November 13, 1997 – The Lion King Officially Opens on Broadway
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“Till we find our place on the path unwinding in the circle, the Circle of Life.”
On November 13, 1997, the musical The Lion King officially opened on Broadway in the New Amsterdam Theater after the previews that began on October 15. The musical is based on the 1994 animated film, with music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice. The book was written by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi, and was directed by Julie Taymor. The show has been a financial and critical success, winning Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Direction of a Musical, Best Choreography, Best Scenic Design for a Musical, Best Costume Design for a Musical, and Best Lighting Design of a Musical.
As with its predecessor, Beauty and the Beast, several changes were made in adaptating the film to the Broadway stage; most notably Rafiki was changed to a female character. Songs and scenes were added, including the song “Morning Report,” which was later added into the Platinum Edition release of the animated film. The show has had several international productions. In April 2012, it became the highest-grossing Broadway show of all time with $853.8 million in profit, and is the fifth-longest running show in Broadway history.
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