Broadway veteran Gavin Lee will join the cast of Disney’s “The Lion King” at the Minskoff Theatre. The two-time Tony Award nominee is set to take over the role of Scar beginning July 22.
Lee replaces Stephen Carlile, who previously played Scar in the long-running production. Carlile departed earlier this year to join Disney’s new staging of “Hercules” in London’s West End, where he will play Hades. In the meantime, Michael Hollick has been covering the role on Broadway.
This marks Lee’s third collaboration with Disney Theatrical Productions. He originated the role of Bert in both the West End and Broadway productions of “Mary Poppins,” earning Olivier and Tony nominations for his performance. He later appeared as Lumière in the London Palladium production of “Beauty and the Beast.”
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“The Lion King” continues to be one of Broadway’s most successful productions. The musical won six Tony Awards in 1998, including Best Musical, Best Scenic Design, and Best Costume Design. It has collected over 70 major international honors.
The production features a score that includes Elton John and Tim Rice’s songs from the original animated film, along with new material by the pair. Additional music was created by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor, and Hans Zimmer.
The current Broadway cast includes Tshidi Manye as Rafiki, L. Steven Taylor as Mufasa, Vincent Jamal Hooper as Simba, Pearl Khwezi as Nala, Fred Berman as Timon, Ben Jeffrey as Pumbaa, Blakely Slaybaugh as Zazu, and Bonita J. Hamilton as Shenzi. The show also features Leela Chopra and Juliana Martinez alternating as Young Nala, while Jacob Pham and Albert Rhodes share the role of Young Simba.
For more information and additional details, theatergoers can visit Broadway’s official “The Lion King” website.
