With a flurry of color, music and dancing animals, Disney's "The Lion King" will parade — literally — into the Wharton Center tonight beginning a nearly seven-week engagement.
Wharton, which has continental seating, or no center aisle, required an alteration for the cast to make its grand entrance into the theater. More than 100 seats were removed to create two aisles for the animals to proceed down.
"They enter from the back of the theater and go right on stage," Wharton spokesman Bob Hoffman said.
"The Lion King" won six Tony awards in 1998, including Best Musical and Best Costume Design.
There are now two U.S. tours and multiple permanent or open-ended shows in cities such as New York City, Tokyo, London and Hamburg, Germany.
The First National Tour, also known as The Gazelle Company, will be performing at Wharton tonight through March 5.
Wharton marketing manager Victor Hamburger, said he was excited because shows of this caliber and magnitude don't often come to cities the size of East Lansing.
"We are really lucky to have a great facility," he said.
Hamburger added, "We always get great comments from casts" about the technical aspects running smoothly and enthusiastic crowds. "There are only a few college towns that do the kinds of things we do."
The production of "The Lion King" has more than 240 puppets. Dan Donohue, who plays Scar in the First National Tour, said the reason the musical is so innovative is because you can see the puppeteer with the puppet.
"You see the mechanics of how the puppets are being manipulated," he said. "It's something that is unique and thoroughly imaginative."
The costumes are some of the most imaginative and colorful parts of the production, Donohue added.
"It's so forward. It's so cutting edge," he said. "It pushed the limits with what people thought they could do with theater."
The score of "The Lion King" features the music of Elton John and Tim Rice from the animated 1994 film, along with three new songs and additional musical material.
"It's the same story, and the dialogue — for the most part — is the same. But the way that we tell the story is a broader theatrical way," Donohue said.
Tickets are still available for most of the shows, but they are selling quickly, Hoffman said.
"We're far exceeding our sales goal," he said.
Performance times for "The Lion King" are 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sundays.
Tickets range in cost from $19.50 to $72. There are also VIP Ticket Packages for $125, which include prime seating and special services at the theater. Tickets can be purchased at the Wharton Center Box Office by calling (800) WHARTON or by visiting www.whartoncenter.com.
