NEWS FROM THE LION KING

DISNEY’S THE LION KING
FEATURED ON JEOPARDY!
AMERICA’S FAVORITE QUIZ SHOW®
TOMORROW: FRIDAY, JULY 13

Disney’s THE LION KING will be mentioned in a clue on “Jeopardy!” tomorrow, Friday, July 13 in a category called Pop Culture: 1999 in the Double Jeopardy round of the show. “Jeopardy!” airs in New York on WABC-TV Channel 7 from 7:00pm to 7:30pm. Check local listings for times outside the NY area.

The Tony Award® winning THE LION KING opened November 13, 1997 (previews began October 15) at the New Amsterdam Theatre and is now playing at Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre (Broadway at West 45th Street).

Worldwide, THE LION KING, is the winner of over 70 major awards: six Tony® Awards, including Best Musical, eight Drama Desk Awards, six Outer Critics Circle Awards, the New York Drama Critics Award for Best Musical, a 1998 Theatre World Award, the Astaire Award for Outstanding Choreography, a Drama League Award and a Grammy® Award for Best Musical Show Album, for the Original Broadway Cast Recording, which is certified Platinum.

In addition, director Julie Taymor made Broadway history by becoming the first woman in theatrical history to win the Tony Award for Best Director of a Musical.

The score features Elton John and Tim Rice’s music from the animated film along with three new songs by John and Rice, additional musical material by South African Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor and Hans Zimmer and music from an album inspired by the animated film, "Rhythm of the Pride Lands," written by Lebo M, Mark Mancina and Hans Zimmer. The resulting sound of THE LION KING score is a fusion of Western popular music and the distinctive sounds and rhythms of Africa, embracing the Academy award-winning “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” and the haunting “Shadowland.”

Julie Taymor’s previous credits include The Green Bird, The Flying Dutchman, Fool’s Fire, Titus Andronicus and the Tony Award-nominated Juan Darien:A Carnival Mass at Lincoln Center. She is a winner of two 1998 Tony Awards for Best Direction of a Musical and Best Costume Design.

Julie Taymor, along with Michael Curry, has created hundreds of masks and puppets for THE LION KING. Scenic design is by Richard Hudson; Lighting design is by Donald Holder. Costume design is by Julie Taymor. Choreography is by Garth Fagan. The book has been adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed the animated feature and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the screenplay of THE LION KING.

Now in its 10th year on Broadway, THE LION KING has become a worldwide phenomenon with eight productions worldwide: New York, London, Hamburg, Tokyo, Seoul, Johannesburg, two U.S. national tours, and upcoming in Paris.

JEOPARDY! a winner of 27 Emmy awards since its debut in 1984, was recently inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records for the most awards won by a TV Game Show. The series is the #1-rated quiz show in syndication, and has held that title for over 1,000 weeks.

JEOPARDY! is produced by Sony Pictures Television, a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company. It is distributed domestically and internationally by CBS Television Distribution, a unit of CBS Corp.

Tickets for THE LION KING are available at the Minskoff Theatre Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets or by calling Ticketmaster at (212)307-4747. Prices range from $40.-$121.25. For group sales and information please call (800)439-9000.

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