Differences between LION KING tour and Bway?

[badseed]

Posted: 10/29/08 at 9:08am

I just received an offer to buy LION KING tour tickets, and I'm wondering what, if any, differences there are between the touring production and the Broadway production. The particular tour I would be seeing would be at the Wharton Center in East Lansing, Michigan this spring, (in case there's more than one tour version out there....I have no idea!) I'm tentatively planning to bring my daughter to NYC this summer, and LION KING was one of the shows I was thinking about taking her to see, so if you folks think it's better to just wait and take her to see it on Broadway, I guess that's what I'd like to know, also.

Feel free to share spoiler-type info, as I have seen the show on Broadway.

Thanks in advance for your input!

[Shunterk2]

Posted: 10/29/08 at 10:05am

There are a lot of things that the broadway production can do scenically that the touring can't. This includes the "pride rock" that doubles as a hill in the elephant graveyard. I would suggest just waiting to see the Lion King on Broadway unless the offer was for extremely cheap tickets. There are some differences in the set and the book is always altered, in an ad libbing sense. Other than that it's still an amazing production. Have Fun!!

[fnyboi88]

Posted: 10/29/08 at 10:36am

I'm seeing the touring show tonight in Kansas City.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/29/08 at 11:11am

Having seen both productions of Disney's THE LION KING (on Broadway at the New Amsterdam and on tour), both productions were virtually carbon-copies -- the animals coming up the aisles of the theatre onto the stage during the opening moments of the show, etc. The only difference I noticed (and isn't a big deal at all) was the Pride Rock set during the opening of the show. On Broadway the huge set piece spirals/rises from the bottom of the stage during the opening number. On tour, the huge set comes in/slides in from the wings. That's it.

I definitely recommend seeing the US Tour as you won't be slighted one bit. You are getting the full shebang on tour with Disney's THE LION KING as you would seeing it on Broadway. Thankfully, like the tour of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, its not one of those tours that gets scaled-down as the years go by. It still brings in audiences which affords the show to remain intact.

[fnyboi88]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 12:52am

I just got home from seeing the tour tonight in Kansas City. Never seen the show on Broadway. THIS SHOW WAS AMAZING!!!! I cried, laughed and was lifted. I knew of the animals entering the stage from the audience at the beginning, but they continue that throughout the show. Loved the birds in the opening of second act. The only problem I had, which it really isn't a problem, but at the end of "Circle of Life" the stage was jammed with animals moving around, and kind of looked messy. That is only that second when all the animals are entering and crossing the stage.

I encourage you to see the touring production! Gives you room to see something else on Broadway. The only difference I could tell was Pride Rock, it comes from the sides. Also I don't know if they are moved automatically in the Broadway show, but on tour the set pieces for the Elephant Graveyard are moved by performers.

[fnyboi88]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 12:53am

Also beautiful cast with beautiful voices and talent!!!!

[Parks]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 2:11am

The show last year in Dallas, TX was incredible--I worked at the theater and EVERYTIME I worked that show, I had to step in to watch a few scenes in Act II that took my breath away every time.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 3:56am

Save your money and your time, after the stunning opening number the show becomes a mess, watch the opening on youtube and see something else!

[badseed]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 9:56am

Thank you all for your thoughts and input! Sounds like the tour is not short on talent or quality. That's great!

Honestly, I'm not thrilled at the thought of sitting through this show again, (as I took my older child to see it three years ago in NYC, plus I had already seen it a few years earlier with my husband), but I do feel it's a terrific piece of theater for introducing kids to musicals. Assuming I do take my younger child to NYC this summer, it looks like I may not have a lot to choose from, as far as show selection for a five year old. For that reason, I may end up waiting to take her to LION KING in NYC, (i.e., because there won't be many other age-appropriate shows to choose from). I do plan to take her to see SHREK....it's probably her favorite movie, and I expect this production to be quite entertaining, based on the early "buzz." However, I definitely don't want her to only see Disney, or Disney-type shows. I was thinking about maybe GUYS AND DOLLS???

Anyway, if any of you have any more thoughts on this, do let me know. I really appreciate your help!

[TheatreFreak05]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 9:31pm

Does the tour still have the back part of the stage that rises to become raked?

[winston89]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 9:54pm

I THINK it does. I remember my cousins saw it in Baltimore a couple of years ago and they were talking about how they were surprised that a touring set would do something like that.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 10:11pm

Rosscoe, I agree. I've seen it twice, and both times the opening nearly reduced me to tears...and I quickly became bored after that.

[fnyboi88]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 10:19pm

It didn't when I saw it. It could be because the theatre didn't allow for it to happen. It probably does depending where it plays.

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 10:32pm

Having a friend in the tour I can tell you as a fact...
The tour is the original version of the show, Julie and the creative team originally made.
The Broadway version is a toned down version, with small things cut from it.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 10:45pm

Scary,

I just could not get over how much of a mess this show becomes after the opening, huge moments of nothing, people flying for no reason what so ever, a disjointed story that starts and stops.

It was like they gave up after the opening number, they dazzled us with brillance and then bored us with bull s h i t!

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 10/31/08 at 12:31am

"Can You Feel The Love Tonight" is horribly staged, and just looks ugly. The rest was alright, I enjoyed myself. If the stage doesn't rise, however, where does the water get "sucked" to? Into the stage still? It rose and fell when I saw it two years ago in Birmingham, Al, but that stage is fairly large.

Wishingonlywoulds2, I don't get what you mean? Why would the Broadway version be a scaled down version of the tour?

[winston89]

Posted: 10/31/08 at 12:35am

I think that what Wishingonlywoulds2 means is this. That most tours are somewhat scaled down or do things differently on tour for easy travel. However, as Brody pointed out, that isn't true for the tour of The Lion King. It hasn't altered the staging or the set for the tour and has kept it the way it is on Broadway. Just like the tour of Phantom is doing.

[fnyboi88]

Posted: 10/31/08 at 9:43am

They did do the water getting sucked into the stage, but the stage stayed leveled. We were sitting in orchestra, so we could barely tell what was happening.

[James885]

Posted: 10/31/08 at 10:27am

When I saw the tour in DC in August, the stage did rise at some points.

[ExceedinglyPeculiar2]

Posted: 10/31/08 at 2:12pm

Does anyone have all of the tour dates?

[winston89]

Posted: 10/31/08 at 2:42pm

Here is the list of the dates of The Lion King tour.

Now, here is a question. I know that The Lion King had two tours that were both identical and both the same version that was on Broadway. They recently stopped having two touring companies and just now have one. Is the reason behind this so that one of the touring companies sets could be moved for vegas for the upcoming production there?
Lion King Tour Dates

[tazber]

Posted: 10/31/08 at 3:21pm

I think one is on Broadway and one is not.

Updated On: 10/31/08 at 03:21 PM

[gypsy4]

Posted: 10/31/08 at 10:46pm

The national tour was amazing when I saw it back in 2005.

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 10/31/08 at 11:02pm

Winston, no. I meant the tour is the original version of the show the creative first designed, the Broadway production is the one that is scaled down and missing certain things. I meant exactly what I wrote.

[broadway122]

Posted: 11/1/08 at 12:16am

RentBoy86, yes the stage does get raised to suck up the water and during circle of life.