The Lion King at Queen Elizabeth Theatre

The saga of The Lion King is set in motion in a fictional land in Africa; set in The Pride Lands, the teenage heir Simba is destined to succeed as King, before tragedy strikes because of the work of his dishonorable uncle Scar and his impulse to rule the Pride Lands and become King himself. The first half's sequence of incidents leads to the little lion's banishment from his rightful place and the story of his consequent homecoming to retake his throne and his place as King.

The musical, since its creation, had to develop extensive research on real African culture and historical basis given its setting. The story itself is actually founded on real African leaders and real events – Simba actually equates to the animal version of Sundiata Mansa, the leader of the Imperial Mali who was aptly referred to The Lion of Mali.

Julie Taymor, the first woman in Broadway history to gain a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical, completed in-depth research on African and East Asian history, particularly costume design, which resulted in a faultless live adaptation of the show. The regalia alone are gracious portrayals of several traditional tribes in Africa, a portrayal of which is Simba’s costume in the play which as it happens copied from Kenyan Maasi warriors' attire. Just like the previous 1994 motion picture, the remarkable musical compositions penned by Elton John and Tim Rice pays homage to its African roots, with the live adaptation even including numbers with lyrics that are performed either in part or fully in African languages like Swahili and Zulu. Also, the African theme is also noticeable in choreography, with many of the dances showing off the grace of Bali-inspired choreography.

The 3D puppetry, music, and superb acting all work in harmony to deliver an awe-inspiring musical. On Thursday 28th August 2025 and at Vancouver, the acclaimed Lion King will be in Queen Elizabeth Theatre - famous to local fans and foreigners for hosting the top musicals and plays owed to the finest facilities and topnotch equipment that theater venues can provide. Tickets to this show on Thursday 28th August 2025 are currently available and may be bought by clicking the links that can be seen just at the top of this website.