Lion King - Circle of Life

[Tag]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 4:22pm

A random question, but a qestion non the less:
In The Lion King, do actors who do not appear until later in the show (Adult Simba, Nala, Timon, Pumba, 3 hyenas, etc.) play other animal roles during the opening number (Circle of Life) to make the stage/cast look more substantial?

[Broadway_Boy]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 6:36pm

I remember noticing Young Nala as the little elephant, so I'm sure the rest of them are in there too.

[Kellie]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 7:33pm

I know that over here (the Netherlands) for the first half of the show, adult Nala stays backstage getting ready, but I don't know about the rest of them or how that goes at the Broadway production.. Yeah young Nala was a baby elephant over here too!
(didn't you guys think that was the best number in the entire show? *sigh..)

[TLKfan]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 2:00pm

I'm no expert but I have seen it 11 times. The only person is young nala and the elephant at the beginning and end numbers. I believe that's it. I remember reading an article about how Mufasa stays backstage 2nd half and how Simba waits the first half.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 2:03pm

Most of those actors need the time to get in to their makeup. The makeup for Pumba and Timon is rather extensive.

I believe the other actors just remain backstage preparing. They may (and probably do) sing from offstage though to make the sound fuller.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 2:08pm

I read in "making it on broadway" about how the guy who played Ed the Hyena saying that he was one of the legs for the Elephant in the Broadway production. But then again, there's 3 hyenas and 4 legs to the elephant - if i remember right. So I dont know. The guys who played Scar / Timon / Pumba came to my school, I should have asked.

[misto625]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 5:30pm

All the hyenas are in the elephant. Timon and Pumbaa need the time to get ready and the other principal actors are in the beginning scenes. Well not Nala and Simba but they shouldn't be revealed till later anyway.

[ALWrules]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 6:09pm

The only worthwile part of the show....

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 6:23pm

Yeah, i still felt a little underhwhelmed by the circle of life sequence, perhaps my expectations were too high. I didn't feel like the sets were all that extraordinary, just the puppetry.

[Tag]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 6:26pm

High expectations RentBoy???

[Horton]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 8:19pm

That is why i like going to shows with out hearing to much about them, so i can make my own opinions