The Lion King at Keller Auditorium

The saga of The Lion King is set in motion in a fictional region of the African savanna; living in The Pride Lands, the young lion Simba is destined to succeed as King, before disloyalty is revealed because of the work of his evil uncle Scar and his desire to take the throne and become King himself. The first half's course of events leads to the little lion's banishment from his rightful place and the tale of his ultimate return to bring peace to his lands and citizens.

The musical, since its formation, had to develop extensive research on real African civilization and historical texts given the play's context. The plot itself is actually taken from historical African warriors and actual happenings – Simba being the animal equivalent of Sundiata Mansa, the leader of the Imperial Mali who was aptly called The Lion of Mali.

Julie Taymor, the first woman in the history of Broadway to earn a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical, paid due homage to the original film as source material, particularly outfits used, which paved the way for a faultless Broadway production of the show. The regalia alone are respectful representations of several ethnic groups in Africa, an example of such is Simba’s outfit in the musical which in fact based on Kenyan Maasi warriors' attire. Just like the original 1994 movie, the remarkable musical compositions created by Elton John and Tim Rice pays homage to its African roots, with the live adaptation even adding compositions with lyrics that are performed either partially or completely in African tongue like Swahili and Zulu. Additionally, the African motif is also evident in choreography, with many of the numbers showing off the seamlessness of Bali-inspired choreography.

The regalia, song composition, and stellar performances all merge effortlessly to carry out an second to none musical. On Tuesday 23rd September 2025 and at Portland, Disney's The Lion King performs in Keller Auditorium - famous to residents and visitors for holding the premiere musicals and plays because of the unrivaled amenities and topnotch equipment that theater venues can provide. Tickets to this musical on Tuesday 23rd September 2025 are now available and may be bought using the links provided just at the top of this website.