The Original Broadway-Musical Disney THE LION KING
for the first time in Switzerland
Disney’s global hit musical The Lion King comes to Switzerland for the very first time
marking the 20th country the production will have played in. Until 11th of October 2015 the
exceptional English-language original will begin to work its magic at the Musical Theater
Basel, enchanting theatregoers with breath-taking masks and costumes, stunningly
visualised African rhythms and the unforgettable film music by Sir Elton John and Sir Tim
Rice along with additional music and lyrics by South African Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay
Rifkin, Julie Taymor and Hans Zimmer.
Since its 1997 world premiere in New York, THE LION KING has held a special place in both
the judgement of the critics and the hearts of audiences all over the world. More than 70
international awards have been heaped on this unique theatre piece, which has so far been
seen by more than 80 million people on 6 continents. Among the most successful titles of all
time, THE LION KING’s worldwide gross exceeds that of any film or entertainment title in
box office history. It has been translated into eight languages and is currently simultaneously
running on Broadway, in London’s West End, in Hamburg, Madrid, São Paulo,Tokyo and is
on tour around the UK, Japan, North America and Australia. THE LION KING is a truly global
theatre phenomenon.
It will take 23 trucks to transport the spectacular production to Basel, including hundreds of
masks and puppets, a gigantic lighting system, impressive sets and over 700 artfully handcrafted costumes, and a 100-strong team will ensure that everything backstage and on stage
runs smoothly.
Julie Taymor, director, costume designer and mask co-designer of THE LION KING, took the
successful, Oscar-winning Disney feature animation as a starting point to create a theatre
production that fizzes with creativity and emotion – a true piece of art. Her production brings
to life the colourful world of the animals of the Serengeti, and the story of the lion king Simba
– his captivating, adventure-filled journey from a naive lion cub to a majestic lion king.
The highly acclaimed theatre-, opera- and film director uses diverse forms of theatre such as
masks and shadow-play, translating them to the big musical venues of today to create a
compelling new visual language for the stage. In this production it is the greatest simplicity
that makes magical moments of authentic theatre happen. The fascinating symbiosis of
Press contact:
FBM Communications AG
Carmenstrasse 12
8032 Zürich
Marcel Theiler
Tel.: +41 44 265 56 66
Fax: +41 44 265 56 99
E-Mail: marcel.theiler@fbmcom.ch
actors, masks and puppets is complete to a degree that has never been achieved before, not
only giving life to the characters but also maximising the performers‘ expressivity. Out of the
tale of the eternal circle of life, about love and responsibility, and about growing up and
searching for your own way in life, Julie Taymor creates a unique theatre experience. She
was the first woman to receive a Tony Award for directing a musical – richly deserved for her
work on THE LION KING.
“Swiss audiences will be deeply touched by this incomparable production. It has something
that is beyond words, something magical. We are proud that THE LION KING comes to
Switzerland and is going to be shown at the Musical Theater Basel”, says Freddy Burger, copresenter and owner of Freddy Burger Management. Ralf Kokemüller, co-presenter and
CEO of BB Promotion GmbH, is happy, too: “THE LION KING is one of the most popular
musicals in the world. We are very honoured to be the first to finally be able to present the
original production to Swiss audiences.” Delighted too about the run in Basel is Fiona
Thomas, Vice President of Disney Theatrical Group: “The reactions of audiences all over the
world astound us anew every time. The Musical Theater Basel is a first-class venue and we
are thrilled to realise Julie Taymor’s epic vision there.”
Tickets for THE LION KING are available from www.ticketcorner.ch and www.thelionking.ch
Show information of THE LION KING
Show times:
Musical Theater Basel, until 11th of October 2015
Tuesday and Wednesday, at 18.30
Thursday and Friday, at 19.30
Saturday, at 14.30 and 19.30
Sunday, at 13.30 and 18.30
All show dates and seating plan: www.thelionking.ch
Ticket prices:
from CHF 48.- to CHF 148.-
Duration:
ca. 2 hours 30 minutes including an interval of 20 minutes
Language:
English
Bookings:
Ticketcorner 0900 800 800 (CHF 1.19/Min., Festnetztarif) and all other
ticket agencies and via www.ticketcorner.ch
Presenters:
Freddy Burger Management / BB Promotion GmbH
Sponsors:
Presenting Sponsors: Coop, Raiffeisen
Media Partner: SonntagsBlick
Host City Partner: Stadt Basel
Official Website: www.thelionking.ch
Press contact:
FBM Communications AG
Carmenstrasse 12
8032 Zürich
Marcel Theiler
Tel.: +41 44 265 56 66
Fax: +41 44 265 56 99
E-Mail: marcel.theiler@fbmcom.ch
About The Walt Disney Company in Europe, Middle East and Africa
The Walt Disney Company (TWDC), together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading
diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise. Disney is a Dow 30
company and had annual revenues of around $45 billion in its last fiscal year (FY13).
TWDC Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) has operated in the region for 80 years, has
a presence in 25 countries and currently employs more than 6,000 people. Disneyland Paris
is still Europe’s #1 tourist destination with more than 275 million visits since the resort
opened in 1992 and nearly 15 million visits in 2013. TWDC is a major film distributor with
recent successes including Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World” and Disney’s “Frozen”.
Forthcoming releases include Disney’s “Maleficent” and Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy”.
The company is also a major supplier of TV programming, distributing Disney-branded and
non-branded television shows including award-winning series “Revenge”. In EMEA, Disney
Branded Channels (Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior) are available in 117
countries, with 41 visual feeds, in 22 languages. This represents a total of 113 million
households. Disney’s wide range of consumer products, including toys, apparel, home décor,
foods, books and magazines, are sold at specialist and mass market retailers and at Disney
Stores across EMEA, as well as online. Club Penguin is the most successful virtual world for
kids around the world, with more than 190 million registered users playing in over 190
countries and in five languages: French, Spanish, Portuguese, English and German.
About The Lion King
In its 17th year, THE LION KING remains ascendant; it is the highest-grossing Broadway
show in New York history and one of the most popular stage musicals in the world. Since its
Broadway premiere on November 13, 1997, 22 global productions have been seen by more
than 70 million people and, cumulatively, run a staggering 104 years. Produced by Disney
Theatrical Productions (under the direction of Thomas Schumacher), THE LION KING is only
the second show in history to generate five productions worldwide running 10 or more years.
Translated into eight different languages (Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch,
Mandarin, Spanish and Portuguese), productions of THE LION KING can currently be seen
on Broadway and on tour across North America, the U.K., and Japan, and in London’s West
End, Hamburg, Tokyo, Madrid, Sao Paulo, and Sydney, Australia. The Australian production
marks the tenth concurrent worldwide production of THE LION KING, the highest number of
productions running at any one time in the show’s history. To date, THE LION KING has
played 19 countries (Switzerland will be the 20th) and on every continent except Antarctica.
Among the most successful titles in entertainment history, with a cumulative gross in excess
of $5 billion, the stage production of THE LION KING has already earned more than the
biggest hit films in movie history: more than the Lord of the Rings trilogy combined, more
than the six Star Wars films combined, and more than Avatar and Titanic, the two highestgrossing films in movie history, combined.
THE LION KING won six 1998 Tony Awards®: Best Musical, Best Scenic Design (Richard
Hudson), Best Costume Design (Julie Taymor), Best Lighting Design (Donald Holder), Best
Choreography (Garth Fagan) and Best Direction of a Musical. THE LION KING has also
earned more than 70 major arts awards including the 1998 NY Drama Critics Circle Award
for Best Musical, the 1999 Grammy® for Best Musical Show Album, the 1999 Evening
Standard Award for Theatrical Event of the Year and the 1999 Laurence Olivier Awards for
Best Choreography and Best Costume Design.
Press contact:
FBM Communications AG
Carmenstrasse 12
8032 Zürich
Marcel Theiler
Tel.: +41 44 265 56 66
Fax: +41 44 265 56 99
E-Mail: marcel.theiler@fbmcom.ch
The show’s director, costume designer and mask co-designer Julie Taymor continues to play
an integral part in the show’s ongoing success. The first woman to win a Tony Award for
Direction of a Musical, Taymor has in recent years supervised new productions of the show
around the world.
The Broadway score features Elton John and Tim Rice’s music from The Lion King animated
film along with three new songs by John and Rice; additional musical material by South
African Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor and Hans Zimmer; and music from
"Rhythm of the Pride Lands," an album inspired by the original music in the film, written by
Lebo M, Mark Mancina and Hans Zimmer. The resulting sound of THE LION KING is a
fusion of Western popular music and the distinctive sounds and rhythms of Africa, ranging
from the Academy Award®-winning song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” to the haunting
ballad “Shadowland.”
The book has been adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed The Lion King animated
feature, and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the film’s screenplay. Other members of the
creative team include: Michael Curry, who designed the masks and puppets with Taymor,
Steve Canyon Kennedy (sound design), Michael Ward (hair and makeup design), John
Stefaniuk (associate director), Marey Griffith (associate choreographer), Clement Ishmael
(music supervisor) and Doc Zorthian (production supervisor). Anne Quart serves as
associate producer.
For more information worldwide, visit www.lionking.com
Press contact:
FBM Communications AG
Carmenstrasse 12
8032 Zürich
Marcel Theiler
Tel.: +41 44 265 56 66
Fax: +41 44 265 56 99
E-Mail: marcel.theiler@fbmcom.ch