The Lion King Study Guide - Telecharge

INTRO
Welcome!
Everything is connected. Every action we take affects every other living
creature. Mufasa, The Lion King, calls this bond the Circle of Life. In THE LION KING, Mufasa, the ruler of all creatures on
the African Savanna, tells his son, Simba, that the environment must be valued and that we must treat each other with
respect.
The story of THE LION KING is as simple - and as powerful - as a folk tale: a young prince loses and
then reclaims his kingdom after learning from his mistakes and regaining his sense of self. THE LION
KING took the world by storm as a ground-breaking animated film in 1994. To bring Simba’s tale to life
on the Broadway stage, Disney Theatrical Productions gathered a team of artistic visionaries to
blend Broadway-style songs, African rhythms and voices, extraordinary dances and theatrical
techniques from around the world. Most stunningly, this brilliant and lifeaffirming
musical about the animal kingdom remains a very human story
through the use of evocative masks, breathtaking costumes that merge the
human figure with animal physicality, and larger-than-life puppets that reveal
the human performers underneath.
Simba starts his life as many young people do: headstrong and unaware of
the consequences of his actions. His journey is not only one of miles, as he is
banished from his homeland and must return to take his rightful place, but also
one of maturity, of growing up. It’s a challenge that many students recognize:
we begin to mature when we realize that we are not the center of the
universe but rather part of a larger whole. Whether it’s through conservation
or respect, pollution or intolerance, our actions affect those around us,
those we don’t see, and even those who have yet to come. What is
our place in the circle of life?
With the help of his family, friends and mentors, Simba discovers
inner strength and his place in the world. Through this study
guide, young people can make connections between Simba’s
journey of discovery and their own.
2
Throughout the THE LION
KING guide, look for
definitions of words you
may not know!
“IT’S THE CIRCLE OF LIFE
AND IT MOVES US ALL
THROUGH DESPAIR AND HOPE
THROUGH FAITH AND LOVE”
- Rafiki, “Circle of Life”
Tsidii La Loka, Rafiki, Original Broadway Company
photo by Per Briehagen