The hit Disney musical played to 1.35 million people in Sydney during a two-year run from 2003 to 2005. It is now returning to the Capitol Theatre in December 2013. The cast will be made up of local and international artists, with auditions planned for later this year. Announcing the return of The Lion King yesterday, NSW Tourism, Major Events and Arts Minister George Souris said the musical - with hit songs by Elton John and Tim Rice - would pour $36 million into the state and attract 50,000 visitors from interstate and overseas.
The recently closed musical Mary Poppins was also a commercial success for the state, selling almost half a million tickets and attracting 54,000 people from interstate and overseas. "Musical productions do drive tourism, enhance the cultural life of our city and state, and generate economic benefit for the people," Mr Souris said. "Sydney has now become the No.1 city for first-run musicals in Australia."Mr Souris said more than a million tickets to musicals were sold in Sydney last year. And there were more musical treats in store.
"In 2012 and 2013, Sydney will be hosting a range of musicals including two world premieres (An Officer and a Gentleman, and Strictly Ballroom)," Mr Souris said. "Sydney is fast becoming a city that producers worldwide are choosing to premiere their musicals. Pursuing blockbuster musicals forms a key plank in the NSW government strategy for the NSW economy."Disney Theatrical Group president Thomas Schumacher, via a live cross to Times Square, New York, said the Disney team loved working in Sydney. "Sydney is an environment that's conducive to creative people," Mr Schumacher said. "It's warm, it's inviting, it's vibrant."
The Lion King had been interpreted in 19 productions all over the world, and had been seen by more than 63 million people but Sydney's production had never been bettered. "Clearly, now a decade later, it's appropriate to come back," Mr Schumacher said. While Disney continued to work on new musicals, there remained a "huge demand" for The Lion King. There was a possibility The Lion King would tour to other Australian venues. But there are currently no plans. "Today we are only talking about Sydney," Mr Schumacher said.