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SA theatre goes big for Lion King
8 January 2007
Custom-designed to stage South Africa's first theatre performance of The Lion King, the 1 900-seat Montecasino Teatro in Johannesburg will be one of the 10 largest lyric theatres in the world.
The theatre, a R110-million extension to Johannesburg's Montecasino complex, is part of a R335-million expansion of the Tuscan village-style entertainment complex, which opened in 2000 and attracts some eight million visitors a year.
The finished project will see an outdoor Italian-style piazza the size of a rugby field, a hotel, a conference venue, five new restaurants, 1 000 additional parking bays and a paved venue for large-scale productions.
The Lion King will open in June with an entirely local cast of 53 and a 20-member orchestra backed by a technical crew of 40.
The hit show has been seen by about 35 million people across the globe - in Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Holland, Japan, the UK and US.
Rhythm of the Pride Lands
Grammy Award winner Lebo M - who composed and performed many of the songs for the first Broadway production in New York in 1997 - has played a key role in bringing the production to South Africa.
Lebo M was an original member of the Broadway cast, and a lot of the songs were based on his album, Rhythm of the Pride Lands, which was inspired by the film.
Theatre impresario Pieter Toerien, who is collaborating on the production with Lebo M, says the show will bring together "Lebo's vast experience on The Lion King and my experience in producing Broadway musicals in South Africa - including Cats and Phantom of the Opera".
Creating an 'animal' cast
The story of The Lion King has classical Shakespearian overtones: young Simba, driven into exile after his father's death, returns to overthrow his evil uncle and regain his kingdom.
A dilemma for the
original Broadway design team was how to put on a show with a cast of "animals". Director Julie Taymor was brought in to design the costumes and sets, for which she picked up a string of Tony Awards.
The costumes are extraordinary, leaving the actors' faces uncovered while appearing to grow out of their bodies. Theatrical devices used include rods, ropes, shadow and hand puppets, aerial dancers and inflatable set pieces.
Tickets for The Lion King are expected to sell for between R150 to R425.
SouthAfrica.info reporter and City of Johanesburg
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The Lion King comes home to Africa in 2007 |
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