The Lion King is an animated adventure film from 1994 and the 32nd feature for the Wald Disney Animated Classics series. The story is centered around a kingdom of lions in Africa, specifically focusing on the lives of Simba, his father Mufasa, and his evil uncle Scar. The film was an instant hit and is the highest-grossing hand-drawn film in history.
It was on this day, November 13, 1997, that the Broadway version of Disney’s The Lion King opened at Amsterdam Theater in New York. The music was done by Elton John and the lyrics were written by Tim Rice. It was directed by Julie Taymor and highlighted giant puppets and actors in animal costumes. Incredibly popular for all ages, the show is Broadway’s seventh longest-running show in history. In 1998, it won the Tony Award for the Best Musical and has debuted all around the world including in Canada, Europe, Australia and Singapore.