review by Tammy Nguyen
02/09/17
Disney never fails to bring a little
magic along with their productions. The Lion King, a musical based on the
Disney animated film of the same name, opened in 1997 on Broadway and has been
a sensation since then. This Wednesday night, the cast performed at the
Providence Performing Arts Center, a beautiful space in Providence, Rhode
Island. They did not fail to make the audience marvel at the intricate set, the
complex choreography, and the vocals that transcend the space.
The musical started out with the
familiar beginning of Circle of Life.
Then a red sun rose and people with animal costumes came out – lions, giraffes,
antelopes, and zebras all moved across the stage. People in elephant costumes
came in from the audience door and made their way down the aisle and onto the
stage. This incited such chatter in the audience; people of all ages were surprised
and were marveling at what was happening. Every single actor on stage was
singing and the ensemble was so balanced and powerful that it created a feeling
of actually being in Africa.
One thing that made this musical
feel so well accomplished was the voice of Rafiki. Buyi Zama, born and raised in South Africa,
sang her heart out as Rafiki. The vibrato, the projection, and the rawness in
her voice gave chills; it’s a voice that you would never forget.
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