SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE -- Mark Allan Davis, who was a cast member when the first production of The Lion King opened on Broadway, was at the Minskoff Theatre in New York a few weekends ago for a reunion marking the 20th anniversary of the show. Davis has been an assistant professor in the San Francisco State School of Theatre & Dance for about a year. He choreographed the SF State production of Chicago that ran this spring.
At the gathering — which included director Julie Taymor — it was said that there are something like 323 performers who have been in the show, which has nine productions running around the world. At the end, Elton John sang Can You Feel the Love Tonight? with the Broadway cast.
Among the guests were many who’d been children when they were in the show, including the first Simba, Scott Irby-Rannier, now 33. “They have all grown up to be these spectacular beings: Stunning. Pigtails and dreadlocks to man buns and beards and locks down to the shoulder and Jimmy Choos.”
Photo: Original Broadway The Lion King cast members Karine Plantadit (2010 Tony Sward nominee, Come Fly Away) and Mark Allan Davis. Photo courtesy of Mark Allan Davis.