Saharan sands spill onto Main Street from the Altria

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Photo by: Andrew Crider

Photo by: Andrew Crider
Photo by: Andrew Crider

Austin Walker
Spectrum Editor

The streets and sidewalks around the intersection of Laurel and Main Street have been flooded nearly every night for the last two weeks as one of this generation’s most-loved stories came to life in Richmond.

Consistently selling out the more than 3,500-seats at the Altria Theatre since its opening night in mid-April, Disney’s “The Lion King” is the most influential touring Broadway show to come to the River City in the last decade.

Julie Taymor’s direction, costume and mask design make for an absolutely transformative experience, with each performer beautifully working through Garth Fagan’s choreography. Nia Holloway’s portrayal of Nala, Gerald Ramsey’s depiction of Mufasa and Aaron Nelson’s Simba are all captivating.

Supported by an unfaltering ensemble, the nostalgia of Elton John’s music won’t be lost on the 20-somethings who grew up on the Disney classic with songs like “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” and “Hakuna Matata” exploding with energy exceeding even that of the film.

The Broadway production of “The Lion King” has been awarded six Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Tickets are on sale starting at $28, and the show runs until May 8. Student tickets are available for $25 and can be purchased at the Altria Theater box office.


Spectrum Editor, Austin Walker

Austin Walker, photo by Brooke MarshAustin is a sophomore print journalism major. He started at the CT as a contributing writer, and frequently covers work done by artists and performers both on and off campus. He hopes to one day be a columnist writing about art that impacts culture, politics and documenting the lives of extraordinary and everyday people. // Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

walkeraw@commonwealthtimes.org

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