Welcome to Lullaby of Blogway

     Hello! My name is Katie Beth Nichols, and I am thrilled to introduce my new blog, Lullaby of Blogway. Every week, I will bring you the latest news in the world of musical theatre. I will give you everything from stats and new musicals, to rising stars and Broadway drama. To give you a sense of routine, I will try to post sometime before Friday each week. I hope to give you the most accurate information as possible and I hope you have as much fun reading this blog as I will have writing it!

     This week I'd like to focus on The Lion King. Not only is this an iconic movie, but The Lion King is also the top musical in the New York Times weekly "Most Popular Musicals" list. The Lion King is a story of Simba, the son of the King of the Pride Lands. It is a tale of courage, sorrow, a blend of entertainment, and art. With vibrant characters and bright personalities, this show is a crowd pleaser!

With raving reviews from big names like Good Morning America, TIME, and The New Yorker, The Lion King is brilliant and not only are the performers wickedly talented, but the show is a visual wonder as well. With humans as realistic animals, sound that gives you goosebumps, and visuals that will make you feel like you are dreaming, watching it feels like magic. No wonder the show has run for more than 5,000 shows. Some featured actors are Andile Gumbi as Simba, Chantel Riley as Nala, Gareth Sax as Scar, and Alton Fitzgerald White as Mufasa. The music was created my Elton John with lyrics by the well known, Tim Rice.

I have been recently interested in this show for many reasons. First of all, I loved the movie as a kid. My favorite part was when all of the animals bowed down to the king. The music is brilliant, and the actors sound like they are actually from the Pride Lands themselves. Second, I saw this video and was completely amazed. Just see for yourself. These actors perform 8 times a week and somehow they still sound astonishing? Now I can see why the cheapest ticket you can get is $90.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-pgZtzDj_7o&list=PLE698B4879C0B2496


The Minskoff Theatre is so lucky to have such an amazing show in its theatre. The Lion King won six 1998 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design, Best Lighting Design, Best Choreography and Best Direction of a Musical. The Lion King has won many other awards as well, many of them for costumes and choreography.

If you want to hear the music of The Lion King, you can listen on Spotify, and if you love it, you can buy in on iTunes. (make sure to buy the original Broadway cast recording) I hope you enjoy listening!

Thank you for reading Lullaby of Blogway. I hope to see you next week!
                                                                                                                 Katie Beth