The Lion King Reviews
DC Theater Arts- Highly Recommended
"...But it is the music and stagecraft that really set The Lion King apart. My companion had never seen the show and was expecting, frankly, some sort of Disney World experience, entertaining for children and fans of the movie, well executed, but ultimately a glitzy but shallow commercial transaction."
Washington City Paper- Highly Recommended
"...The songbook, written by Elton John and Tim Rice, holds up, and the new numbers and arrangements build the score out into a true musical theater experience. Platforms mounted on either side of the stage hold drummers with a range of percussion instruments, and they add a pulse that thrums through the soundtrack. "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" is set up as a Carnival-esque number populated with fantastical, folk art-inspired critters and kooky giraffes that young Simba and Nala (Aniya Simone at this performance, Jaxyn Damasco at others) ride like parade floats. Scar's threatening number, "Be Prepared," is appropriately ominous-lit and mixed like a metal show. "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" is a romantic, moon-soaked number, made all the more powerful and passionate by the strong voices of Sanders and White. You certainly can feel it at this show."
MD Theatre Guide- Highly Recommended
"...“The Lion King” lives up to the hype, even after almost twenty-five years. You could see it on the faces of the children many of whom were barely past toddler age. They, like the rest of us, were totally enchanted. “The Lion King” remains a wonderful musical for children and for those of us who are still children at heart."
Theatre Bloom- Highly Recommended
"...It's the main stage feature of The Kennedy Center's Opera House stage. Disney's The Lion King, one of its most spectacular touring productions to date (and that's saying something considering all of the fantastical magical enchantment that's rolling around the country with Aladdin and Frozen), has arrived in the nation's capital for a month-long summertime engagement! It's a natural part of THE CIRCLE OF LIFE! Directed by the visionary Julie Taymor with Choreography by Garth Fagan, this living spectacle of childhood come home is a fantastical theatrical experience that will stun, awe, and fill the heart to bursting of audiences of all ages. A remarkable sensation- truly the pride of the Disney pack, The Lion King is as majestic as it is marvelous and is not to be missing this summer."