Did you know that there are more than 200 puppets in the Broadway musical, The Lion King? Or that the Timon puppet weighs 15 pounds???
Me neither! Until I was fortunate enough to see the show as part of a Blogger Bash on Tuesday.
Performed at the Cadillac Palace Theatre until November 27, The Lion King is not to be missed! From the amazing spectacle of the opening numbers (let me just say, ELEPHANTS marching down the aisles. Amazing!) to the beautiful story, stunning sets and costumes, this show kept me captivated.
I had seen The Lion King before years ago in New York, but had forgotten some of the subtler moments of the show. The actors on stilts playing giraffes I remembered. The quieter, touching moments between Mufasa and Simba had slipped my mind. And it was those moments that really grabbed me this time.
Yes, The Lion King is eye candy (BEAUTIFUL eye candy!), but it is also a moving story about family (particularly fathers and sons) and friends.
Being a Disney musical, of course there is some silly humor at times. (Zazu is especially amusing.) But those moments only add to the story and make it more enjoyable. I really loved those moments on Tuesday, because there was a young child somewhere in the audience who just cackled every time Zazu did something silly. To hear his laughter made the night even better!
After the show as part of the Blogger Bash I was able to meet some of the cast members for a Q & A session. As we learned more about each actor (this is Syndee Winters' (Nala) first show out of college! Hard to believe as she was truly captivating on stage!) I was impressed to hear how much they believe in arts education. They each spoke a little bit on the importance of bringing children to the theatre and what a different (better, I think!) experience that is from TV or movies.
As a former arts educator, I felt like my head was going to fall off from nodding so hard in agreement!
It was really a lovely evening and I encourage everyone to go see The Lion King. I will say that it may be a bit long for your youngest kiddos, but I think most children 8 and over will be very entertained by it. The opening number alone is enough to strike most folks speechless! I only wish my 16 month old could have seen that part. I think the animals, dancing and music would have had him clapping with glee!
The Lion King will be in Chicago until November 27. Ticket prices start at $25 and can be purchased here.
