Yes, the designs look influenced by THE LION KING's staging. I'm so excited that they're actually including the Ents!
Overall I'm very impressed by what I see, although I'm still scratching my head as to how they're going to approach the narrative.
Another caveat I have: it seems like the production team are very skilled, but are still Tolkien novices. What made the movie versions so magical was that the people who worked on them LOVED Tolkien, and knew his work inside-out; you could ask Peter Jackson any question about the history of Middle-Earth and he'd know it. That's why the movies are so detailed and well-researched; it was lifelong fans who made the movie.
The stage show's production team know the gist of what Tolkien was going for, but from their interviews they don't seem quite as engaged with the material. I wonder if they'll really capture the depth of Tolkien's world, or just the surfaces of it.
BlueWizard's blog: The Rambling Corner
HEDWIG: "The road is my home. In reflecting upon the people whom I have come upon in my travels, I cannot help but think of the people who have come upon me."