Disney’s The Lion King musical roars in Manchester’s Palace Theatre for 18 weeks

TLK: Manchester welcomes the Disney musical

By Dean Wilkins

The Lion King is heading to Manchester this December as the record-breaking musical embarks on its first UK tour.

The show has been seen by 65 million people worldwide and will run in Manchester throughout the 2012 Christmas season. Tickets for the outstanding spectacle will go on sale on February 27, with the opening night planned for December 6.

Disney Theatricals president, Thomas Schumacher has worked on The Lion King since its film release in 1994, and has spent the last two decades being at the forefront of the multi-award winning theatrical version - a £4.7 billion.

In a recent interview he said: ““I’ve been working on The Lion King forever.  I want to assure Manchester audiences this is something worth waiting for. The Lion King only gets delivered in the full experience.”

Each theatre to host the tour will be individually reconfigured to cater for the musical, with over 200 people working on the production. Auditions for the 52 roles are currently underway across the UK and Europe, with casting taking place in France, Italy and Holland.

The Lion King has been enjoyed by millions across five continents and is one of the only productions in history to play on Broadway and The West End for over ten years. The classic children’s film has had its original score expanded for the stage, with Elton John uniting with Tim Rice to compose three extra numbers.

The show is expected to visit 10 cities in the UK & Ireland over two and a half years, with further dates and cities to be announced.