The Lion King is the #1 musical in the world, truth. And, last night’s showing really drove that stat home for me. Its beauty, combined with talented actors, made me wish it didn’t go by so quickly. Here’s the scoop on The Lion King Musical in Pittsburgh and what you can expect when you go.
The Lion King has always been on my musical bucket list. In fact, it was my teen daughter’s priority show to catch. Last night, thanks to The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, her dream came true. So, I brought my vintage (can the 90’s be vintage?) jewelry that was sold when The Lion King animated film premiered, put it on, and headed to The Benedum. Here’s my takeaway from The Lion King Musical in Pittsburgh.
Disclosure: We received complimentary tickets in exchange for this story. All opinions are my own!
It’s Not The Lion King Movie, Exactly
If you saw The Lion King on video or DVD or in the cinema, it will be very easy to follow along with the story line. Having written that, additions and omissions are to be expected, especially for this high caliber of a musical. You won’t hear “The Morning Report” by ZaZu during the performance, which I was kind of hoping I’d get to see live. But, there are a few musical additions that really enhance the story, so I’m not mad at it at all.
Expect Pittsburgh References
It’s always a hoot when the cast does a little research on the city its performing in and adds it to the live show. Last night was no different. While I’m not going to blatantly give away the joke, let’s just say it was in reference to our favorite condiment.
Expect Plenty of Disney References
If you’ve been to Walt Disney World, you may have seen The Lion King live show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Mainly geared toward smaller children and families, it’s highly entertaining. But, The Lion King Musical is different, yet similar. It’s geared more toward adults, but kiddos will still have a good time watching it.
There are a couple of intense scenes that may scare younger children, and a couple of loud bits that may as well. If you’d like to catch the sensory-friendly version, it will be on September 14th at 2pm.
During the show, the cast referenced popular Disney movies (including “Frozen”), so keep an ear out for them. Some are subtle; some blatant. Either way, they’re all funny.
Be Prepared – to Be Amazed at the Costumes
I had a to take a cue from Scar’s song for this one. The costumes are literally jaw-droppingly beautiful, as is the entire cast. The attention to detail is noticeable as is the understated look of the supporting cast.
Both Scar and Mufasa have the most intricate costumes followed by Nala and Simba.
The Puppets Steal the Show
Yeah, I wrote that. Don’t get me wrong, the acting is spectacular, but it’s the larger-than-life puppets that stop the show for me. The actors that make them come to life are to be commented for their fluid, graceful movements, too.
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