The show debuted in the West End's Lyceum Theater on Octoand is still running.

As of April 2012, it is the highest grossing Broadway show of all time, having grossed $1,091,440,972. It is now Broadway's fifth longest-running show in history. On June 13, 2006, the Broadway production moved to the Minskoff Theater to make way for the musical version of Mary Poppins, where it is still running after more than 7,011 performances as of September 14, 2014.

The musical debuted July 8, 1997, in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Orpheum Theater, and was an instant success before premiering on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre on Octoin previews with the official opening on November 13, 1997. The opening on Broadway in November 13th, 1997, right here on the Disney's 'The Lion King' show is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions. directed by Julie Taymor, the musical features actors in animal costumes as well as giant, hollow puppets. Exploring topics such as the history of DTP, its impact on the revitalization of Times Square, and its ability to open up a new audience base for Broadway theatre, this volume examines the impact that DTP has had on Times Square and American musicals, both domestically and internationally, and how its accomplishments have helped reshape the Broadway landscape.The Lion King is a musical based on the 1994 Disney animated film of the same name with music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice along with the musical score created by Hans Zimmer with choral arrangements by Lebo M. Case studies of three productions (The Lion King, Tarzan, and Newsies) demonstrate the flexibility and ingenuity of DTP, and showcase the various production models that the company has employed over the years. This book uncovers how DTP has forged a new model for producing large-scale musicals on Broadway by functioning as an independent theatrical producer under the umbrella of a large entertainment corporation.

Disney Theatrical Productions: Producing Broadway Musicals the Disney Way is the first work of scholarship to comprehensively examine the history and production practices of Disney Theatrical Productions (DTP), the theatrical producing arm of the studio branch of the Walt Disney Corporation.

Download the lion king playbill