Elton John Gave a Surprise Performance at ‘The Lion King’ on Broadway’s 20th Anniversary Show
It’s hard to imagine something more magical than seeing The Lion King on Broadway, except for maybe seeing The Lion King on Broadway’s 20th-anniversary show followed by a surprise performance by Elton John.
As any true Lion King fan knows, John co-wrote the music for the 1994 Disney animated hit as well as it’s super popular stage adaption. The show premiered on Broadway in November of 1997 and to commemorate the milestone Elton John took to the stage after the show’s curtain call and performed “Circle of Life” alongside cast members from the show.
The show’s 20th anniversary also featured The Lion King’s oringial lyricist Tim Rice, the stage adaption’s director Julie Taymor, as well as cast alumni and member’s of the show’s creative team.
Since it’s NYC premiere, the stage adaption of The Lion King has had over 24 global productions that have been seen by more than 90 million people. Disney on Broadway has also said that The Lion King’s “worldwide gross exceeds that of any film, Broadway show, or other entertainment titles in box office history.” In 1998, The Lion King won six Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Direction, and Best Choreography.
Fans of Simba, Nala, and the gang are in for a treat as the popular film will be given a fresh take in Jon Favreau’s upcoming live film adaption, which will include the talents of Donald Glover, Beyonce, Seth Rogen, James Earl Jones and more.
Related:
The Live Action ‘Lion King’ Cast Is Complete and Absolutely Incredible
WATCH: James Corden Lead Guests in ‘Crosswalk the Musical: The Lion King’
Having studied Media & Writing at James Madison University, I always knew that I wanted to do some type of creative writing, but being able to write about zombies, Starks, and superheroes on a daily basis for Fan Fest is my actual dream. While I probably shouldn’t be as proud as I am to be so similar to Nick Miller, I do hope to one day write my own “Pepperwood Chronicles’.