On the contrary, Taymor was picked for her reputation of taking risky decisions she was urged to do the unexpected. In July of 1997, the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota debuted The Lion King, The Musical.Īt the time of its first public premiere, Taymor expressed that she expected to see many audience members show up to see if she had sold out to the powerhouse that is Disney – curious if she would create a musical much like a theme park attraction, trying to emulate the wackiness of a cartoon feature film. With brilliant details, musical vitality and robust energy, this musical theatre adaptation of a Disney classic took the stage soaring. All the biggest risks were taken, including changing Rafiki to a female character because Taymor believed there was a lack of a strong female lead in the story.

Julie Taymore began workshopping the musical in August 1996 and later premiered it for the top Disney executives. After an initial viewing of The Lion King, she saw many elements that are timeless in storytelling: a young man outcast from his home, royalty seething for power, tales of romance and innocence. She hadn’t even seen the movie and wasn’t sure if she would want to take the job because she didn’t believe Disney and her esthetic could match. In the search for a musical adaptation for The Lion King, Disney tapped Julie Taymor – at the time 44 years old – who was known for her experimental puppetry and risk-taking theatre productions.

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