It's been 24 years since The Lion King first roared onto Toronto’s theatre scene. And this fall, Mirvish Productions is mounting a second sit-down production—that’s the term for an open-ended run staged at one venue instead of touring—of the highest-grossing stage musical in history.

This one has more moving parts than the 300-plus puppets featured on stage.

“We’re trying our best to create as many sit-down productions as we can,” says producer Hannah Mirvish, “because we love to give Canadian crews and artists all kinds of opportunities.”

These long-running local shows employ homegrown talent and stimulate tourism. The first Mirvish production of The Lion King pumped an estimated $1.4 billion into Toronto’s economy before its run was cut short by the 2004 SARS outbreak. Staging this new production while the theatre industry is still recovering from COVID lockdowns feels like a real “circle of life” moment for those, including Hannah, who were there for the Tony-winning musical’s first run in Toronto.

Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes, as the cast and crew prepare to introduce a whole new generation of theatregoers to The Lion King.

Selecting the Shows

Hannah and her father, David Mirvish, see as many productions as possible before selecting what they think a Toronto crowd “wants and needs in the moment.” Both sit-down productions from this fall’s lineup — Come from Away and The Lion King — were selected, in part because they’re about the power of community, “which, in a post-COVID-19 world, is really important,” Hannah notes. “Everybody wants to come together now.” And live theatre is such a powerful way to connect.

Building Teams

Once a show is chosen, it’s time to assemble the production’s many teams. Kendra Bator, one of the general managers on The Lion King, says her job is to act as a hub for the creative team, the stage management team and all the various stakeholders. Planning a sit-down production requires “thinking through a long-term lens,” she says, which includes figuring out how much can be done using local talent.

Casting

“From first casting to our first performance, it’s probably about a year,” says Bator. Along with an all-new Canadian cast, The Lion King will feature South African artists selected by Disney for their skills in African languages, music and dance.

Creative Production

A fresh cast requires new costumes, but the sets and some of the puppets will be refurbished from the U.K. tour of The Lion King. Conveniently, Paragon Innovation Group Inc., the studio that creates puppets for productions of The Lion King worldwide, is in Oakville. Their handcrafted creatures will require regular maintenance to make it through eight shows a week.

The show weaves together a rich tapestry of puppets, music and dance that resonates with Hannah, even after all these years — and she’s not the only one in her family who still feels it. She recalls seeing her father moved to tears by a preview performance of “Shadowland,” one of the musical’s many beloved songs. “It was one of those moments — it just hits you so hard,” she remembers. “I’m beyond excited to be able to share this with my daughter in November.”

Box Office Numbers

Here are just some of the perks our Members enjoyed at Mirvish theatres in 2023:

• 34 exclusive ticket offers
• $44,148 saved on concessions
• 38,874 free coffees
• 13,589 complimentary coat checks

Visit mirvish.com/caa to learn more about Member benefits, including discounted tickets to select shows.