CONCEPT
WZ-0178
THE LION KING — THE JOURNEY
HOME TO AFRICA
HOME TO AFRICA
In 2007, The Lion King enjoyed a brief engagement in Johannesburg, South Africa. Yet across nearly three decades and tens of thousands of performances worldwide, Africa has experienced less than half of one percent of this extraordinary production.
Imagine Africa’s finest talent bringing The Lion King home.
Imagine Dave Matthews as Mufasa, the wise and beloved king. Angélique Kidjo as Rafiki, the spiritual heart of the story. Youssou N’Dour as Scar, bringing his commanding voice and presence to one of theater’s most memorable villains. Tems as Nala, a powerful new-generation voice. Salif Keita as Zazu, bringing his distinctive musical character to the royal advisor. And Lebo M as musical director and cultural ambassador, returning to the masterpiece he helped bring to life.
Imagine this extraordinary company touring Africa’s great cities—from Cairo and Lagos to Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Kinshasa, and Johannesburg—inspiring millions of people and introducing a new generation to the wonder of live theater.
Imagine the production eventually traveling to Broadway, where audiences from around the world could experience The Lion King performed by some of Africa’s most celebrated artists.
And imagine these legendary performers mentoring a new generation of African singers, dancers, actors, and musicians who would carry the production forward for years to come.
It’s time for The Lion King to come home.
IRENE KASANDI
In 2017, Irene Kasandi, my cofounder of Kibera Pride, and I attended The Lion King at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway in New York City.
Irene and I have worked together for years to create opportunities for children living in Kibera, one of Africa’s largest slums, in Nairobi, Kenya. Watching this extraordinary production together, I couldn’t help but imagine what it would mean for those children to experience the same magic.
Later that year, Irene and I exchanged messages about the possibility of bringing children from Kibera to New York to see The Lion King. I was thinking particularly of George, a gifted eighth-grade student whose potential deserved every opportunity to flourish.
Irene’s response was simple: “That will change them.”
She was right.
But over time, my thinking changed. Rather than bringing a handful of children from Kibera to Broadway, why not bring Broadway to Africa?
What began as a conversation between cofounders has become a much larger dream: bringing The Lion King home to the continent that inspired it, so that millions might discover the transformative power of art, music, and theater.
Irene and I have worked together for years to create opportunities for children living in Kibera, one of Africa’s largest slums, in Nairobi, Kenya. Watching this extraordinary production together, I couldn’t help but imagine what it would mean for those children to experience the same magic.
Later that year, Irene and I exchanged messages about the possibility of bringing children from Kibera to New York to see The Lion King. I was thinking particularly of George, a gifted eighth-grade student whose potential deserved every opportunity to flourish.
Irene’s response was simple: “That will change them.”
She was right.
But over time, my thinking changed. Rather than bringing a handful of children from Kibera to Broadway, why not bring Broadway to Africa?
What began as a conversation between cofounders has become a much larger dream: bringing The Lion King home to the continent that inspired it, so that millions might discover the transformative power of art, music, and theater.