When elephants, hyenas, giraffes and exotic birds poured in the crowded Crouse Hinds Theater, there was a collective reaction from the audience: ‘Wow!’ It’s not every day that one sees such awe-inspiring creatures, especially not in Syracuse. But when the musical ‘The Lion King’ stops in town on a national, multicity tour, audiences get an entire jungle of characters that we’ve all been in love with since childhood.

With a talented cast and gorgeous scenery and costumes, ‘The Lion King’ is sure to delight audience members of any age. The touring company of the Tony Award-winning Broadway show is performing at the Oncenter Complex through Oct. 2.

Based on the 1994 Disney animation film, the musical opened Oct. 15, 1997, on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York. Like its film precursor, the play features music and lyrics by Sir Elton John and Tim Rice, winners of the 1994 Academy Award for Best Original Song for their musical work. Broadway and film director Julie Taymor won two 1998 Tony Awards for her direction and costume design of the stage version of this multimillion-dollar Disney franchise.

The musical numbers, all directly taken from the film, get a breath of fresh air in the theatrical version. The live orchestrations pack a strong emotional punch when coupled with the stage acting, especially in songs such as ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight.’ Live music can give the listener such a dramatically different experience than in a film or on a soundtrack, a transition that John and Rice perfected in ‘The Lion King.’

The stage production mirrors the film, using unforgettable scenes, memorable lines and the same characters. Taymor cleverly distinguishes her version from the Disney film by making each scene flow seamlessly, despite the incredibly difficult mechanics of changing entire sets.

There are many shared themes between both ‘The Lion King’ versions. The storyline remains true to that of the film, including the grandiose opening, where the entire kingdom gathers around Pride Rock to honor the birth of the future king of the Pride Lands, Simba.

Rather than being fully encased in a suit identical to the animated version, the performers wore translucent, neutral-colored costumes with detachable head and body pieces. The skintight suits acted as exoskeletons, showing off the performers’ bodies. An interpretive decision, the costumes translate the musical to the stage well, avoiding an aesthetic that one would see in the parades at one of the Disney parks.

Created by Tony Award winner Richard Hudson, the set pieces are bright and colorful. The attention to detail in each prop and landscape immediately transports viewers to the African heartland setting of ‘The Lion King.’ The most impressive piece is Pride Rock, crafted and painted to look like a realistic rock formation from the film. The stampede scene, in which a crowd of animals runs through a canyon, putting Simba in danger, was well devised for the stage. The use of crafted antelopes and other jungle animals made the stampede realistic.

The entire cast of professionals majestically and convincingly portrayed the animals of the African jungle. Their elongated strides across the stage and ferocious, animalistic fight stances created a raw atmosphere absent in the film.

Syndee Winters’ animal-like embodiment of Nala, a lioness who falls in love with Simba, sets her apart from the rest of the lioness pack. In a scene where Nala and Simba reunite as older lions, her ferocious side is revealed when they engage in an all-out brawl. When placed in more somber scenes, Winters expressed her emotions through her slow and gentle body movements. Winters’ acting was on point, never giving too little or too much emotion.

Simba’s hilarious yet overprotective adviser, Zazu, was played with perfect comedic timing by Syracuse alum Mark David Kaplan. He executed Zazu’s quick, witty lines with expertise. Although Kaplan had to hold the puppet bird, his dedication to the character made his physical presence fade and the audience’s focus was on the puppet bird.

With visually sweeping scenery and a cast of familiar characters, ‘The Lion King’ proves to be a great time at the theater. With a nostalgic storyline and loveable characters, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

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Published on September 20, 2011 at 12:00 pm

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