From big screen to big stage, Disney’s famous The Lion King hit the Broadway stage on November 13, 1997. It has been steadily running for approximately seventeen years, and is the fourth longest running show on Broadway. The Tony-award winning musical came to Milwaukee this year on November 11 and is running until December 7. Directed by Julie Taymor, the first woman to win a Tony for the best director of a musical, The Lion King was a hit from the start, winning more than 70 major awards, and it was seen by over fifty-million people. The musical started off with the well-known song “The Circle of Life” with Tshidi Mayne as Rafiki, and the famous scene finished with applause from the audience. Characters starting in the balcony and in the isles as well as on the stage got everyone in the mood to sit back and enjoy the greatly anticipated musical. One efficient set change after another, the show was enjoyed by all. With original songs, breathtaking costumes and mechanics, the audience was blown away. Dancing is a huge part of theatre, and the actors and actresses in this musical were in tune with each other and very professional, which made it a pleasure to watch. Along with the mechanics of the costumes, the props and sets themselves were very well made and looked like they came out of the Disney movie onto the stage. Laughter was plentiful as the characters, mainly Drew Hirshfield as Zazu, broke the fourth wall to connect more with the audience. They took well known scenes and interpreted them modernly to get more of a reaction out of those watching. Referencing one of Disney’s newest films, Frozen, by singing a small part of “Let it Go”, referring to Black Friday coming soon and Target, the crowd erupted with laughter each time. The sad time we all knew was coming, Mufasa’s death scene, was brilliantly executed with flashing lights, smoke and very thrilling music. Young Simba, played by Jordan A. Hall/ Tre’ Jones, was heartbreaking to watch as he found out his father had died while lionesses gathered; the tear ribbons were pulled from their eyes as their king was no longer there. Sorrow was still there, but joy was back when Timone and Pumba sang “Hakuna Matata”, and young Simba transformed into older Simba, played by Jelani Remy, by swinging in on a vine. A few scenes that weren’t in the movie were added to further enhance the performance, but honestly, they weren’t necessary. Scar had a moment of self-doubt after seizing the throne, and the realization of being alone hit hard. He concluded that he needed a wife to make an army of mini Scars, and tried to get with Nala; she wasn’t having it. As Zazu put it, Scar bucked up royally. In a later scene, when Simba was all grown up, he had youthful spirit still inside him and was running around jumping rivers, but when Timone tried to, he fell in. Although almost getting eaten by a crocodile when Simba froze when needing to save him explains how scared Simba was to be king, it wasn’t a very enticing scene. While Simba pondered his past with the stars shining and the lightning bugs flying, Mufasa appeared in the sky and once again blew the crowd away with the amazing props and lighting. Rafiki came in with her wisdom and changed his mind about going back, while dancing hilariously, and off he went. The ending was great as the battle scene engaged, music roared, lights blazed and at last, Scar was defeated, and Pride Rock was saved. Overall, there aren’t many bad things to be said about this Disney classic as a musical, but then again, that’s coming from a Disney freak.