Thursday, February 25, 2010

Costumes for "The Lion King"

Costumes for "The Lion King"

I am going to talk about one of the last scenes in “The Lion King”. I believe it is the best part of the play. Near the end of the play, Simba meets Rafiki, who explains that his father is still alive ("He Lives in You (Reprise)"). As Simba looks toward the sky, his father appears as a heavenly vision. Mufasa reminds Simba that he is the rightful king and must return home. Simba is persuaded and heads for Pride Rock.

Meanwhile, Nala wakes Timon and Pumbaa to ask where Simba is. Rafiki appears and tells them that he has returned to Pride Rock.

Simba returns to Pride Rock with Nala, Timon and Pumbaa, where he witnesses the ruin that his home has fallen into. Timon and Pumbaa lure some hyenas out of their path by providing a diversion. Timon dresses in drag and does the hula while Pumbaa plays as the stuffed pig. Simba tells Nala to go find his mother while he goes look for Scar.

Scar calls for Sarabi and demands to know why the lionesses are not hunting. Sarabi tells him that there is no food or water and that they need to leave Pride Rock to survive. Scar refuses and when Sarabi snaps at him about not being half the king Mufasa was, Scar strikes his sister-in-law saying that he was ten times the king Mufasa was. At this, an enraged Simba leaps down, startling Scar, who believes his nephew to be dead. Scar forces a confession of murder from Simba and attacks him, forcing him over the edge of Pride Rock. Believing that he has won, Scar whispers to Simba that he was the one who killed Mufasa. Simba, infuriated, leaps up and grabs Scar by the throat, causing Scar to reveal the truth. A fierce battle rages between the lionesses, Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki and the hyenas ("Simba Confronts Scar").

Simba corners Scar on the top of Pride Rock, where Scar begs for his life and blames everything on the hyenas. In a repetition of Scar's words to cub Simba, Simba tells Scar to run away and never return. Scar, with the thought of Simba killing him, appears to follow this request, but turns quickly and attacks Simba again. Simba is able to block the attack, making Scar trip and fall over the cliff where the hyenas are waiting below. They surround their former leader and kill him.

The battle having finally ended, Simba's friends come forward and acknowledge Simba as the new and rightful king. Rafiki arrives and places the king's mantle on Simba. Simba climbs to the top of Pride Rock and roars out across the kingdom. The animals gather at the call of their new king and celebrate ("King of Pride Rock"). Rafiki, Nala and Simba ascend Pride Rock where Rafiki lifts Simba and Nala's newborn cub high into the air, thus continuing the Circle of Life and ushering in a new golden age ("Circle of Life (Reprise)").

That is how “The Lion King” ends. It is a great show and I hope people will go out and see the play.










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