Disneys ‘Lion King’ set to roar in Vegas
Disney’s The Lion King will replace Mamma Mia! at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino in Las Vegas, where it will take over for the musical that was part of a wave of Broadway hits to migrate to the desert, officials said Tuesday. Disney’s stage version of the animated hit is the company’s first show to set up residence in Sin City. Non-touring versions of The Lion King are playing in six other cities, including London and Tokyo. It replaces Mamma Mia! — the longest-running, full-length Broadway musical on the Las Vegas Strip — which closes Jan. 4 after more than 2,200 performances. The Lion King starts with preview performances in April 2009 and has a grand opening on May 2. The Lion King follows the adventures of a lion cub, Simba, who is born heir to the throne of a kingdom of animals but is threatened by a treacherous uncle.