The cover of the program for “The Lion King,” now playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, boasts the claim that it is “The World’s #1 Musical,” and it is easy to understand why. Now 25 years since its inception, it checks all of the boxes for a quality production: a compelling story, beautiful music (by Elton John and Tim Rice) and excellent performers. But what earns it the top spot is the commitment to costumes, sets, makeup, props, and puppetry. As a first-time viewer of this show on stage, I have frankly never seen puppetry this exceptional outside of a puppet exhibition.
Like the 1994 animated Disney masterpiece, the play opens with the song “The Circle of Life/Nants’ Ingonyama,” which won a Grammy for best arrangement, instrumentals and vocals. The music alone (sung exceptionally by Gugwana Dlamini as Rafiki) is enough to bring tears to your eyes, but when paired with puppets by Julie Taymor and director Michael Curry that mimic animals crossing the plains; giraffes, elephants, antelope, birds …. it’s breathtaking. The audience gasped audibly multiple times, amazed at the sheer artistry on display.
