Taymor conceived a magical African tapestry that incorporates half-human, half-animal figures African masks as headdresses above human faces stilt work and colorful Balinese-style puppets. As an actor, to be directed by someone with such vision is almost otherworldly.” Hamilton, who plays Shenzi, the hyena leader. “To work with Julie Taymor is a gift,” says Bonita J. Audiences were seeing Asian-inspired puppets and masks telling an African tale with several African languages, using South African performers and a Black king. So established is “The Lion King” that it’s easy to forget its revolutionary origins. With plans for ”Phantom,” to close next year, “The Lion King” jostles with “Chicago” for its crown of longest-running show on Broadway.

In April 2012, it swiped the title of Broadway’s all-time highest-grossing show from “The Phantom of the Opera,” despite “Phantom” having almost a full 10 years’ head start. “The Lion King” has been a model of consistency in its march through records. It is “The Lion King,” and it turns 25 years old on Broadway this month. That show in a trial run in Minneapolis would soon transfer to Broadway and start a stunning streak that regularly lands it among the weekly top earners and becomes young people’s introduction to theater. We were just overwhelmed and we knew we had something.”

When the animals came down the aisle everybody shot up,” recalls director-writer Julie Taymor. “The audience started screaming so early. NEW YORK (AP) - In the summer of 1997, audiences in Minneapolis at the Orpheum Theatre saw something no one had ever seen before: leaping antelopes, fluttering birds and elephants lumbering through the orchestra seats.

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