Twenty-five years ago, one of Disney’s most infamous and favorite children’s films, hit Broadway as a live musical. “The Lion King” is an animated film that first hit box offices in 1994, and has since had a couple of cartoon sequels such as “The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride” (1998) and “The Lion King 1 ½” (2004), and a re-release in 2019 that looked a lot more realistic, using CGI and animation technology to make the animal characters seem realistic.
Now, in 2022, for the first time in the production’s history, “The Lion King” Broadway musical will be coming to the Middle East. The show will debut in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi, as announced by organizers earlier this week, after having had permanent international residencies in New York, London, Madrid and Tokyo.
For its Abu Dhabi edition, the musical will begin its four-week run in Abu Dhabi in November, with previews on 16th and 17th November, the opening night on 18th November at the Etihad Arena, Yas Island, and will run until 10th December 2022.
The spectacular theatrical musical has been seen by nearly 110 million people worldwide since its 1997 debut, and in a statement, Thomas Schumacher, president and producer Disney Theatrical Productions, said, “Director Julie Taymor and her extraordinary creative team first brought The Lion King to the stage in a stunning production 25 years ago, and this production brings that vision to thrilling life at every performance. It’s a joy to bring The Lion King to the Middle East for the first time in the show’s history.”
