BEHIND THE SCENES
FROM SCREEN TO STAGE
1. W
hich part of the original film shows Simba’s hope that he will grow to be
like his father?
2. W
hat was the most difficult challenge facing the creative team when
adapting ‘The Lion King’ for the stage?
3. How did they tackle this challenge?
4. W
hy is the audience’s imagination the most important theatrical
technique needed?
5. Why did the stage show require more music?
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BEHIND THE SCENES
Behind the Story
1. The story centres on the circle. List where the circle appears in the show.
2. Find out about the story of ‘The Prodigal Son’. How is Simba’s story similar?
3. A main theme of ‘The Lion King’ is ‘responsibility’. How does the show
explore this?
4. How does ‘The Lion King’ reflect a sense of community?
5. What does the ‘Circle of Life’ mean in the show?
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BEHIND THE SCENES
Meet the Characters
1. W
hy does Nala need to become a strong woman? How do you think this is
shown in the production?
2. Why is Simba’s friendship with Timon and Pumbaa so important?
3. Why is Zazu so important to Mufasa?
4. S
car shows ambition and jealousy. How does the birth of Simba at the
beginning of ‘The Lion King’ make his jealousy worse?
5. R
afiki is changed from the comic male in the film to a strong, spiritual
female in the show. Why? What is gained by this? And what is further
gained by using the South African actress?
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BEHIND THE SCENES
AN Actor Prepares
1. H
ow long before the performance does the actor who plays Scar arrive
at the theatre?
2. How much does his costume weigh?
3. H
ow long was the rehearsal period for ‘The Lion King’? What were the
reasons for the length of rehearsal time?
4. T he actor thinks it is more fun to play a villain than a hero. Why?
Do you agree?
5. What specifically makes ‘The Lion King’ so challenging for actors?
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BEHIND THE SCENES
DISCOVER THE Costumes
1. What does the use of natural materials in the show represent?
2. W
hat makes the use of the costumes in ‘The Lion King’ so different from
other shows?
3. W
hat do you have to take into account when designing costumes for a
show like ‘The Lion King’?
4. T he costumes have a matte, natural finish to them. What effect does this
give on stage?
5. How does an actor getting a suntan create a problem, and how is it
solved?
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BEHIND THE SCENES
Masks and Puppets
1. How many puppets are there in the show?
2. Why are balsa wood and carbon fibre used?
3. What device is used to keep the masks in place on the actors’ heads?
4. Why is the actor playing Timon green, and the one playing Zazu blue?
5. W
hat are the differences between the Mufasa and Scar masks? How do
they show the different personalities?
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BEHIND THE SCENES
SETTING THE SCENE
1. W
hat is meant by the ‘rake’ of the stage? What problems do you think this
can create?
2. How did the set designers create Pride Rock for the stage?
3. W
hat pattern is on the stage floor, Pride Rock and elsewhere?
What does it represent?
4. How many light sources are there?
5. T he musical opens with a rising sun made from battens and silk. Why is this
so effective as the rising sun?
6. What effect do light changes have on the audience?
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BEHIND THE SCENES
BEING A LION KID
1. Eight children share the roles of Young Simba and Young Nala. Why?
2. List the different things the child actors have to do before going on stage.
3. What did the young actor mean by ‘spatial awareness’ on stage?
4. W
hat types of training do the young actors have to go through before they
work in ‘The Lion King’?
5. What do the child actors do during the second act?
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BEHIND THE SCENES
MAKING THE MUSIC
1. M
usic is used to reflect a country’s culture, different characters, changing
moods, etc. What type of music is used for the hyenas? Why is it used?
2. What type of music is used for the hunt? Why is it effective?
3. Why is percussion so important to the music of ‘The Lion King’?
4. Where in the auditorium are the percussionists placed and why?
5. W
hat effect do you think the African music mixed with the modern music
of Elton John creates?
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BEHIND THE SCENES
Dance AND Movement
1. Why is movement so integral to ‘The Lion King’?
2. What does a choreographer do?
3. In the extract, what types of dance are shown? How do they differ?
4. How does movement enhance the emotions of the lionesses’ chant?
5. How does choreography help create the animal characters on stage?
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answers
FROM SCREEN TO STAGE
meet the CharacterS
1.The DVD clip where young Simba places his paw
1.Nala needs to look after the savannah once Scar
inside his father’s paw print. Students could expand
into why this is symbolic.
2.Re-creating the African savannah; turning actors
into animals.
3.They used a combination of staging and lighting
effects to create the feeling of the vast space of the
savannah. Costumes and masks hint at the animal
the actor is playing. Students can discuss the specific
effects in detail and what they feel each element
added to the overall effect.
4.The director relies on the audience to ‘suspend
disbelief’ to believe in what is being represented
on stage through the highly theatrical means.
5.The stage show is longer than the film therefore
requires more music.
Behind the Story
1.The sun; Pride Rock; Mufasas’s mask; disappearing
waterhole; the wheels that are used to move a selection
of the puppets; circles are referenced in the music.
This selection is from the DVD clip, if students
have seen the production discuss other circles they
remember seeing.
2.The ‘Prodigal Son’ is a biblical reference, ‘lost son.’
Simba’s life is similar in that he makes mistakes and
is unable to understand his path or way through his
errors, causing him to run away. His departure allows
him to reflect and learn about who he truly is.
3.The show explores responsibility by showing how
characters deal with different situations in their own
personal way. Students can provide examples from
the story.
4.A sense of community is reflected through the ‘Circle
of Life’. Every culture is said to be related to one
another, all are ‘interconnected’ and ultimately share
the same planet, even if they do not get along and do
not always share the same values, they come together
when it counts.
becomes king because she understands what the
future will look like if she does not. Students should
expand on how they think this is shown in the
production.
2.The friendship with Timon and Pumbaa offers Simba
a safe environment to grow and to deal with his guilt
over the death of Mufasa.
3.Zazu is Mufasa’s mentor and trusted friend. Zazu
gives insight, advice and friendly comfort to Mufasa
whilst also taking on the role as Simba’s childminder.
4.After Simba’s birth, Scar is third in line to the throne
which builds into uncontrollable resentment.
5. In the beginning of the film ‘The Circle of Life’ is
sung by a woman. To stay true to the film, Rafiki
is also female in the stage show. They felt her
character played an integral role in Simba’s personal
development and wanted her to be conveyed more
spiritually, rather than comically. Her role in the
production is far weightier than the character’s
position in the film. The South African actress was
able to provide a richer cultural view through use of
language and accent.
an Actor prepares
1. An hour before the curtain goes up.
2. Over two stones.
3.Six weeks rehearsal period: learning the mechanics of
the masks and style of movement.
4.George himself prefers to play the villain as he is
able to appreciate the immediate gratification one
gets through the audience’s very vocal response
i.e. with the boos and hisses. The student should be
encouraged to agree or disagree as well as providing
their reasoning.
5.Actors work with masks which must look like an
extension of the actor’s body. It is important they feel
comfortable enough with the masks that it becomes
second nature to move with them.
5.The Circle of Life represents each personal life
journey, as well as the idea of being part of a
community and doing your part in the bigger picture.
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answers
discover the costumes
being a lion Kid
1. Earth, the planet, and the savannah.
1.Being part of the production is very physically
2. The costumes become part of the scenery.
3. Longevity of costumes and weight.
4.The effect is of a natural and sun baked appearance;
the earth tones maintaining the sense of being in the
dry and hot savannah.
5.All shoes and some costumes have to match each
actor’s individual skin tones, so if they tan their skin
tone has changed. It is solved by darkening each
individual performer’s skin paint to the new shade.
Masks and Puppets
1. 300
demanding and would be too much for one child to
take on by themselves.
2. Make-up, out on costume, wigs and warm-up.
3.Being aware of everyone and everything that is
around you while you are on stage.
4.Singing, dancing and acting.
5.In the second act they can relax and do their
homework.
making the Music
1.Rock music is used for the hyenas. It is suggested that
the rock music best reflects the hyenas personalities.
2.Carbon fibre and balsa wood are used to keep masks
light.
2.Aggressive choral African music is best suited for the
3.A crank, tightened to fit the actor’s head.
3. The music contains many influences from African
4.Zazu is a bird whose natural place is the sky,
the actor being dressed in blue is quite simply
representing the sky. Timon is an earth based
character so is controlled by a green ‘actor’,
representing his natural place.
5.Mufasa has a warm oak-coloured mask, representing
the sunrise, emphasising the character’s warmth and
passionate personality; a complete contrast to Scar,
whose mask is cut with lines, representing Scar’s inner
conflicts and angry personality.
Setting the Scene
culture. Percussion plays a huge part in African music.
The variety of drums is massive and it’s role integral to
providing the essence of the production.
4.Two percussionists are placed in the boxes at the
front of the stage at all times, to make this precussion
prominent.
5.Discuss as a class the mixture of music genre and the
effect they think it creates.
Dance and Movement
1.For the audience to get the sense that the actors are
1.That the stage is tilted. Discuss the potential problems
as a class, they can include injuries to performers,
difficulty setting staging etc
2.They created a circular staircase that rises up from the
stage floor.
3.Lion claw scratches appear on Pride Rock and the
stage floor. It represents the lions’ domination and
being King of the Savannah.
4.In excess of one thousand.
5.The shimmering silk creates the effect of a heat haze
as the sun rises. With added effect from smoke and
changing light patterns, the rising sun is made more
real and captivating to the audience. Discuss other
opinions from the class.
6.Light has a huge story telling ability and light speed can
affect the mood dramatically, i.e. fast light conveys the
energetic atmosphere whilst a slow light calms the scene.
Secondary/DVD Answers
lioness hunt.
the animals they are portraying requires not only help
from the costumes and scenery, but special attention to
movement. Movements also represent cultural roots.
2.Choreographers create the movement for the
production. Students could mention the inspiration for
the dancer’s movement which the choreographer uses:
Indonesian, Balinese and Japanese movements.
3.The hyena dance is based on a hip hop/street
technique. This differs from the dance of the
lions, which conveys strength and fluidity through
contemporary and Balinese movement.
4.The ‘attitude jump’ is explained, demonstrating how a
specific movement can give much more meaning and
emotion to the dance choreography.
5.The choreography shows movement with animal traits.
Students could give an example of this.
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