THE LION KING
Minskoff Theatre

Opened on Broadway: November 13, 1997
Performances: 10,993 (as of 10/5/25)

Director: Julie Taymor
Choreographer: Garth Fagan
Book: Roger Allers & Irene Mecchi
Music: Elton John
​Lyrics: Tim Rice
​Runtime: 2hr. 30min. (1 Intermission)

Opening Night Cast:
Samuel E. Wright....................................Mufasa
Tsidii Le Loka...........................................Rafiki
Jason Raize..............................................Simba
Heather Headley.....................................Nala
John Vickery............................................Scar
Max Casella.............................................Timon
Tom Alan Robbins..................................Pumbaa

Current Cast:
L. Steven Taylor.......................................Mufasa
Ntsepa Pitjeng-Molebatsi......................Rafiki
Vincent Jamal Hooper............................Simba
Pearl Khwezi.............................................Nala
Gavin Lee..................................................Scar
Fred Berman............................................Timon
Ben Jeffrey...............................................Pumbaa

Understudies:
For Mufasa: Ezekiel Andrew, Michael Alexander Henry, Nhlanhla Ngobeni

For Rafiki: Bonita J. Hamilton, Zhinhle Dube, Amanda Kunene, Nteliseng Nkhela 

For Simba: Antwaun Holley, Mduduzi Madela, Kyle Lamar Mitchell, Jeremy Noel

For Nala: Amanda Kunene, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, Kaylin Seckel, Jacqueline Tate, Sidney Nicole Wilson

For Scar: Tony Freeman & Michael Alexander Henry

For Timon: Jim Ferris, Tony Freeman, Robb Sapp
​
For Pumbaa: Jim Ferris & Tony Freeman

Actors/Actress Who've Played in this Show:
Mufasa: Samuel E. Wright, CC Brown, Alton Fitzgerald White, L. Steven Taylor

Rafiki: Tsiddi Le Loka, Novulma Dlamini, Sheila Gibbs, Buyi Zame, Nteliseng Nkhela, Tshidi Manye, Ntsepa Pitjeng-Molebatsi

Simba: Jason Raize, Christopher Jackson, Wallace Smith, Clifton Oliver, Adam Jacobs, Aaron Nelson, Andile Gumbi, Josh Tower, Jelani Remy, Dashaun Young, Bradley Gibson, Brandon A. McCall, Vincent Jamal Hooper

Nala: Heather Headley, Bashirrah Creswell, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Mary Randle, Kissy Simmons, Sharon L. Young, Chauntee Schuler, Syndee Winters, Ta'Rea Campbell, Chantel Riley, Adrienne Walker, Pearl Khwezi

Scar: John Vickery, Don Donohue, Tom Hewitt, Martin Kildare, Patrick Page, Derek Smith, Gareth Saxe, Stephen Carlile, Michael Hollick, Gavin Lee

Timon: Max Casella, Damien Baldet, John E. Brady, Robert Creighton, Danny Rutigliano, Fred Berman
​
Pumbaa: Tom Alan Robbins, Bob Bouchard, Bob Amaral, Blake Hammond, Jim Ferris, Ben Jeffrey, Ben Lipitz, Michael Hollick

Tour Cast:
David D'Lancy Wilson as Mufasa
Mukelisiwe Goba as Rafiki
Gilbert Domally as Simba 
Thembelihle Cele as Nala
Peter Hargrave as Scar
Nick Cordileone as Timon
Danny Grumich as Pumbaa

West End Cast:
Shaun Escoffery as Mufasa
Thenijwe Nofemele as Rafiki
Hope Maine as Simba 
Merryl Ansah as Nala
George Asprey as Scar
Alan McHale as Timon
Pierre Van Heerden as Pumbaa
Synopsis:
Lion cub prince Simba grows up in the African heartland until tragedy forces him to run away. He ultimately learns to take his rightful place in the animal kingdom, in this musical version of the Disney animated film. It is stunningly visual.