‘Lion King’ brings intricate puppets, well-loved characters to Syracuse
Courtesy of Matthew Murphy
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Jeremy Noel pounced around his living room on all fours and roared like Mufasa after watching “The Lion King” for the first time at 3 years old. Now, he understudies for Erick D. Patrick, who plays Simba, and is in the ensemble of “The Lion King” on its North American Broadway Tour.
“It’s something I’ve just always wanted to be a part of,” Noel said. “You realize just how amazing the show is. It exceeds all your expectations.”
Broadway’s “The Lion King” tour is playing at Landmark Theatre from Dec. 4-15 as part of the show’s Rafiki tour. The musical has been touring North America for 22 years and has performed over 10,000 times so far.
Based on Disney’s 1994 movie, “The Lion King,” the musical stays true to the beloved characters and storyline while elevating them with new songs, a strong stage presence and developed themes, Danny Grumich, who plays Pumba, said. He feels a responsibility to tell the long-standing, adored story audiences expect while putting his own spin on the character.
Grumich started on the tour three months ago; Syracuse is the fourth city he’ll perform in. Grumich and “The Lion King” veteran Nick Cordileone, who plays Timon, have worked together to put their own spin on the iconic Timon-Pumba duo.
“We were able to collaborate and come up with something special,” Grumich said. “It’s rare to have somebody that’s had such a successful run in such a successful show and be so open and willing to try something new.”
The stage production is lavish and elaborate, with 200 life-sized puppets and colorful, intricate costumes and masks.
“It’s such a work of artisanship and love,” Cordileone said. “Everything is handsewed, hand stitched, hand tied. It is a gift to be able to bring this to life.”
The large, heavy puppets bring the classic images of the Disney cartoons to the stage, but also add an aspect of the performance for the actors to balance, alongside lines, songs and choreography.
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As one of the newest cast members, Grumich said there was a large learning curve to figure out how to maneuver the puppet. He’s now sore in places he never was before from the eight-foot long, 45-pound Pumba costume, he said.
Traveling across the country together fosters close relationships between cast members. They often stay in the same hotel or share an Airbnb and coordinate stopping together on their road trips from city to city. Many actors bring their spouses and children on the tour, so the cast has become like a family of their own, Grumich said. The over 50-person cast supports each other through rehearsals, travel, onstage and from the wings.
Grumich always fist bumps all the hyenas from the wings when they come offstage as he goes on. It’s a ritual he looks forward to before each show.
Timon, Pumba and the hyenas share a dressing room. As the comedic-relief roles, they try to keep a lighthearted atmosphere backstage and make each other laugh so they’re in the right headspace to go on.
“We are truly a little community on wheels,” Grumich said. “It’s really become a family.”
The strong relationships among the cast make the show stronger, Noel said. It strengthens the chemistry between their characters, especially those in the ensemble.
“When we’re performing together, our voices, our minds meld together,” he said. “The sound that we create is absolutely incredible.”
Courtesy of Matthew Murphy
Noel, an Ithaca College alumnus, said some of his college professors got tickets to see him in Syracuse. This is the first time he’s returned to the area since he graduated in 2021. Along with his understudy role, he is a part of the ensemble each night, playing characters like a hyena, an elephant and various other roles.
“Ithaca is where everything started,” he said. “I’m very happy to get to show my teachers the seeds they planted and the hard work I’ve continued to do.”
While the tour comes with its challenges, including driving through storms to get to the next show and spending time away from friends, it allows the actors to visit new cities across the country. The audience’s energy is different in each city, changing how it feels to perform for those few weeks, Cordileone said.
“Each city has its own personality,” he said. “There’s a collective identity. It’s really fun to see every facet of the Americas.”
Still, the heart of the show stays true. The audiences experience Simba’s story together as the cub finds his place and defies the forces trying to keep him down. Messages of the joy and freedom of overcoming challenges are universal to all audiences, Noel said.
“It doesn’t matter where we go or what state we’re in,” Noel said. “The feelings that people feel when they see the show are the same. We are all more alike than we think.”
Published on December 5, 2024 at 12:30 am