Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
#1Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/27/18 at 9:21pm
https://youtu.be/4tczLX2N23o
I find it fascinating to see Lion King presented with an Asian cast. But I thought Julie Taymor had it in a contract that there has to be a certain number of Africans in all Lion King shows? Can anyone shed light on this? Just very curious to know the context of the Asia production of Lion King. If wikipedia is correct, it says this particular production has been running since 1998
#2Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/27/18 at 9:38pm
What do you expect though? In a country where the ethnicity of its people is overwhelmingly Japanese, would you actually hire people from other countries and teach them a new language so they can perform in the production for a few months? Most musical productions in Japan are localized unless it's a special engagement, so the language barrier is one thing that might cost the producers a ton if they intend to find performers of African heritage. This is also one of the repertoire productions by Shiki, which is one of the major theater companies in Japan and does most of the work among themselves.
#3Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/27/18 at 9:44pm
Yes I figured out the answer to my question a few minutes after I posted it. The language barrier and the fact that not many people of African descent live in Japan. But thanks for giving your two cents.
Tag
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/19/05
#4Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/27/18 at 9:48pm
would you actually hire people from other countries and teach them a new language so they can perform in the production for a few months?
Opera singers do that as a career...
#5Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/27/18 at 9:50pmI think rafiki had to be African
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Tag
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/19/05
#6Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/27/18 at 9:51pm
I'm more interested in what that Zazu skeleton set piece is, and why Zazu is being treated as an actual puppet, with the performer hidden. I've never seen that in a LK production before.
Updated On: 5/27/18 at 09:51 PM#7Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/27/18 at 9:54pm
Call_me_jorge said: "I think rafiki had to be African"
Well she's not in this production.
Tag
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/19/05
#8Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/27/18 at 9:55pm
Call_me_jorge said: "I think rafiki had to be African"
Well she's not in this production.
Yep Japanese
#9Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/27/18 at 9:59pm
Interesting clip. Looks like a great show. Is this the only lion king production that breaks the mold? From what i can tell yes.
Tiann Nerng Chong
Chorus Member Joined: 2/6/17
#10Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/28/18 at 12:09amAm I wrong to presume that there is an actors union in Japan that probably dictates that a majority, if not all, of the cast to be of Japanese citizenship ?
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#11Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/28/18 at 5:10am
I have no idea about that^, but they would have needed to get permission to cast differently than stipulated.
The OP is right that the stipulation is a certain percentage of the cast must be if African descent. I don't remember it listing of certain roles...but I really don't know.
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These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
#12Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/28/18 at 5:40am
And since it’s been running for over a decade, it would be safe to assume that they successfully obtained the permission. I think another reason the Disney gave green light is that those shows sell incredibly well. I tried to get a pair of last-minute tickets, but they were all terrible seats that you would pay no more than what a meal costs for. Most tickets are sold months in advance and the price difference between the best seats and the worst seats is way smaller than broadway shows.
One thing I need to mention is that Shiki likes to open a show for a few months and then replace it with a new show, only to bring it back years later. They own theaters across the country so no need to negotiate and share profits with local producers. Quite a fascinating business model.
rodrigo_ca
Stand-by Joined: 12/12/15
#13Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/28/18 at 6:25am
Dancingthrulife2 said: "would you actually hire people from other countries and teach them a new language so they can perform in the production for a few months?"
this is exactly what happened at the Brazilian and Mexican productions of The Lion King, both directed by Taymor herself. The two productions had a number of performers from African countries, including all the women playing Rafiki
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#14Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/28/18 at 7:44am
Does anyone have pictures of the marquee/theater that the show is playing in Japan? Curious to see all that.
#15Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/28/18 at 8:09am
Is there really that much of a small percentage of Africans living in Japan that none could be cast? I don't have a problem with it. The asian cast looks fantastic. I just know Lion King has always made itself stand out from other Disney musicals because it's so in touch with African culture and the show deepens itself by being a show about culture and not just being the movie on stage,
#16Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/28/18 at 8:19am
Tag said: "I'm more interested in what that Zazuskeleton set piece is, and why Zazu is being treated as an actual puppet, with the performer hidden. I've never seen that in a LK production before."
It's just that scene, when Zazu is in the cage, I believe thats how its done everywhere else.
As for the African cast members, Japan has been the only production that does not do this (it also has another person credited as director or co-director, not sure if that comes into it) all other productions have South African Rafikis, language or not, (China Germany Holand Mexico France Spain Brazil (Singapore was in english) the only other one that didn't have was Korea, but that production was done by Shiki from Japan. and when you think about it, Rafiki does not have to learn that much of the host country's language to perform, only Circle of Life and He Lives in You.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27199361@N08/ Phantom at the Royal Empire Theatre
#17Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/28/18 at 8:30am
Clip of the chineese mandarin production that Julie Taymor personally directed: https://youtu.be/CCVWv1RqarI You can see Taymor taking a bow at the curtain call. It appears the cast is mixed with Asians and Africans. Rafiki is south african. Mufassa, Adult simba and Sarabi are Chineese and the ensemble looks to be partly Africans. It's only circle of life though so can't see much.
#18Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/28/18 at 3:31pm
It usually becomes noticeable with Rafiki when she does the chanting. Rafiki on both of the Japan cast recordings sound rather forced in the chanting. It just sounds more authentic when the person playing the role is accustomed to those languages and knows what they are chanting and can make improvisations. Of course there are people that understudy the role from time to time that are not from SA and learn the chants like everyone else, I just have never seen someone in that position live to hear how they sound, I got close last time I saw the show but in that instance the U/S stepped in during Act 2.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27199361@N08/ Phantom at the Royal Empire Theatre
#19Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/28/18 at 6:37pm
Japan has also done Sister Act with an all-Japanese cast.
Didn't Seoul do an all-Korean-cast Kinky Boots?
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
#20Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/28/18 at 6:47pm
"Japan has also done Sister Act with an all-Japanese cast."
why
taylortrensch
Leading Actor Joined: 1/20/18
#21Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/28/18 at 7:54pm
RippedMan said: "Does anyone have pictures of the marquee/theater that the show is playing in Japan? Curious to see all that."
Here is where Lion King has been playing in Tokyo. When I saw the show, there are two theatres inside and Lion King occupies one of them. I have also seen Cats, Aladdin, The Addams Family, and a handful of other shows in Japan. All of them have been with a Japanese cast, but Lion King and Aladdin are the only ones who have an open run/are not a tour stop.
don't message me thinking im taylor trensch?? what would he be doing on bww?? you can't possibly be that dumb bye
Updated On: 5/28/18 at 07:54 PM
taylortrensch
Leading Actor Joined: 1/20/18
#22Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/28/18 at 7:57pm
LizzieCurry said: "Japan has also done Sister Act with an all-Japanese cast.
Didn't Seoul do an all-Korean-cast Kinky Boots?"
Yes, I saw that Korean cast. Japan has also done an all Japanese Kinky Boots, but the international tour has also stopped there with Adam Kaplan (Newsies, A Bronx Tale) as Charlie. I have seen both Kinky Boots shows in Japan and the all Japanese cast was great. Here's a clip!
don't message me thinking im taylor trensch?? what would he be doing on bww?? you can't possibly be that dumb bye
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
Loopin’theloop
Leading Actor Joined: 1/9/18
#24Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/29/18 at 6:20am
Tag said: "would you actually hire people from other countries and teach them a new language so they can perform in the production for a few months?
Opera singers do that as a career..."
opera singers don’t learn an infinite amount of roles. They tend to have several roles in their canon and they play them continually. You don’t find opera singers learning an entire show they will only perform once.
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#25Lion King in Japan with all Asian cast.
Posted: 5/29/18 at 8:19am
taylortrensch said: "LizzieCurry said: "Japan has also done Sister Act with an all-Japanese cast.
Didn't Seoul do an all-Korean-cast Kinky Boots?"
Yes, I saw that Korean cast. Japan has also done an all Japanese Kinky Boots, but the international tour has also stopped there with Adam Kaplan (Newsies, A Bronx Tale) as Charlie. I have seen both Kinky Boots shows in Japan and the all Japanese cast was great. Here's a clip!"
Asking: Do either of those shows stipulate that the leading characters ARE black?
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
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