The Lion King at the Eccles

The first time I saw The Lion King was on a theatre trip to London with PTC.  I was so overcome by all of the animals marching down the aisles during "Circle of Life" that I actually shed a tear!  I have since seen in on Broadway and in SLC several times but I don't think I will ever get tired of it!  I had the chance to see it again last night at the Eccles and it was just as magical as the first time (I sat on the aisle and I have to admit that, once again, I had a tear in my eye when the baby elephant walked by me).  This musical tells the well-known story of how a lion cub learns how to be a king and I love everything about it!  The puppets and prosthetics used to represent the animals are absolutely amazing (my favorites are the giraffes and elephants) and after a while you don't even see the actors who are manipulating the puppets any more because they transform themselves so completely.  I also really like the use of light and shadow in many of the scenes, especially during the confrontation with Scar.  The staging is brilliant, especially when Mufasa and Simba frolic on the grasslands, when Sarabi and the lionesses hunt an antelope, when Simba is trapped during the wildebeest stampede in the gorge (it actually looks like the wildebeests are running towards the audience), when Timon falls into the river, and when Mufasa appears to Simba in the stars.  I also really like all of the choreography with the hyenas (I forgot that they come down the aisles during "Chow Down").  Many of the songs from the animated classic are included but there are also some new ones.  I love all of the traditional African music but I got goosebumps when Aaron Nelson, as Mufasa, sang "They Live in You," when Khalifa White, as Nala, sang "Shadowland" (my favorite song in the show), when Darian Sanders, as Simba, sang "Endless Night," and when Gugwana Dlamini, as Rafiki, sang "He Lives in You."  Of course, "Hakuna Matata" with Tony Freeman as Timon and John E. Brady as Pumbaa is a lot of fun and Spencer Plachy as Scar is suitably villainous in "Be Prepared."  I am so happy that I had the chance to see this wonderful show again and I highly recommend getting a ticket during the SLC run (go here for tickets).  I especially recommend it to families because the children all around me were awe-struck by all of the animals!