“The Circle of Life” won’t only be for the audience at the Minskoff Theatre to witness on September 14. Disney on Broadway announced today that The Lion King would stream their iconic opening number on their reopening night, September 14, via TikTok, partnering exclusively with the app to bring the performance worldwide. Adrienne Walker, currently playing Nala in the Broadway cast, took to the popular social media app to officially break the news.
@disneyonbroadwayIt is time. Join us on September 14th for a special live stream of our first performance! 🦁 #thelionkingbroadway♬ original sound – Disney on Broadway
The live stream event will begin at 7 p.m. EST and can be viewed on the Disney on Broadway TikTok account, @DisneyOnBroadway. The event will include a pre-show hosted by Broadway cast member Adrienne Walker (Nala) that will bring viewers behind the scenes to meet the people who bring The Lion King to life on a daily basis.
Angelo Desimini, Disney Theatrical Productions VP, Marketing, Publicity, Sales & Education, said, “We are thrilled to welcome audiences back to Broadway. But realizing that only 1,700 guests would get to experience our first performance in the theatre, we wanted to find a way for everyone to be part of this historic Broadway moment. Partnering with TikTok allows us to literally bring The Lion King into the hands of theatre lovers wherever they are to share in this once-in-a-lifetime evening.”
“TikTok has become a home for Broadway and musical theatre lovers around the world, so we are excited to celebrate this milestone for the industry as the lights go back up on stages,” said Catherine Halaby, Entertainment Content Partnerships Lead, TikTok. “With our partners, we are bringing the most innovative, entertaining, and creative content to the thriving musical theatre community on the platform. By partnering with major productions like The Lion King, along with our community of creators and top Broadway stars, we want to bring Broadway entertainment to everyone and provide an inside look into the talent and magic of musical theater.”
The live stream event is in support of The Actors Fund, which has provided more than $22.7 million in direct financial assistance to more than 16,700 people since the beginning of the Broadway shutdown. Earlier this year, TikTok firmly established itself as the leading platform for all things musical theatre, as creators and The Actors Fund came together to build out a crowd-sourced version of Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical. Since then, the platform has remained the hub for fans and creators of theatre, dance, music, and all things Broadway.
“We’re honored to celebrate the return of Broadway with our good friends at Disney Theatrical, The Lion King and TikTok,” said Joe Benincasa, President & CEO of The Actors Fund. “We can’t wait for the very first ‘Circle of Life’ live performance back at The Minskoff Theatre – which, thanks to the live stream, will also be available to TikTok fans around the world who can experience the magic of Broadway and share their support for the performing arts community.”
The Lion King will continue its reign at the Minskoff Theatre on September 14.