The Big Show

How Hakuna Matata works: Behind the scenes with The Lion King, a musical power

  • Disney's The Lion King
    Photo by Joan Marcus
  • Wildebeest puppet heads are accompanied by smaller wildebeests controlledremotely to create a running affect of hundreds of creatures.
    Photo by Karen Burd
  • The major set piece Pride Rock.
    Photo by Karen Burd
  • This is one of two parts of the set piece for the Elephant Graveyard scene.
    Photo by Karen Burd
  • Photo by Joan Marcus/© Disney

With the whole elaborate Lion King production in Houston for a run that begins Tuesday night and runs through Aug. 12, it's time for a behind-the-scenes look at the details that help make the show. Like the Pride Rock Circle of Life scene and the wildebeest puppet heads.

Joe Bogdan, carpenter for The Lion King North American Tour, provided his insights, serving as a guide through the staged jungle.

The system of unloading and loading each prop and set component so that everything runs swiftly and smoothly resembles a military operation.

Bogdan revealed that the tour has almost two complete sets so that while the cast is performing in the current tour stop city, the rest of the crew can go on to the next location and start getting ready and setting up. That's how elaborate the set is.

It takes around 13 trucks to haul all of the props and set pieces to each location. Most of the set pieces can be taken apart into smaller pieces for easier transport.

The system of unloading and loading each prop and set component so that everything runs swiftly and smoothly resembles a military operation. And it needs to — considering how often they hit the road.

The Lion King has played more than 60 cities across North America and the show is still one of the surer sellouts in the musical theater world.

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