Red carpet set to roll out in Auckland for official Lion King opening

June 26, 2021

The popular global musical is set to light up the stage here for the next three weeks.

The red carpet is set to roll out at Spark Arena for the official opening of Lion King.

After two successful and sold-out previews, the global musical is set to light up the stage here in New Zealand for the next few weeks.

The show has broken the New Zealand record for the fastest-selling musical with more than 110,000 tickets sold already.

1 NEWS last night caught up with some of the cast, including Aucklander Nick Afoa, who plays older Simba in the show.

Afoa recalled when he first saw the original animated Lion King film.  

“I remember the emotions hitting me like a truck, and I would say that a seed was planted - I suppose, to sound cheesy - that one day I would play Simba.”

But for many others in the main cast, they never envisioned their acting careers would take them into the roles of iconic Disney characters.

When asked how he gets into character, Mthokozisi Emkay Khanyile, who plays Mufasa, joked that he "licked his arm every now and then and "roared at everyone." 

More than 100 workers have flown into the country for the show, which caused an outcry earlier this year.

Every actor channels their inner animal in the show, including the five young child actors who played Simba and Nala, all from New Zealand.

“They’re so precious and talented. Each of them bring such a delicate innocence to it, some of them are cheeky and funny and quirky; some of them really serious and focused and some of them so emotional,” says Khanyile.

For the first time ever, the hugely popular stage production of The Lion King has landed in Aotearoa and rehearsals are now underway.

The cast and crew consist of over 100 members across 16 different nationalities, all of whom are “the very best talent assembled from all around the world," said Michael Cassell, producer for the international tour.

The show's tour had been paused due to Covid-19, and will stay in New Zealand for three weeks. 

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