The Lion King!

When I was in high school, my parents gave me tickets to see The Lion King on stage as it went through Chicago on its national tour. It was my first professional live theatre experience, and, as everyone has said, it's incredible. Two nights ago, I was lucky enough to see it again, and once again, it didn't disappoint.

Watching it now gave me a much better appreciation for the costuming and puppetry. The minimalism of the sets also reflects well the sparseness (but fullness--paradox!) of the Serengeti, something I wouldn't've noticed even two months ago. I'm not totally sure which parts of Africa The Lion King (movie and musical) are based on (I think the animators and directors went to Kenya to study), but there are moments where you realize how well they've captured the visual essence of the East African savanna.

Anyway, here are some great videos that I've found discussing how the costumes were made and how they are operated: