Company of Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway. Photo by Matthew Murphy

A Guide to the Amazing Opening Scene of The Lion King on Tour

“Circle of Life,” The Lion King’s jaw-dropping, much-talked-about opening number, introduces a menagerie of animals who stride, leap, gallop and dance across the stage. A closer look reveals the creative magic at work behind this breathtaking bit of stagecraft.

1 LET’S GIVE THEM A HAND: Julie Taymor, along with Michael Curry, designed, hand sculpted and painted every prototype mask in this scene.

2 THE VIEW FROM THE TOP: Pride Rock rises 12 feet over the African savannah five times during each performance.

3 A REAL LIGHTWEIGHT: Mufasa’s mask, like others in the show, is made of carbon fiber (the same stuff airplanes are made of) and weighs less than a pound.

4 ACCENT ON AUTHENTICITY: To capture the intangible spirit and sound of the savannah, South African performers are cast members of every production of The Lion King around the world except Japan, where the local artists mastered the pronunciation of the five different African languages used in the show.

5 LADDER OF SUCCESS: The tallest animals in the iconic opening number are the giraffes at 14 feet high. Two actors climb six-foot ladders to fit inside the puppets, mount stilts, and enter stage left.

6 MAKE ROOM FOR BERTHA: At 13 feet long and nine feet wide, the elephant, nicknamed “Bertha,” is the largest animal in the show, requiring four cast members to maneuver her down the aisles of the theatre.

7 QUICK-CHANGE ARTIST: One Ensemble Dancer part requires 16 costume changes. Some actors have to perform quick changes in less than a minute.

Reprinted by permission of Disney’s The Lion King.

DETAILS
Disney’s The Lion King
Oct 23-Nov 16, 2025 • Buell Theatre
Tickets