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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Pride and prejudice:
‘The Lion King’ returns to PlayhouseSquare<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Bob
Abelman<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">News-Herald,
Chagrin Valley Times, Solon Times, Geauga Times Courier<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Member,
International Association of Theatre Critics <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">This
review will appear in the News-Herald</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> on
7/19/13<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: center 3.25in"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Watching
the much beloved, Tony Award-winning “The Lion King,” currently on national tour
and on stage at PlayhouseSquare, takes some getting used
to.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: center 3.25in"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: center 3.25in"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">This
simple coming of age story about Simba, a lion cub, is told with such pageantry,
imagination and scale that it takes a while to catch one’s breath and get one’s
bearings. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Even repeat patrons are
bound to be awe-struck, and there will be many in attendance considering that
the tour played to sold-out houses during an eight-week Cleveland engagement in
2003 and a six-week run in 2007.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: center 3.25in"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">For
starters, this Disney-produced musical is obsessively true to the 1994 Disney
film on which its storyline, characters, dialogue and music are based, with
several less hummable tunes added to Elton John and Tim Rice’s </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: #20211d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Oscar-winning
"Can You Feel The Love Tonight" and "Circle of Life."<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Witnessing
something live that is so familiar in animation is a surreal experience.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>So, too, is loving the show before it
begins, which was evident from the level of pre-performance buzz from the
opening night audience.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">While
this predisposition is normal, such prejudice can quickly turn to disappointment
if the pride and the on-stage landscape it populates do not live up to
expectations.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They do.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">This
production offers more vivid colors, vibrant sounds and amazing imagery than the
film could muster, so all that is familiar is intensified ten-fold.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Although some cinematic moments
</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">cannot
be adequately captured on stage </SPAN><SPAN
style="LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">–
such as the </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">wildebeest
stampede that sends our hero into exile – director Julie Taymor infuses these
moments with so much artistry that they are reinvented and stand on their own
merits.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Ancient,
multicultural forms of storytelling are employed, including Japanese bunraku and
</SPAN><EM><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">wayan
kulit</SPAN></EM><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> shadow </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">puppetry,
the primal, percussive rhythms and choral arrangements of African legend Lebo M,
and explosive and wildly imaginative ensemble choreography by Garth Fagan.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The
sheer pageantry of this production is also disorienting, which is first
encountered in the show’s opening moments when a parade of African wildlife
enters through the aisles and fills the stage. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
class=st><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #222222; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">On
stage, the anthropomorphized lions from the film are actors wearing magnificent
</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">masks
that rest atop their heads to signify their characters.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The evil hyenas are similarly
adorned</SPAN><SPAN
style="LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">At
first it is difficult to know which of the two focal points – the face or the
mask -- to watch. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This is
particularly true for the bird Zazu and the </SPAN><SPAN class=st><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #222222; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">meerkat
</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Timon,
who are stand-alone puppets with fully exposed puppeteers.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>As the play progresses, however, the
puppet and its player miraculously become one.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">This
metamorphosis is aided by expert craftsmanship and superb performances.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Standouts in this huge cast include
Tshidi Manye as the mystical, Zulu-spouting <SPAN style="COLOR: black">baboon
Rafiki, who is delightful, and </SPAN>Jelani Remy as Simba and Nia Holloway as
his childhood friend Nala.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Although
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Logan
McIntyre and Zyasia Jadea Page, as the younger versions of </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Simba
and Nala, lack their counterparts’ gorgeous singing voices, they rate high on
the Disney-adorable quotient and win over the children in the audience from the
get-go. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">For
the adults in the crowd, they will be won over by the spectacle, artistry and
energy (having just come off of a one-week break while traveling from Tulsa, the
cast is sharp and in top form).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>This should be enough to carry them through the thin, child-friendly
storyline and justify the high cost of admission. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">“The
Lion King” </SPAN></I><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">continues through
August 4 at PlayhouseSquare’s State Theatre.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>For tickets, which range from $28 to
$160, visit <A href=""><FONT
color=#0000ff>www.playhousesquare.com</FONT></A>.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></I></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>