Broadway Cast of ‘The Lion King’ to Reunite for Live Discussion Hosted by Center for the Performing Arts

Tony and Grammy winner Heather Headley, who played Nala in the original cast, will be part of 'The Lion King' Broadway cast reunion hosted by the Center for the Performing Arts. Photo by Nathan Johnson

The Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State will host The Broadway Cast Reunion Series “The Lion King,” an opportunity to visit live “backstage” with members of the original cast of the hit musical.

The free virtual event, presented by LML Music Presents and hosted by Lee Lessack and Robert Bannon, will premiere live at 8 p.m. on Wednesday at cpa.psu.edu/events/lion-king-reunion. On-demand viewing will begin at the conclusion of the live premiere and continue until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, March 14.

It will feature members of the original Broadway cast — Heather Headley (Nala), Max Casella (Timon), Tom Alan Robbins (Pumbaa) and Geoff Hole (Zazu) — plus Bradley Gibson (current Simba).

Hosts Lessack and Bannon — New York City-area musical theater performers who also host the “Quarantine Cabaret and Cocktails” podcast — will lead discussion, unscripted stories, backstage gossip and an interactive chat.

Based on the blockbuster Disney film, “The Lion King” had its Broadway premiere in 1997 with music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice. It won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Direction of a Musical for director Julie Taymor, the first woman to win the award.

The reunion program is part of the Center for the Performing Arts 2020–2021 “Up Close and Virtual” season. For more information about forthcoming “Up Close and Virtual” events, visit cpa.psu.edu/events.

Contributions from the members of the Center for the Performing Arts and a grant from the University Park Student Fee Board help make the program free of charge.