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Home , The Lion King (musical)

is a director and designer who is well known for mythical staging inspired by international theatrical forms. When she was approached by Disney Theatrical Productions regarding the proposed stage version of the highly successful film, ‘’, she was excited by the challenge: ‘When I looked at the film... I said to myself, what is working in this film for ? What’s the most daunting challenge? That’s what I like to do – the sheer fact that it’s very hard to do is a great challenge to me.’

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

COMPOSER thousands of cues and change lighting The composer writes the music of the in a fraction of a second. songs and the incidental music. He or she is responsible for the ‘sound’ of the show. COSTUME DESIGNER A costume designer researches and LYRICIST designs what the performers will wear A lyricist writes the words, or the lyrics, and look like in the production. As well for the songs. A lyricist must work very as having an extensive knowledge of closely with the composer to make sure clothing of all cultures and time periods, a the words work well with the music. costume designer must know how a costume will hinder or help an actor’s movements. BOOK WRITER A musical’s ‘book’ is the ‘play’ of the MASK AND PUPPET DESIGNER musical, that is, the spoken words between In a production like ‘The Lion King’, the songs. A book writer must work with which uses so many masks and puppets, the composer and lyricist to effectively these designers must work closely with The production team blend the spoken word with the songs. the others on the creative team so that the masks and puppets work efficiently with When we sit in the audience at a musical, CHOREOGRAPHER the rest of the production. A designer of we see the actors on stage. But where do Dance seems to go naturally with song, masks or puppets should have training the costumes they wear come from? What and a musical will often incorporate in engineering as well as cultural and about the words they say, or the songs dance into its action. A choreographer artistic knowledge. they sing? Who designed and built the designs a dance, first in his head or settings in which they act? A musical as on paper, then with the dancers on the STAGE MANAGER large as ‘The Lion King’ brings together stage. The choreographer works with The stage manager is the communication literally dozens of creative people, who work the director to make sure the dance link between all departments starting with together as a team to bring the show to life. movements complement the blocking. pre-production meetings and rehearsals and on to the final coordinating of all PRODUCER SCENIC OR SET DESIGNER departments in performance through the The producer gathers the resources The scenic designer creates the calling of cues and the directing of needed to put on the production, environment of the production, backstage traffic. engaging the creative staff and raising conveying the style, mood, period and the necessary funds for the production’s place of the show. A scenic designer Costumes, masks budget. Dealing with both the creative also designs or selects the production’s and puppets and the business ends of the production, props and furniture. the producer creates a nurturing ’The Lion King’ is unique in that we see environment in which artists can thrive. LIGHTING DESIGNER how the magic works on stage. There’s Using hundreds of spotlights and lighting no attempt to cover up the wheels and DIRECTOR instruments, the lighting designer creates cogs that make it all happen. The human The director uses elements of the the lighting ‘plot’: the colour, intensity beings that control the puppets and production to bring the written words and focus of the lighting in each scene. wear the animal masks are fully seen. of the script or score to life on stage. Since the 1970s, most professional As an audience member, you have an The director usually sets the tone and productions have used computerised important job: with your imagination, the ‘look’ of a production, and sets the lighting boards, which can store you are invited to mix the ‘animal’ with blocking, or the actors’ movements. the human into a magical whole...

DISNEY’s ‘the Lion King’ SECONDARY SCHOOL teaching Resource As Julie Taymor says: “When the human Julie Taymor spirit visibly animates an object, we experience a special, almost life-giving connection. We become engaged by both the method of storytelling as well as the story itself.” Although ‘The Lion King’ is Disney as you’ve never seen it before, there are common strands with which Julie Taymor had to work. She says: “Disney animated characters are so expressive – they’re animals, but they’re very human animals. I had to play with keeping some of the ‘character’ of the Disney characters, so that they’re recognisable. But then, I was also very inspired by African masks, which are much more abstract, much more stylised, or clay. When enough layers of silicone completely covered with black cloth. One much more essential, less soft and round. build up, a rubbery shell is left which operates the ‘puppet’ right hand with a Because we’re doing three-dimensional is removed from the mould to become rod, while the other manipulates the , I didn’t want the faces to look the imprint for the mask. The mask is ‘puppet’ legs. Through movement and flat; I wanted them to have a kind of completed with the carbon graphite. gestures (and, as always, the audience’s depth, like wood has. So I used texture Although they may look very heavy, imaginations) great expressiveness can and organic materials, fibres, wood – Mufasa’s mask, for example, weighs be achieved. Because the puppeteers things that would make it less cartoon-like.” only 312 grams and Scar’s mask, 270 are visible, spectators can concentrate grams. Three of the main theatrical on the story, or on the skill of the To create masks and puppets in ‘The forms that inspired Taymor and Curry puppeteers. Hopefully, these two Lion King’, Taymor worked with Michael were African masks, Bunraku puppetry perceptions eventually merge into a Curry, one of the country’s leading and shadow puppetry. whole appreciation of the theatrical puppet experts. Curry had worked event. with Taymor on several of her films By exploring the background of these and operas. With a background in techniques, ‘The Lion King’ can be a SHADOW PUPPETRY engineering as well as puppetry, he richer experience for young people. We have always been fascinated would create the technical design of with shadows. Shadows thrown by a the characters. Of the challenge of AFRICAN MASKS campfire can appear to be monsters; creating masks for such a theatrical In Africa, masks are functional works fingers twisted in a specific way in front spectacle, Taymor says: “In contrast of art. They are meant to be used; they of a light beam can create intricate to the continually changing facial perform a social purpose. Seen on a animal shapes. In shadow puppetry, the expressions in the animated film, a wall or a table, it may seem dull and audience only sees the shadows of the mask can project a single, fixed attitude. static, but when used in storytelling puppets, thrown onto a screen by a light The sculptor has only one opportunity or a ceremony, the mask takes on or a fire. Shadow puppetry seems to be to incorporate the anger, humour and a life. As in ‘The Lion King’, many thousands of years old; many think it of a character, to tell his or her African masks are made to be worn originated in Greece, although Chinese whole story. I thought, what if I create over the head instead of just the face. records show forms of shadow puppetry these giant masks that really are clearly They serve many ceremonial purposes: being performed 2000 years ago. Scar and Mufasa, but then the human accepting a young man into manhood, face is revealed below, so that you’re exorcising evil spirits, capturing invisible In Indonesian shadow puppetry, called not losing the human facial expression, supernatural forces. African masks are the wayang kulit, intricate flat puppets you’re not hiding the actor?” sometimes referred to as ‘spirit traps’. made of wood and animal hide are shown before a muslin screen, usually Taymor and Curry’s first step in creating From a purely theatrical point of view, telling stories from Hindu mythology. the theatrical world of ‘The Lion King’ too, the mask could be said to trap a In Java, audience members sit on both was to craft the masks for Mufasa spirit. sides of the screen, either to watch the and Scar. Could a balance be found shadows, or to see the puppets and the between the recognisable characters BUNRAKU PUPPETRY manipulating puppeteers. from the animated film and the human Named after its founder, Uemura actors? The lions’ costumes also helped Bunrakuken, this Japanese theatre SETS to create this duality. While the human form started in the 16th century. In qualities of the lions come out in the Working with Julie Taymor, set designer Bunraku, master puppeteers, visible to Richard Hudson used the essential African styled beadwork, corsets, the audience, control large puppet dolls, armour and cloth, the costumes use concepts of ‘The Lion King’s story to while a narrator tells the story. The create the scenic design for the show. silk cloth to negate the human shape, larger puppets, which can be as tall breaking the shoulder line, enhancing Pride Rock and the Elephant Graveyard as five feet, are operated by three-man seem to be opposites, one full of life, the the powerful joints and thighs. The teams. The most experienced man, the masks are made from carbon graphite, other radiating death and danger, but only puppeteer allowed to show his face they are connected through their design. a tough, lightweight material. First the to the audience, operates the head and ‘face’ of the mask is created by spraying right arm. The other two puppeteers are silicone onto a mould made from paper

DISNEY’s ‘the Lion King’ SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHING RESOURCE Just as Pride Rock is a stylised circular staircase that twists out of the stage as the show opens, the Elephant Graveyard is a twisting series of steps made of bones. We see Mufasa in his place of dignity on Pride Rock as the show opens; it’s a shock to see Scar in the same position, but with very different feelings, straddling the bones in the Elephant Graveyard. Perhaps the most dramatic scene in ‘The Lion King’ is the wildebeest stampede in which Mufasa is killed. The effect in the theatre is electric, as thousands of wildebeests seem to be rushing straight at Simba – and the audience.

The illusion of thousands of racing animals is achieved by a canvas scroll and a series of large rollers. Wildebeests are painted on the scroll and each roller is equipped with sculptures of the animals. On each successive roller, the wildebeest sculptures are slightly larger until, closest to the audience, dancers rhythmically move huge wildebeest masks. This design creates a false perspective of great distance. When the scroll and rollers The Music songs by South African songwriter Lebo are moving, the audience seems to see M, , and Hans waves of wildebeests driving forward. ‘The Lion King’ animated film Zimmer. The lyrics of these soulful and incorporated five songs by evocative melodies were rewritten and . for the stage version, but their South Tim Rice had written the lyrics for African sound and mood became the such classic musicals as ‘Jesus Christ foundation for a unique combination. By Superstar’ and ‘’, each of which integrating the work of musician Lebo had also been best-selling recordings. M, the score to ‘The Lion King’ musical Rice seemed the perfect choice to write tapped into the complex and beautiful the lyrics for ‘The Lion King’, but who rhythms of South African music. Lebo would compose the music? Elton John, M co-wrote additional music and lyrics who has written some of the best known in addition to those written by the Rice- and most endearing popular music in John team. As the choral director, he the last half of the twentieth century, introduced the American cast members said: “I actually jumped at the chance to a different style of singing: “I taught because I knew that Disney was a them the historical meanings of the class act and I liked the story line and lyrics and the practical and spiritual people immediately. The Disney films meanings of the songs. The singers must last forever and children watch them and understand the pain or joy, the feeling adults watch them and get just as much behind the song. The most difficult part fun out of them.” is the interpretation, the African way of singing... there’s a rawness that is totally As Rice and John began to work unique; it comes from the heart.” together, they knew that their main purpose was to tell the story. “Up until Lebo M sees his life mirrored in the story now,” said Rice, “about 95 per cent of of ‘The Lion King’: ‘‘This is an African the lyrics I’ve written have been done story that happens to parallel my own to a tune. Elton is one of those rare life. Young Simba’s loving education examples of a composer who actually from his father, his rebellion and his likes to get the words first. In the case eventual struggle to regain a foot-hold of... ‘The Lion King’ that proved to be in his native land were very familiar quite useful because the key thing... is to to me.” He calls his work on ‘The Lion get the story line dead right. Everything King’: “a tribute to the New South flows from the story.” Africa... like Simba, I too lost family and close friends during my time away, but For the stage version, more songs were returned home victorious to the open needed to explore Simba’s growth and arms of my newly freed countrymen ’s courage. The creative team and family.” Elton John and Tim Rice turned to ‘The Rhythm of the Pridelands’, a recording inspired by the film, featuring

DISNEY’s ‘the Lion King’ SECONDARY SCHOOL teaching Resource ’World Music: The Rough Guide’ says: REPETITION: Repeated pattern of sound In a musical, a song must help in the “ is distinguished by the most and rhythm. storytelling. A song in a musical should complex musical history, the greatest act as a kind of shorthand, moving profusion of styles and the most intensely IMPROVISATION: Because music is an the story forward, telling you something developed recording industry anywhere integral part of African life, it is often about the character’s inner life or in Africa.” South Africa’s musical spontaneous, made up on the spot. changing the character in ways that the history, especially in the past century, Improvised, spontaneous creation spoken word cannot. At the turn of the is linked to its national history and the of music and words is a highly- 20th century, the beginning of musical racist system of apartheid, in which regarded skill. theatre, theatre music was popular music. black South Africans were confined to POLYPHONY: Two or more melody Songwriters brought a vibrant, fast- small areas, their movements and rights lines played simultaneously, working talking quality to songwriting, throwing tightly controlled by the white minority. together into a greater whole. off the long accepted models of the Because the growth of its music was so European opera and operetta. But for closely tied to the country’s history, a POLYRHYTHMS: Two or more rhythm pioneers of the musical, the theatre, study of South African music is a perfect patterns playing at the same time. along with vaudeville, burlesque and foundation for further exploration into later recording, radio and the movies, CROSS-RHYTHMS: The accents of a song South African history. was just another forum for songs. There coming just after the accents of an was no attempt to blend the songs into accompanying rhythmic instrument or AFRICAN MUSIC the story. Although the continent of Africa holds other rhythmic device, such as hand- The musical changed forever in 1927, many different cultures, most have clapping or foot-stamping. Also called with ‘Show Boat’, based on Edna Ferber’s this in common: music is an integral syncopation, in a simplified form. 1926 novel about life in America after part of everyday life. In Africa, lives CALL AND RESPONSE: A choral form the Civil War. Composer Jerome Kern are permeated with music. Music has in which a leader sings or speaks a and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II were a function in society beyond simple line, which is echoed and perhaps determined to create an organic work entertainment. Songs are written to extended upon by a larger group. of art from the musical, in which songs, entertain, but also to teach, encourage, Call and response can also work music and text all combined to tell mourn, heal. Music serves a social between two groups. the story. As Denny Flinn Martin writes function, helping to strengthen the circle in ‘Musical! A Grand Tour’: “Critics of society. It “deepens the connection POPULAR SONG AND described Kern as having left musical between people who have come together THE comedy behind for something for reasons casual or profound” (Helen Q How are the songs in musical theatre they described as opera or light Kivnick, ‘Where is the Way: Song and different from the popular music you opera composing. In fact, it was pure Struggle in South Africa’). Africa, south hear every day? A song you hear on a musical theatre.” of the Sahara desert, takes in a variety of recording, on the radio or at a concert nations and cultures, yet all African music may create a character or tell a story, has some common traits. The following but its primary purpose is to express a characteristics can be heard in the sound- mood or an atmosphere, and create a track of ‘The Lion King’. memorable tune.

DISNEY’s ‘the Lion King’ SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHING RESOURCE