If you stayed in Paris over the summer, you probably saw those bright yellow posters in the Metro for Le Roi Lion advertising the summer special 20-euro tickets.  Naturally, we bought some. 

It was a Sunday at the theatre.  We got matinee tickets to see Le Roi Lion (the French Broadway version of The Lion King).  It was what I would normally have called "one of those New York days", only it was in Paris.  Don't you love it when that happens? 

We haven't done much theatre here since the kids are kinda young and Paris doesn't really have a theatre district (French people tend to very strongly dislike musicals or any type of theatre where people are happy or suddenly break out into song or dance.  Or where people are happy or, say, happy.). 

We dressed the kids up for a day at the theatre and made a big deal out of it.  The girls wore white eyelet dresses and our son wore a button-down oxford and suit jacket with his favorite tie.  While waiting for the bus, a lady told us that our youngest was going to be an actress one day.  Our daughter replied, I'm an actress everyday!

Our seats were not the best.  They were on the orchestra level, but they were in the very back and on the side.  But at 20 euros apiece, you won't hear us complaining.  Oh but the kids looked so cute in their little outfits. 

So them in their cuteness and us in our bad seats . . . about 5 minutes before the show started, I saw an usher look over at her and then he walked over and asked her to come with him.  The usher took us down to the fifth row, center, orchestra.  Best seats in the house.  What an amazing gift.  For some reason, those seats were empty just waiting for the tried and true Lion King fans. 

And our youngest daughter is a tried and true Lion King fan. 

Disneyland Paris has had a 25-minute Legend of the Lion King show that she was obsessed with when she was even younger.  She would wear her Simba costume and we would sit on the front row and she would sit on my lap to dance and sing along.  This love of the show came to an abrupt end when she finally got strong enough to pull herself over the little green railing and onto the stage at one point.  When I pulled her back, she screamed and screamed and screamed until the end of the show.  We had some old college buddies visit us in 2005 in the heyday of her Simba costume days.  At the end of the show, Andy's old roommate said, "Did you see how your daughter looks at Scar?  Like he's a rock star!" 

Yes, while other kids would cry at Scar's appearance, she had a huge crush on him.  Even now, years later, whenever we're walking around and she sees a really tall, dark-skinned African man, she gets all flirty and I know it's because of Scar.  Well, that Scar she was in love with was one Jean-Luc Guizonne.  You may know him as Jee-L from Star Academy.  And guess what?  He plays King Mufasa in Le Roi Lion.  So our littlest one got to see one of her favorite actors.  And the actor who played Simba used to be one of the Simbas at Disneyland, too. 

Le Roi Lion is like no other Broadway show I've ever seen before.  The costumes I've heard about for years, but the set was just as impressive.  The entire presentation and music and dancing is very strong and, really, words do not do it justice.  You have to experience it.  The production draws heavily on elements of Greek Tragedy with masks and a chorus and very clean, crisp physical movements.  There is one scene where the women lions cry and it was very dramatic how they expressed that, but I won't spoil it for you with details.

What's truly amazing is that the show got a standing ovation (no, we were not the first to stand up) and several curtain calls.  I've never seen a French crowd react so enthusiastically. 

Our day wrapped-up with the requisite visit to McDonald's for dinner and ice cream.  We really didn't want to go there, but the kids begged and since they had been so good during the three-hour show, they deserved to get what they were asking for. 

The kids loved the show.  I do think that it's more for adults, but our kids have always loved the show at Disneyland so we knew they could handle it (as long as we weren't on the front row!).  Their feedback was interesting-they all disliked Zazu for being too crazy (which is a shame because I think he is the best character with energetic acting, perfect line execution, not to mention great make-up and costume).  Our son liked the tree that Rafiki lives in and our daughters liked the ballet dancers that came out on stage during Can you Feel the Love Tonight.  I was enthralled with the entire performance, but Terre d'Ombre (Shadowland) was very moving. 

The summer special has been extended through September, so right now you can get tickets to see Le Roi Lion for a mere 20 euros.  You better hurry, though, these tickets go fast.  Go to www.leroilion.fr to buy your tickets online (you can even print them right there at home). 

Open Door at the Mogador

On Sunday, September 14, the Mogador theatre and the Roi Lion family will open its doors to the general public in celebration of its one-year anniversary.  Starting at 11 a.m. and going until 5:30 p.m., you'll be able to, among other things, participate in African singing and dancing ateliers, go backstage to see the costumes, masks and sets, get your face painted, meet the cast and musicians and watch a documentary on the making of the Lion King stage production.  Dude, we are so there! 

In the meantime, here are two great videos to enjoy: 

This first one is a video of the main cast: Jean-Luc Guizonne as Mufasa, Jérémy Fontanet as Simba and Zama Magudulela, a South African woman playing Rafiki, singing the amazing Il Vie en Toi: 

And the same actors performing La Circle de Vie on a local TV show: