Las Vegas Weekly

May 14, 2010 · 10:06 AM

The Lion King celebrates first anniversary at Mandalay Bay

By Robin Leach

The Lion King at Mandalay Bay.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

During the first 12-month run of Disney’s The Lion King at Mandalay Bay, more than 500,000 people have seen the extraordinary and spectacular award-winning musical, and the cast celebrates its first anniversary tomorrow.

Within nine weeks of its arrival onstage, The Lion King broke a box-office record previously held by Mamma Mia -- and then surpassed it not once but four more times.

The Lion King has become the world’s top musical and has been seen by more than 50 million people in 13 countries. Many of the Las Vegas performers were recruited from other productions in London, Australia, South Africa, Taiwan, Toronto, Shanghai and of course Broadway, where the original is still running.

Our pal Thomas Schumacher, producer and president of Disney Theatrical Group, commented: “The Lion King has touched lives across the globe, and we are thrilled to have been embraced in Las Vegas by locals and tourists alike. After years of working to bring The Lion King to Las Vegas, we’re very proud to celebrate this milestone.

“The Lion King opens the hearts and minds of everyone who sees it. It has had an enormous impact on the communities it reaches. We look forward to many more years of sharing this spectacular production at Mandalay Bay.”

Our previous The Lion King stories include:

*Interviews and coverage when the cast and crew first arrived in Las Vegas and rehearsals and showcases got underway. (May 2009)

*“Praise is unanimous at The Lion King premiere” (May 16, 2009)

*“$600 life savings gamble pays off for The Lion King’s Kissy Simmons” (May 5, 2009)

*“Las Vegas’ The Lion King a global, historical and emotional production” (March 18, 2009)

Renee West, new president and COO for Mandalay Bay, added: “The Lion King has proven as popular and successful with Las Vegas audiences as it has around the world. The production leaves every audience with a sense of wonder and amazement. Our friends at Disney are simply brilliant, and we are delighted they are a part of our family.”

Congratulations to the cast and crew from all of us at Vegas DeLuxe, and cheers for many more successful years!

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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