The marquee outside the DPAC draws a lot of attention in downtown Durham. The stage version of "The Lion King" is a popular show.
It requires a massive number of scenes, sets and classic characters, says Michelle Scalpone. She said, “Everyone works together. There are 17 trucks worth of Lion King traveling across the country.”
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Scalpone says just the sight of the shows largest prop, “Pride Rock”, conjures up memories. “Everyone's familiar with the animated film, but this musical is a piece of Broadway History,” she said.
The production includes about 50 to 70 actors, many of whom are children under the age of 12. That includes those who play the roles of young Simba and Nala.
“It just resonates the story. It’s a story of friendship, a story of family coming together and who doesn't love the procession of the top. The Circle of Life (song) is an iconic moment,” said Scalpone.
The actors in large colorful costumes make the story bigger than life and perhaps even heavier than life. Scalpone explained, “It does take a lot of core strength and arm strength to be able to manipulate the puppets on stage.”
It's a grand Circle of Life story and it's all happening at the DPAC now through June 9th.