The Lion King at Minskoff Theatre

Disney’s The Lion King tells the story of the life of the young lion cub Simba, who prematurely has no choice but to face his role of leading as the King of the Pride Lands due to the unexpected death of his father, Mufasa. Mufasa, who is a supported leader by all of the Pride Lands, faces immense jealousy from Scar, Simba’s uncle, which ends in his murder. This forces Simba into to escape for a long period of time, and where the Prince's long journey and his sudden return to his land and his rightful place as King.

Taken from the original 1994 film of the same name created by Disney, The Lion King musical was skillfully transformed to the Broadway medium by director Julie Taymor and the second to none ensemble and creative team. Its debut in 1997 was a fresh addition to theater, being received positively by critics. Greg Evans of Variety encapsulates the Broadway premiere with the most accuracy in his review, sharing that “Julie Taymor's direction of this Broadway mainstay is a phenomenon, a theatrical achievement unrivaled in its creativity, uniqueness, and vigor. Leaping far beyond its celluloid inspiration, the stage version improves upon each and every component of the classic 1994 cartoon motion picture, from color and vibrancy and narrative to Lebo M's compositions and the freshly African-based original songs of Elton John and Tim Rice."

Disney's The Lion King was also received with the premier posts from audiences. One in reference writes about how this musical adaptation can accurately be referred to as “The king of all shows”, sharing how he felt that “the show was spectacular. It was passionately put together and the song and dance acts were phenomenal. The African savanna setting really brought the characters to life.” Most viewers who have attended the performances over the past 2 decades agree that despite being a second retelling of a film, the iconic musical went above and beyond the original.

The approaching September’s season of Disney's The Lion King will be hosted in Minskoff Theatre at New York on Friday 5th September 2025. Minskoff Theatre, being similarly profound and energetic as the musical with its beautifully decorated lighting and sound design is considered by theatergoers as the ideal choice to stage The Lion King.