The Hollywood Bowl recently held a special event to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Disney’s The Lion King, and we were lucky enough to check it out!
Like other film events at the Hollywood Bowl, Disney’s The Lion King 30th Anniversary: A Live-to-Film Concert Event played the film with the accompaniment of a live orchestra and choir performing the score. It’s a film screening and a concert all in one!
This 30th anniversary event was also special because it celebrated not just the original 1994 animated film, but the expanded universe and legacy of The Lion King, including the live-action 2019 feature, the award-winning stage show, and even the upcoming Mufasa prequel film. So, the special guests attending and performing at the Bowl represented all these different areas.
From the original animated Lion King, we had Jeremy Irons (voice of Scar), Nathan Lane (voice of Timon), Ernie Sabella (voice of Pumbaa), and Jason Weaver (singing voice of young Simba). Irons performed Scar’s epic villain song “Be Prepared” for the audience. Lane, Sabella, and Weaver also performed “Hakuna Matata.” The event also featured special guests Jennifer Hudson and North West. Hudson performed both “Circle of Life” and “Can You Feel The Love Tonight,” while West made her stage debut with “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King.”
The event also highlighted songs only in the Tony Award-winning Lion King stage production. Heather Headley, who originated the role of adult Nala on Broadway, performed “Shadowland.” Bradley Gibson (Simba) performed “Endless Night.” Throughout the night, stage performances featured appearances from the classic Broadway animal puppets and choreography.
But that’s not all! The 30th anniversary celebration had a ton of treats for fans, spotlighting music composer Lebo M., projecting special accompanying visuals across the Bowl stage, previewing a new song from the upcoming film Mufasa, and even bringing together two Timons for a special performance. (Lane joined Billy Eichner, the voice of Timon in 2019’s The Lion King, and a trio of doo-wop singers for a crowd-participatory rendition of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”) Oh, and the whole thing ended with a bang – literally – with a brief fireworks display.
I loved that the event paid tribute to both the films and the stage show, and found ways to bring them together. It was more than just watching the movie or the Broadway show – it was a unique blend of both.
The variety of guests did a great job of showcasing the reach of The Lion King over the last three decades. They also kept things entertaining in different ways, since fans got to be blown away by talented vocals from the likes of Hudson and Headley, while guests like Lane and Eichner helped bring lighthearted humor and silliness to the stage.
I think the only real downside to this Live-to-Concert event is that the specific performance lineup resulted in a pretty long pause in screening the film. There was an intermission scheduled after “Can You Feel The Love Tonight,” and after the intermission the event focus shifted to stage performances for another 40 minutes or so. That meant the audience took about an hour break from the movie ⅔ of the way through. Still, like I said before, the performances were great, so I can’t complain too much.
Overall, Disney’s The Lion King 30th Anniversary: A Live-to-Film Concert Event was a really magical night perfect for fans of all ages! Though this was specifically a two-night only special event, you can check out the Hollywood Bowl’s calendar to see other concert film events and more. Although I suspect you may not have completely missed your chance to see this one… The event we attended was filmed, so I’m guessing it will get a streaming home on Disney+ or maybe even a special theatrical release. Check back to THS for more updates!
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