hakuna matata, what a wonderful phrase...
So...about The Lion King.
Back in 1994, Disney released an animated film with a plot stolen from Hamlet, music by Elton John and Tim Rice, with the vocal talents of Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, James Earl Jones, Ernie Sabella, Robert Guillaume, Cheech Marin and Whoopie Goldberg, among others. The movie quickly became one of Disney's most popular franchises. So popular, in fact, that they're remaking it as a live action film, to be released later this year.
I think most people are familiar with the story. Simba is the son of Mufasa and Sarabi. Mufasa is King of the Pridelands. The King's jealous brother Scar murders Mufasa and convinces Simba to flee. Simba is befriended by the merecat Timon and the warthog Pumbaa. Eventually Simba returns to the Pridelands to challenge Scar. Songs include "Hakuna Matata", "I Just Can't Wait To Be King", "Circle Of Life" and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?"
In 1997 Disney brought the show to Broadway. Julie Taymor directed, and also designed the costumes, masks and puppets used to portray the characters. (she won a Tony for her efforts). It became a spectacle of music, dance and pageantry.
I took Jen and Becca to see the show in 2002. They'd worn out our VHS copu of the movie, and thought they knew what to expect -- until they saw an elephant walk down the aisle and climb the stairs to the stage. They were completely blown away.
But Drew has never seen it. His birthday was Thursday night, and to celebrate, I took him to see the show.
I 'd forgotten how overwhelming the show can be. You haven't lived until you've seen a giraffe walk across the stage (the actors are using stilts). While most of the actors are wearing costumes and masks to represent the tupe of animal tey are portraying, characters such as Zazu and Timon are puppets --- the actor holds the puppet in front of himself, and manipulates the puppet as he speaks his lines. Yhe stampede is created by puppetry as wella s a projection onto a screen at the back of the stage.
The spectacle, the music, the dancing...it makes for an incredible evening.
You can't take photos inside the theater during the performance, but some of the costumes, puppets and masks are on display in the lobby.
Sarabi and Young Simba:
Scar:
One of the hyenas:
And as you leave the theater, as you take the escalators down to the street, you see Mufasa:
To give you a flavor of the show:
You can find more photos from the show here.
After the show we wound up in one of my favorite restaurants, John's of Times Square.
The restaurant occupies a space that was once a church. the stained lass ceiling remains, but the mural on the wall is now a secular image:
The specialty is thin crust brick oven pizza, you can watch them make it.
They won't sell pizza by the slice, you must buy the whole pie. The waiters even wear shirts that say "no slices".
We didn't have pizza. I ordered penne a la vodka with proscuitto and peas, Drew had cheese ravioli in vodka sauce, and we shared an order of mozarella-covered garlic bread -- real slices of garlic on the bread (keeps the vampires away).
Not a bad way to spend a birthday.
Back in 1994, Disney released an animated film with a plot stolen from Hamlet, music by Elton John and Tim Rice, with the vocal talents of Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, James Earl Jones, Ernie Sabella, Robert Guillaume, Cheech Marin and Whoopie Goldberg, among others. The movie quickly became one of Disney's most popular franchises. So popular, in fact, that they're remaking it as a live action film, to be released later this year.
I think most people are familiar with the story. Simba is the son of Mufasa and Sarabi. Mufasa is King of the Pridelands. The King's jealous brother Scar murders Mufasa and convinces Simba to flee. Simba is befriended by the merecat Timon and the warthog Pumbaa. Eventually Simba returns to the Pridelands to challenge Scar. Songs include "Hakuna Matata", "I Just Can't Wait To Be King", "Circle Of Life" and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?"
In 1997 Disney brought the show to Broadway. Julie Taymor directed, and also designed the costumes, masks and puppets used to portray the characters. (she won a Tony for her efforts). It became a spectacle of music, dance and pageantry.
I took Jen and Becca to see the show in 2002. They'd worn out our VHS copu of the movie, and thought they knew what to expect -- until they saw an elephant walk down the aisle and climb the stairs to the stage. They were completely blown away.
But Drew has never seen it. His birthday was Thursday night, and to celebrate, I took him to see the show.
I 'd forgotten how overwhelming the show can be. You haven't lived until you've seen a giraffe walk across the stage (the actors are using stilts). While most of the actors are wearing costumes and masks to represent the tupe of animal tey are portraying, characters such as Zazu and Timon are puppets --- the actor holds the puppet in front of himself, and manipulates the puppet as he speaks his lines. Yhe stampede is created by puppetry as wella s a projection onto a screen at the back of the stage.
The spectacle, the music, the dancing...it makes for an incredible evening.
You can't take photos inside the theater during the performance, but some of the costumes, puppets and masks are on display in the lobby.
Sarabi and Young Simba:
Scar:
One of the hyenas:
And as you leave the theater, as you take the escalators down to the street, you see Mufasa:
To give you a flavor of the show:
You can find more photos from the show here.
After the show we wound up in one of my favorite restaurants, John's of Times Square.
The restaurant occupies a space that was once a church. the stained lass ceiling remains, but the mural on the wall is now a secular image:
The specialty is thin crust brick oven pizza, you can watch them make it.
They won't sell pizza by the slice, you must buy the whole pie. The waiters even wear shirts that say "no slices".
We didn't have pizza. I ordered penne a la vodka with proscuitto and peas, Drew had cheese ravioli in vodka sauce, and we shared an order of mozarella-covered garlic bread -- real slices of garlic on the bread (keeps the vampires away).
Not a bad way to spend a birthday.
That video - WOW. I had forgotten about Elton John's involvement, in fact (believe it or not) I have never seen the movie! (my son was past Disney by then - he outgrew Disney young.) LOL, I would have had the pizza - there is nothing like a good NYC pizza, and on my December trip to Brooklyn, alas, it wasn't on the agenda. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI've never seen the show. It's not one of my fave Disney movies either. But maybe one day they'll bring it out here and I'll get to see it. Glad you all had a great time.
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