How to Go
What: “The Lion King”
Where: Schuster Center, Second and Main streets
When: Tuesdays through Sundays, through July 10.
Tickets: $27-$141.
More info: (888) 228-3630 or www.ticketcenter stage.com.
DAYTON — Millions of people have seen the Broadway musical “The Lion King” since it opened nearly 14 years ago. About 2,300 more saw it Thursday night at the Schuster Center during the first week of a month-long visit to Dayton.
As they left the building afterward, most in the audience offered only superlatives for the production.
“Thrilling. Just breathtaking,” said Grace John of Centerville
“Spectacular. The colors were fantastic,” said Cathy Lumpp of Fairborn.
“It was beautiful. Just gorgeous,” Katie John said.
Ken Neufeld, president and CEO of the Victoria Theatre Association, which is presenting the Tony Award-winning international smash, was like a proud host with hundreds of happy people enjoying themselves at his house.
“The show is great and I think it really fits here. It looks great here,” he said at intermission, standing inches from where animal puppets had marched down the aisles to signal the opening.
Braden Bour, 6, of Franklin, who saw the two-act father-and-son story with his dad, Peter Bour, paused from inspecting the trunk of a palm tree in the Schuster Center’s Wintergarden to give his opinion of the show by Elton John and Tim Rice.
“Everything about it was awesome,” he said.
“The puppets were fantastic. The movements were so lifelike,” his father offered.
“Awesome,” preceded by “absolutely,” were the first two words from Ciara O’Donoghue of Centerville. “I loved the costumes and the detail.”
Samuel Pacheco of Beavercreek judged the show set in Africa to be “fantastic. The coordination of elements and the lighting was very effective.”
Karen Husa, who lives in Miami County, had seen it previously in New York and thought the sound quality might have been better for the Broadway production. That was her only quibble.
“Otherwise, it was quite comparable. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I loved the costumes and it was nice to see the Schuster Center full.”
Julie Ferneding of Dayton thought it was “tremendous. When the animals came out among the audience and then onto the stage. You were entranced.”
“I was mesmerized,” Dottie Bachus of Dayton said of a performance that included several standout performances, including one by diminutive Dusan Brown as young Simba.
He got a bigger cheer afterward than Jelani Remy, as adult Simba, did. That was no reflection on Remy’s performance. It’s just that the kid was really good.
Not all the reviews were glowing. One man who wouldn’t give his name, or explain further, announced, “You don’t want to ask me what I thought.”
Maybe he’s related to Scar, the bad guy of the story, who gets his comeuppance for being an ally of hyenas late in Act 2.
Evelyn Hix of Dayton thought it was “a great show with an awesome cast.”
Some of those who made it so included Brenda Mhlongo as the Mother Africa figure Rafiki and Ben Lipitz with Nick Cordileone as the comic warthog and meerkat duo, Pumbaa and Timon.
Lesley Brewer of Dayton found “Lion King” to be “very realistic. It was everything I expected and more.”
Although Thursday’s show, the official opening night of the Dayton run, was sold out, tickets remain available, especially following July 4. Running time is about 150 minutes.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2377 or tmorris@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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