poster
Music	Elton John
Lyrics	Tim Rice
Book	Roger Allers; Irene Mecchi;
Basis	The Lion King; by Walt Disney Animation Studios
Premiere	July 8, 1997: Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis
Productions	1997 Minneapolis; 1997 Broadway; 1999 West End; 2002 North America tour; 2003 North America tour; 2012 UK tour; 2017 North America tour; 2018 International tour; 2019 UK & Ireland tour;
Awards	Tony Award for Best Musical

The Lion King is a stage musical with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, and a book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi, with additional music and lyrics by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor, and Hans Zimmer. It is based on the 1994 Walt Disney Animation Studios' film of the same name.^[1] Directed by Taymor, the musical features actors in animal costumes as well as giant, hollow puppets. The show is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions.^[2]

The musical debuted on July 8, 1997 in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Orpheum Theatre and was an instant success before premiering on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theater on October 15, 1997 in many previews with the official opening on November 13, 1997. On June 13, 2006, the Broadway production moved to the Minskoff Theatre to make way for the musical version of Mary Poppins, where it is still running after more than 8,500 performances.^[3] It is Broadway's third longest-running show in history and the highest grossing Broadway production of all time, having grossed more than $1.9 billion.^[4]^[5]^[6]

^ Steven., Suskin (2011). The sound of Broadway music : a book of orchestrators and orchestrations. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 595. ISBN 978-0199790845. OCLC 700406779.
^ Gans, Andrew (September 22, 2014). "The Lion King Is Now Top Earner in Box-Office History". Playbill. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
^ Scheps, Leigh (November 10, 2017). "'The Lion King' Turns 20: How the Disney Musical Became One of Broadway's Best (Exclusive)". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
^ "Cumulative Broadway Grosses by Show". Broadway World. Archived from the original on January 11, 2014. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
^ "THE LION KING Becomes 3rd-Longest Running Broadway Show of All Time; Passes CATS". Broadway World. October 31, 2015. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
^ "THE LION KING Broadway Grosses". Broadway World. Retrieved February 1, 2023.