The Lion King takes its rightful place as ruler in Tampa

  Being labeled as the World’s #1 Musical must come with an insane amount of pressure, but The Lion King certainly lives up to its hype. With its catchy tunes, vibrant cast and elegant scenery, is difficult not to feel as if you belong with the pride.

  For those of you who have been living under a rock for the last 20 years, The Lion King is a story about a specific group of lions in their territory in Africa.

  A King named Mufasa and his Queen bare a son, Simba, who is their heir. The antagonist, Scar, is overwhelmed with envy and seeks revenge on Mufasa, while simultaneously manipulating Simba to flee from his family.

  Shortly after he leaves, Simba befriends two unexpected creatures in the jungle who teach him worthwhile life lessons. Nala, his childhood pal, comes back to convince him to take his place on the throne.

  All the while, the narrative is gently guided by Rafiki, a baboon whose character is vaguely reminiscent of a fortuneteller.

  Illustrated through song and dance, the theme throughout the story demonstrates the importance of discovering and developing your sense of self.

  The four children and two adult actors picked to be Simba and Nala were equally talented.

  The young actors, BJ Covington and Tré Jones, both who play Simba, skillfully displayed the carefree, headstrong attitude of a budding adolescent.

  Meanwhile, Mikari Tarpley and Savanna Fleisher, who play Nala, displayed talents and wisdom beyond their years.

Temple.Lion King.PicCourtesy of The Lion King Website

  All four of the main protagonists have strong, unique voices that fit their character’s personalities.

  The version of the musical The Straz put on was much more modern than one would expect from a world-renowned play.

  During multiple acts, cast members could be seen dancing and singing in the aisles. Some scenes were so progressive that they took it as far as breaking the fourth wall with its audience.

  Each portion of the set was simplistic and versatile enough to be used in multiple landscapes, leaving much up to the imagination.

  However, the minimalism they used did not by any means hold less of a visual appeal.

  The vivid colors that were chosen to depict Africa were as magical and warm as one would expect . The evoke a feeling of visiting the savannah and jungle themselves.

  The clean set allowed set changes to be applied smoothly, while still allowing the audience to pick up on the intense emotions that the scenes portrayed.

  According to an avid theatrical arts supporter, Pavloa Stout, “This play was better than the one [The Lion King] I saw on Broadway … I enjoyed how the actors engaged with the audience.”

  This enchanting rendition of The Lion King has a limited release, performances dates are Jan. 28 to Feb. 14. For more plays available at The Straz Center visit their website, www. strazcenter.org.