The 30th anniversary of the original animated film version of The Lion King will be celebrated at the Hollywood Bowl next month with a live-to-film concert/screening that will include cast members from both the movie and theatrical versions, and beyond, including Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, Jennifer Hudson, Billy Eichner, Ernie Sabella, Jason Weaver and Bradley GIbson.
“Disney’s The Lion King 30th Anniversary – A Live-to-Film Concert Event” will feature a full orchestra performing the Oscar-winning score composed by Hans Zimmer for the 1994 classic, conducted by Sarah Hicks. But the long tail that film has cast will be part of the celebration as well.
The cast members who’ll sing the musical numbers written for the film by Elton John and Tim Rice will be drawn from the realm of the hit Broadway adaptation that kicked off in 1998 and the 2019 movie remake, as well as the initial film.
The shows will take place at the Bowl May 24-25 and be produced by Disney Concerts, Fulwell 73 Productions, AMP Worldwide and Live Nation-Hewitt Silva.
The general on-sale begins Friday at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster, with an American Express cardholder presale starting Tuesday at 10 a.m.
Additional celebrity performers will be announced, reps for the concerts said. Other performers will be drawn from current versions of the stage production, on top of a full choir. Costumes, set design and puppetry will also be borrowed from the Broadway/touring version.
The event precedes the release set for this coming Dec. 20 of a prequel from Walt Disney Studios, Mufasa: The Lion King, which like the 2019 version is being described as “live-action” (which, in this case, means a particularly photorealistic brand of animation — not actual singing lions).
Eichner is reprising his role as Timon from the five-year-old remake in the forthcoming prequel; Barry Jenkins is directing.
via: Variety
