'Lion King' to rule Shanghai stage

A Broadway-style production of The Lion King will open in Shanghai July 18, the first live Disney musical in China.

The Tony-award-winning show has been touring the world since its run on Broadway, which began in 1997. It is currently playing in Melbourne.

The Lion King tells the story of the African lion cub Simba who learns to survive in the jungle with the help of some friends and has to struggle to claim his role as king.

"We think that the story will resonate with everybody, anywhere in the world," said Stanley Cheung, China managing director for Disney, according to Associated Press.

The play will be staged at the 1,100-seat Shanghai Grand Theatre, which has hosted productions of Cats, The Sound of Music and Phantom of the Opera. Musicals have developed a large following in cosmopolitan Shanghai.

Disney will bring an original international cast and sets to perform the Broadway musical in Shanghai, including 52 performers from 12 countries. A total of 100 shows will be performed from July 18 to Oct. 8, ending during China's week-long National Day holiday.

The show will be performed in English and theatre staff will translate the libretto into Chinese for projection over the stage, Cheung said.

Language won't be a barrier, said South African performer Buyisile Zama, 27, who plays the baboon Rafik. The spectacle is enough to get the story across, she said.

Chinese news agency Xinhua says the show will cost $9.8 million to mount and ticket prices will range from about $15 to $285.

The original Broadway production was inspired by Disney's 1994 animated movie The Lion King. The musical won six Tony Awards in 1998, including best musical. More than 34 million people have seen the live show around the world.