The Lion King is a musical
based on the 1994 Disney animated film of the same name with music by Elton
John and lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical features actors in animal costumes as
well as giant, hollow puppets.
The musical premiered on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theater in 1997, but
moved to the Minskoff Theatre a few months later. The Lion King is Broadway's
third longest-running show in history and the highest grossing Broadway
production of all time, having earned more than $1 billion. In September 2014, The
Lion King became the top-earning title in box-office history for both stage
productions and films, surpassing the record previously held by The Phantom
of the Opera.
Act I
As the sun rises, Rafiki the mandrill calls the animals to Pride Rock. She
greets King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi before presenting their cub to the gathered
animals ("Circle of Life"). Elsewhere, Mufasa's brother, Scar,
laments his lost chance at becoming King. Back at her baobab tree, Rafiki
paints an image of the cub and asks the spirits to conjure the new prince's
name: Simba.
Time passes and Simba grows into a lively young cub ("Grasslands
Chant"). Mufasa shows Simba the Pride Lands from the top of Pride Rock and
explains that everything exists in a delicate balance known as the Circle of
Life. Mufasa warns Simba not to stray beyond the boundaries of the Pride Lands,
pointing out a shadowy area in the distance. Zazu, a hornbill who acts as Mufasa's
advisor, arrives and delivers his daily report on the state of affairs in the
King's domain ("The Morning Report", now cut from the Broadway
production).
Simba goes to see his Uncle Scar. The scheming lion piques the cub's
curiosity by mentioning the elephant graveyard, where Simba is forbidden to go.
Meanwhile, the lionesses go hunting ("The Lioness Hunt"). Simba
arrives and asks his best friend, a female cub named Nala, to come with him to
the elephant graveyard. He lies to the lionesses about where they are going,
and Sarafina (Nala's mother) and Sarabi allow the cubs to go, escorted by Zazu.
Simba and Nala formulate a plan and manage to lose Zazu, while Simba brags
about his future position ("I Just Can't Wait to Be King").
The cubs go to the graveyard and begin to explore. Zazu catches up, but
they are confronted by three hyenas: Shenzi, Banzai and Ed. The hyenas intend
to eat the trespassers and gloat about their find ("Chow Down").
Mufasa rescues the cubs and frightens off the hyenas.
Mufasa is disappointed and angry at Simba's reckless disobedience, and
explains the difference between bravery and bravado. Mufasa tells Simba about
the great kings of the past and how they watch over everything from the stars
("They Live in You"). Mufasa says that he will always be there for
his son. Later he discusses Simba's behavior with Zazu, who reminds Mufasa that
he had the same tendency to get into trouble at Simba's age.
Back at the elephant graveyard, Scar tells the hyenas of his plan to kill
Mufasa and Simba so that he can become king. He raises an army of hyenas,
promising that they will never go hungry again if they support him ("Be
Prepared"). Scar takes Simba to a gorge and tells him to wait there. On
Scar's signal, the hyenas start a wildebeest stampede into the gorge ("The
Stampede"). Scar tells Mufasa that Simba is trapped in the gorge. Mufasa
leaps into the stampede and manages to save his son, but as he tries to escape,
Scar throws him off the cliff back into the stampede, killing him. Scar
convinces Simba that his father's death was his fault and tells him to run
away, but as he leaves, Scar orders the hyenas to kill him. Simba escapes but
the hyenas tell Scar that he is dead. Rafiki and the lionesses mourn the deaths
("Rafiki Mourns"). Scar claims the throne and allows the hyenas into
the Pride Lands ("Be Prepared (Reprise)"). Rafiki returns to her tree
and smears the drawing of Simba, while Sarabi and Nala quietly grieve.
Out in the desert, Simba collapses from heat exhaustion. Vultures begin to
circle, but are scared away by Timon the meerkat and Pumbaa the warthog. Simba
feels responsible for Mufasa's death, but the duo take the cub to their jungle
home and show him their carefree way of life and bug diet ("Hakuna
Matata"). Simba grows to adulthood in the jungle.
Act II
The chorus, dressed in colorful clothes with ornate bird puppets and kites,
begin the Second Act ("One by One"). As the song ends, however, the
beautiful birds are replaced by vultures and gazelle skeletons. Under Scar's
rule, the Circle of Life is out of balance and a drought has hit the Pride
Lands. Zazu, now a prisoner of Scar, listens to the king's woes. The hyenas are
complaining about the lack of food, but Scar is only concerned with himself and
why he is not loved. He is haunted by visions of Mufasa and rapidly switches
between delusional confidence and paranoid despair ("The Madness of King
Scar"). Nala arrives to confront Scar about the famine and Scar decides
she will be his queen and give him cubs. Nala fiercely rebukes him and resolves
to leave the Pride Lands to find help. Rafiki and the lionesses bless her for
her journey ("Shadowland").
Back in the jungle, Timon and Pumbaa want to sleep, but the restless Simba
is unable to settle. Annoyed, Simba leaves them, but Timon and Pumbaa lose
their courage and follow him. Simba leaps across a fast-moving river and
challenges Timon to do the same. Timon falls in and is swept downstream. He
grabs a branch over a waterfall and calls for Simba's help, but Simba is
paralyzed by a flashback of Mufasa's death. Timon falls from the branch and
Simba snaps out of the flashback, rescuing his friend. Simba is ashamed that
Timon nearly died because of his recklessness.
The three friends settle to sleep and discuss the stars. Simba recalls
Mufasa's words, but his friends laugh at the notion of dead kings watching
them. Simba leaves, expressing his loneliness and bitterly recalling Mufasa's
promise to be there for him ("Endless Night"). Rafiki hears the song
on the wind, joyfully realizes that Simba is alive, and draws a mane onto her
painting of Simba.
In the jungle, Pumbaa is hunted and chased by a lioness. Simba confronts
her and saves his friend, but recognizes the lioness as Nala. She is amazed to
find Simba alive, knowing that he is the rightful king. Timon and Pumbaa are
confused, but Simba asks them to leave him and Nala alone. Timon realizes what
is happening and laments the end of Simba's Hakuna Matata lifestyle ("Can
You Feel the Love Tonight"). Nala tells Simba about the devastated Pride
Lands, but Simba still feels responsible for Mufasa's death and refuses to
return home.
On his own, Simba meets Rafiki, who explains that his father lives on
("He Lives in You"). Mufasa's spirit appears in the sky and tells
Simba he is the one true king and must take his place in the Circle of Life.
Reawakened, Simba finds his courage and heads for home. Meanwhile, Nala wakes
Timon and Pumbaa to ask where Simba is, and Rafiki appears to tell them all the
news. The three of them catch up with him in the Pride Lands, where he
witnesses the ruin of his home. Timon and Pumbaa distract some hyenas by doing
the Charleston, allowing Simba and Nala to reach Pride Rock.
Scar calls for Sarabi and demands to know why the lionesses are not
hunting. Sarabi stands up to him about the lack of anything to hunt, angrily
comparing him to Mufasa, and Scar strikes his sister-in-law, saying he's ten
times the king Mufasa was. Enraged, Simba reveals himself. Scar forces a
confession of murder from Simba and corners him. Believing that he has won,
Scar taunts Simba by admitting that he killed Mufasa. Furious, Simba recovers
and forces Scar to reveal the truth to the lionesses ("Simba Confronts
Scar"). Simba's friends fight the hyenas while Simba battles Scar to the
top of Pride Rock. Scar begs for his life, blaming the hyenas for everything.
Simba lets him leave out of mercy, but Scar attacks again. Simba blocks the
attack and Scar falls from the cliff. The hyenas, who heard Scar's betrayal and
are still starving, tear him to shreds.
With the battle won, Simba's friends come forward and acknowledge Simba as
the rightful king. Simba ascends Pride Rock and roars out across the kingdom
("King of Pride Rock"). The Pride Lands recover and the animals
gather in celebration as Rafiki presents Simba and Nala's newborn cub,
continuing the Circle of Life ("Circle of Life (Reprise)").
