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 TEACHing RESOURCE PACK Secondary School Edition © Disney  EDUCATION PROGRAMME

TLK Secondary Schools Resource Pack Booklet

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 TEACHing RESOURCE PACKSecondary School Edition

© Disney 

 EDUCATION PROGRAMME

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

BEFORE SEEING THE SHOW 

PROJECT SHEET 1: What’s Behind the Mask? 

PROJECT SHEET 2: Behaving Like Animals

 AFTER SEEING THE SHOW 

DISCUSSION TOPICS

FASCINATING FACTS

PROJECT SHEET 3: Living the Mask

PROJECT SHEET 4: The Circle of Life

PROJECT SHEET 5: The Controversial Chat Show

PROJECT SHEET 6: The Language of Music

PROJECT SHEET 7: Nala’s Story

PROJECT SHEET 8: Contrasting Viewpoints

THE STORY

CAST OF CHARACTERS

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

Copyright of this resource belongs to Disney. However, clearance is granted to Australian schools to copy the materials foreducational use.

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Zazu

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Dear Teacher, 

Welcome to the Secondary School Teaching Resource Pack

for ‘The Lion King’.

This educational programme aims to help pupils learn about, and gain an appreciationof, the wonderful world of live theatre. This teaching resource is designed to use withstudents aged 11-16. There are eight lessons based on the characters, themes, music andstory of ‘The Lion King’. Combined with a visit to the show, which will captivate students,the lessons will provide a unique and inspiring learning experience.

These supportive teacher notes are accompanied by photocopiable worksheets forstudents that will support the learning experience.

Structured in two sections, the first part of this booklet outlines the lessons and includesdetails on preparation, learning objectives, lesson outlines and discussion concepts withsuggestions for extending or adapting the activities for students of different ages andabilities. Two lessons are proposed for use before students go to see ‘The Lion King’,to help prepare them for the experience, and six activities are for use following yourclass visit. The second part provides you with supporting information about the story, thecharacters and the production of ‘The Lion King’ that will help you and your class get themost from the project activities.

Disney’s ‘The Lion King’, the award-winning musical, will engage students and act as a

splendid catalyst to learning. Introducing the spectacular music and lyrics by Elton John,Tim Rice, Lebo M and others, the show features wonderful characters – from the proudMufasa to the wicked Scar – with stunning costumes and breathtaking set designs.

We hope you and your class enjoy the lessons and activity ideas that support the show.Enjoy your visit to ‘The Lion King’.

Curtain up! 

 

A special ‘Behind the Scenes’ Documentary has been created to support thisTeaching Resource Pack. The documentary takes you through the journeyfrom Screen to Stage and gives you a backstage look at how the crew keepthe show running night after night and keep it looking as spectacular as itdid Opening Night. If you require a copy of the DVD please contact yourgroups department.

Rafiki

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P R O J E C T S H E E T 2

Learning objectives

• Understandinganthropomorphism and itsimportance in literatureand theatre

• Understanding an author’scraft (character, setting,mood) and describe interms of anthropomorphismhow animals are oftenrepresented by particular

human qualities• Exploring and discussing

characterisation, narrativedevices and figurativelanguage

Lesson outline

Start by talking about differentanimals – their rich variety in type,size, geographic location and degreeof approachability. The discussionwill cover categories such as pets,domestic, farm, wild, jungle andArctic. Ask students to describe theanimals. Characteristics to considerinclude their size, the sounds theymake and their movements.

Choose students to act out animalactions, leading to interaction betweentwo different animals, for example acta sheepdog with a sheep, a cat and amouse or a tiger stalking an antelope.Ask students to explain how theiractions help to represent the animals.

Continue the discussion with the roleof animals in literature. Ask studentsfor examples from books they haveread. These may include, for example;’101 Dalmatians’, ‘The Jungle Book’

or the White Rabbit in ‘Alice inWonderland’. Discuss how the animalsbehave as humans. Why do writerschoose to write about animals aspeople? Is it easier? Harder? Why?

Introduce and explain the concept ofanthropomorphism – imbuing animalswith the attributes, feelings andbehaviour of humans.

Point out how species of animals areusually given specific human qualities.

The dog frequently represents loyaltyand trust (‘Lassie’), yet his cousinthe wolf often represents ravenousdestruction (‘The Three Little Pigs’). The

snake is often sneaky and treacherous(‘The Jungle Book’), but in certainEastern traditions the snake is thebringer of wisdom. Pigs personifygreed, but what of ‘Babe’?

Hand out the project sheet to the class.Students choose a number of differentanimals and discuss the humanqualities and attributes normallyascribed to them. Discuss their ideasas a class.

Discussion

Remind students of the ideas exploredin the lesson about how animals areoften portrayed as having humanqualities. Talk about how these couldapply to ‘The Lion King’, and preparestudents for the animal charactersdisplaying the full range of humanemotions, qualities, and defects.

Adapting the activity foryounger students

To adapt the activity for youngerstudents you could begin by askingthem to list collective nouns for animals(herd, flock), list names for the youngof animals (kitten, lamb) and list namesfor the homes of animals (stable, nest).This would then lead onto discussingsimilies based on animals as ‘wiseas an owl’ or as ‘cunning as afox’. Ask students to create theirown imaginative similies (as wobbly

as a wombat) and use this tointroduce and discuss the concept ofanthropomorphism.

‘The Lion King’ spectacularly builds on the dramatic

device of anthropomorphism, creating ‘creatures’

which tell a very human story while retaining their

animal characteristics. This lesson will prepare students

for this convention.

Behaving like animals

PREPARATION

Photocopy the project sheet (Secondary 2) for each student.

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Before launching into the remaining lesson plans, start

by returning to the second activity, Behaving Like Animals.

Discuss the different animals the students have seen in

‘The Lion King’ and identify the different human

characteristics that were displayed.

AFTER SEEING THE SHOW

• Who was your favourite character and why?

• Which were your favourite parts of the musical? Why?

• Did you look more at the animals, or at the people controlling them? 

• What was it like, being able to see the people who were operatingthe puppets?

• What were your favourite puppets and why?• Would you change any of the puppets? How? Why?

• When Scar told Simba about the Elephant Graveyard,what could he have said to Scar rather than deciding to go there?

• What was your favourite song?

• What was Simba’s relationship with his father like?

• Why was what Scar did wrong? 

• What could he have done instead?

• What do you think Rafiki would have said toNala if she had asked her what she should do?

• What lessons does Simba learn?

• What is Rafiki’s role in the community?

DISCUSSION TOPICS

 You will also want to give students an opportunity to

discuss their theatrical experience. A few discussion points

are suggested here...

Mufasa Rafiki – original costume sketch

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Fascinating Facts about ‘The Lion King’

• There are 106 ants on the Ant Hill Lady.

• 27kg of grass were used for the Grasslands headdresses.

• There are 27 kite birds.

• The longest animal is the elephant: 4 metres long, 3.5 metreshigh, 2.75 metres wide. It collapses to 86cm wide.

• It took 37,000 hours to build the puppets and masks.

• Nearly 700 lighting instruments were used to create thelighting plot.

 There are more than 232 puppets in the show, including rodpuppets, shadow puppets and full-sized puppets.

• The tallest animals are the 5.5 metre giraffes in the song‘I Just Can’t Wait to be King’. The tiniest animal in the show isthe 13cm trick mouse at the end of Scar’s cane.

• The sun in ‘The Lion King’ is constructed from 30 aluminiumribs attached to each other with silk strips. As the circle is liftedup by the wires, it gives the impression of the sun coming upover the horizon.

• More than 340kg of silicone rubber were used to make the

masks. The Timon puppet weighs 6.8kg.• There are 25 kinds of animals, birds, fish and insects

represented in the play.

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P R O J E C T S H E E T 3

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Making masks, using avariety of different materials

• Demonstrating dramatictechniques throughmovement, mime and sound

• Evaluating own and others’dramatic performanceand skills

• Learning about masks fromdifferent historical andcultural contexts

Lesson outline

Before making the masks, revisit thework from Project Sheet 1 (What’sbehind the Mask?) to remind studentsabout masks, their types and functions.From a theatrical point of view, studentsshould consider how a mask makesa very definitive statement about a

character. The mask focuses attentionon specific facets, whereas the humanface gives away a vast array of oftencontradictory information.

Point out that in large theatres, wherethose sitting towards the back couldnot see the facial expressions of theactors, masks can be used to make sureeveryone knows who’s who. As such,masks have to be both exaggerated andfocused, much like the classic theatricalmasks of tragedy and comedy. Similarly,the movements of the actors would beexaggerated to express the meaning ofthe masks.

Distribute the project sheet on whichstudents plan their own mask designs,considering its character, function,audience and powers. They shouldproduce an annotated sketch to indicatecolours, materials, dimensions and so on.

They are now ready to make their masks.

The method of making the masks is at your discretion. The easiest and quickest

method relies on cutting a piece ofcardboard to shape, cutting out eyeholes, decorating it with paints, fabricsor other elements, attaching it with elasticwhich stretches around the back of the

head. For a longer and more ambitiousproject, you will need the involvementof the art department to create 3Dmodels using papier-mâché, or over-sized ceremonial-style headdresses, ofthe sort seen in ‘The Lion King’.

To save time, you might prefer to provide your students with blanks onto which

they paint their designs, observing therestrictions of the media available.Additional materials, such as cardboardand wool, could also be provided sothat students can create ears, horns, 3Dnoses, hair and other features.

When students have completed theirmasks, they should take it in turns toexplain the character and function ofthe mask while wearing the mask andmoving in an appropriate manner. Astudent who has created an animal mask,for example, would move in a way thatsuggests that animal. The other studentsallot them marks out of ten for howconvincing they are.

Discussion

Discuss the masks made by the students,relating them in design and intention tothose seen in ‘The Lion King’.

Extension activity

To extend the task, students couldresearch the history and uses of themask in theatre and ritual around theworld, including visuals, for a walldisplay on the subject.

This lesson will allow students to relive the impact

of the masks in ‘The Lion King’, and to make their

own masks, using them to create new and exciting

characters of their own.

Living the mask

PREPARATION

Photocopy the project sheet (Secondary 3) for each student.

 You will also need materials for making a mask such as

cardboard, paints and brushes, fabrics, elastic, string or wool.

 Julie Taymor

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P R O J E C T S H E E T 4

Learning objectives

• Learning about and discussingthe concept of the Circle ofLife, developing instructional,explanatory and answeringskills through speaking andlistening

• Writing to inform, explainand describe complex ideas

• Using dramatic techniquesto explore the concept of the

Circle of Life

Lesson outline

Draw a large circle on the board andask students what the circle has to dowith ‘The Lion King’.

Elicit the point of the opening song,‘The Circle of Life’, how the story endsas it began, with Rafiki presenting thenewborn son of The Lion King to thepride, part of an unending cycle.

Present students with the words of theshow’s director, Julie Taymor: “As Ibegan to visualise ‘The Lion King’, thedominant theme and image to emergewas the circle. In addition to being a taleabout a boy’s personal growth, ‘The LionKing’ dramatises the ritual of birth, deathand rebirth.”

Remind students how Mufasa tells Simbathat all creatures depend upon eachother, that we all have a place in theCircle of Life, and how Simba’s journeyhelps him to discover his true place in

that circle.

Ask students to work in pairs to discussand report back on the following points:

• Circles used in the production(the great sun, Mufasa’s mane)

• The effect of breaking the circle(Scar’s over-hunting brings ruin)

• Examples of circles in mythology andliterature (King Arthur’s table,Sleeping Beauty’s spinning wheel,the yin and yang sign)

• Other natural cycles, apart from birthand death (day and night, theseasons, sowing and reaping, theorbits of the planets)

•  Modern examples of the need tokeep the circle (recycling of waste)

Distribute the worksheet to students.Remind them of Zazu’s wisdom, of hisknowledge of the value of the Circleof Life. On the sheet, students are todraw Zazu in the centre, and, in eachof the labelled bubbles around him,put, briefly, what Zazu would saywas the importance of that character,object or action to the great Circle of Lifein the Pridelands.

Discussion

Discuss the activity, ensuring that studentsunderstand the Circle of Life.

Extension activities

Ask students to improvise scenes whereZazu explains to particular characterstheir importance in the Circle of Life.

They could also create mime or dancepieces symbolising the Circle of Life.

‘The Lion King’ celebrates the great Circle of Life – the

interdependence of all creatures, their binding ties to nature,

and the dangers and dire consequences inherent in breaking

the Circle. This lesson will allow students to explore the concept

of the Circle of Life and help develop an appreciation of the

need to respect the world we live in.

PREPARATION

Photocopy the project sheet (Secondary 4) for each student.

Rafiki

Mufasa and Zazu

 The Circle of Life

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P R O J E C T S H E E T 5

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Preparing for, improvising andworking in role as charactersfrom ‘The Lion King’, audiencemembers and other roles

• Empathising with charactersin ‘The Lion King’, byunderstanding and defendingtheir actions and intentions

• Clarifying and refiningquestions, putting across a

point of view, asking pertinentquestions, presenting a casepersuasively, modifying views,analysing bias and evaluatingown contributions throughspeaking and listening

Lesson outline

For this lesson, you take on the role ofdirector/producer.

Choose a stage manager, who will needto make sure everyone knows what theyare doing and to agree a running order(the order in which things happen) with

 you as the director. Assign a musicaldirector, who plays an intro and outrotheme and delivers a brief burst of music

to introduce each guest. If a lighting rig isavailable, assign a lighting technician totrain a follow-spot on guests as they walkto their seats – or as they storm out in arage, for that matter. A follow-spot canalso pick out members of the audiencewho are asking a question or creatinga scene. Put a student or two in chargeof the audience, welcomers holding upsigns and making gestures to encouragethem to laugh, cheer, boo, as in the styleof ‘The Jerry Springer Show’.

Choose two ‘bouncers’ to intervene –

gently – if the debate gets too heated.Have someone play the role of a familycounsellor, who comes on near the endof the show to advise everyone on howto reconcile their differences. (“NowMufasa, I don’t think you’re really hearingwhat your brother is saying”; “I’m gettinga lot of negativity from you, Scar. Comeon, give your nephew a hug and make itlike you mean it!”)

Select individual students to play the partsof the chat show host, Simba, Mufasa,Scar, Sarabi and Nala. The host’s job is

to ask questions about the turning pointsin the production. They need to considerhow decisions, right or wrong, affectour lives, and how the story could have

turned out differently. Did Simba makegood decisions? Bad ones? How wouldeach of these decisions have changedthe story? Most importantly, the host alsoneeds to build anticipation, excitementand involvement among the audience.

EXAMPLE OF RUNNING ORDER

  1. Music2. Lights3. Welcomers hold up ‘clap’ sign

4. Spotlight follows presenter enteringfrom stage left

5. Presenter sits and gestures audienceto stop clapping

6. Music fades7. Host welcomes audience8. Guest 1: Entrance theme. Sarabi9. Audience questions/comments

10. Guest 2: Entrance theme. Mufasa11. Guest 3: Entrance theme. Nala12. Audience questions/comments13. Guest 4: Entrance theme. Simba

(big build-up: “There’s someone allthree of you would like to see verymuch indeed, isn’t there? Well, I’vegot a very special surprise for youtonight... Simba, come on out!”)

14. Guest 5: Entrance theme. Scar (bigbuild-up, have bouncers ready)

15. Family counsellor: entrance theme

As the show’s director, you will need toagree the running order with the stagemanager.

The characters in ‘The Lion King’ are presented with

human qualities within their animal personas. Heroes

and villains all have their own point of view – worthy

of airing on a TV chat show! Students will explore the

characters of ‘The Lion King’ and consider their

motivations through a school chat show.

 The controversial chat show

PREPARATION

Photocopy the project sheet (Secondary 5) for each student.

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Together, you then speak with the lighting

and sound team, adding their details tothe running order, so it specifies whichmusic is used when, which follow-spot isused and when.

To make things even more of a challenge,limit it to a half-hour long show, so eachsection has to be timed.

Hand out the project sheet to the studentswho will form the audience, and to theshow’s host, so they can plan questionsthat they want to ask the guests on theshow. They also plan their persona as

an audience member. They keep thesheet with them during the show to jotdown further questions and commentsthat occur to them.

The students who are filling other roles –guests, production, lighting, – will workwith you, the director, to prepare their

parts.

 

Discussion

Discuss the show,focusing on the feelings

of the characters involved.

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Simba and Scar

Young Nala and Young Simba

Scar and Nala

Scar and Mufasa

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P R O J E C T S H E E T 6

One of the strongest features of ‘The Lion King’ is the music –

from vibrant African tribal beats to memorable haunting airs.

Through its own language, the music helps to convey much of

the meaning in the play and adds to the appearance, actions

and words from the actors. Students will learn how music can

be used to convey meaning in this lesson.

 The language of music

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Explore the relationshipbetween music andcharacterisation

• Write to explain howmusical performancerepresents a chosencharacter

• Perform through singingand playing instruments toconvey meaning

Lesson outline

Remind students that the musical scoreof ‘The Lion King’ includes many Africanpercussion instruments, which convey awide variety of emotions, atmosphereand locations. Explain that they will

be using instruments to depict differentcharacters from ‘The Lion King’.

Play extracts from ‘Peter and the Wolf’and/or ‘Carnival of the Animals’ toillustrate the idea.

Distribute the project sheets to students.They should work in pairs to assign apercussion instrument to each characterlisted on the sheet. (Choose frominstruments available or which can bereplicated on the synthesiser). Explainthat they should consider the personality

of the character, the way they move, thequalities they exhibit – dignity, wisdom,craftiness. They should write reasonsfor their choice, and how it should beplayed – fast, slow, loud, smoothly.

Having completed the sheet, studentsthen decide which of the pair is to playthe instrument and who will providethe movement for each character. Pairsshould be given time to rehearse beforethe class comes together to perform.

If some students play other instruments,e.g. string or wind, encourage themto bring them in (the tuba could suitPumbaa, for example). You couldexperiment with adding backgroundmusic to the percussion (e.g. Vivaldi’s‘The Four Seasons’ or Dvorak’s ‘New

World Symphony’).

To develop the performances, twopairs could be combined to express ameeting between two characters: Simbaand Nala; Scar and Mufasa; Timonand Pumbaa. How do their instruments

merge or conflict?

Discussion

Discuss what has been learned fromthe interpretations. Which charactersare easiest to represent?  Which mostdifficult?  Why?  What props wouldhave helped?

Extension

activity

Groups of studentsprepare andperform readingsof poems, withmixed high/low voices, ascall-and-response,with percussionaccompaniment.Choose poemsaccording to theability of the group,from Lewis Carroll’s‘You are old, FatherWilliam’ to WilliamBlake’s ‘The Tiger’.

PREPARATION

Photocopy the project sheet (Secondary 6) for each student.

Have ready as many percussion instruments as possible, and

recordings of ‘Peter and the Wolf’ and/or ‘Carnival of the

 Animals’ to play to the class.

Simba

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P R O J E C T S H E E T 7

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Consider and discussdifferent interpretationsof a drama

• Explore issues, ideasand meaning bychanging perspective

• Convey action, character,atmosphere and tensionwhen scripting plays

Lesson outline

Remind students that we tend to seestorylines through the eyes of maincharacters, such as Simba in ‘The LionKing’. But the lives of many others arechanged by the action and events thattake place.

Ask students to consider Nala’s part in thestory, and what she represents. Nala is astrong character in her own right – fighting

off Scar’s advances and breaking thestereotype of the helpless princess waitingto be rescued by the hero.

Also ask them to consider how Nala’sjourney differs from Simba’s. Howimportant is her sex to this difference?

Hand out the project sheets. These showa summary of key events in ‘The LionKing’ story from Nala’s point of view andexperience.

Split the class into pairs or small groups,and give each group one of the pointsof the story involving Nala. Allow timefor discussion within the groups. Studentsshould consider how Nala might feel atthat point and how she might express it.

Bring the class back together and discussthe different ideas of groups.

Discussion

Summarise what students have learnedabout Nala.

Extension activity

As a homework or extension task, studentsuse what they have learnt about Nala towrite a new scene featuring her, based onone of the incidents covered. An examplefor you to discuss is given below andon the photocopiable project sheet 7 –Extension.

Like so many great stories, ‘The Lion King’ is not a one- 

animal show. These are three-dimensional characters, each

with their own existence, thoughts, beliefs and desires. In

this lesson students are encouraged to see the story through

the eyes of a ‘minor’ character.

Nala’s story 

PREPARATION

Photocopy the project sheet (Secondary 7) for each student.

SCENE SCRIPT SCENE ACTION  1 1 Evening at Pride Rock.

Subdued lighting castinglong shadows.Music: I Just Can’t Wait to beKing, played quietly andhaltingly, in a minor key.

  2 2 A single spotlight picks outNala, sitting in the shade ofthe rock, head downcast.

  3 Nala: Oh Simba, I should never 3 Nala raises her head.have gone with you to the ElephantGraveyard. I, of all people, shouldhave tried to curb your curiosity.

4 4 Sound FX: Hyenas howl in thedistance during which themusic fades out.

  5 Nala: You were the hope of 5 Nala rises slowly to her feet.the pride… more than that, thehope of my heart… 

Mufasa is dead and Simba has vanished, also presumed dead. Rafiki, Sarabi and Nala

are left alone. As they sing a mourning chant, Rafiki wipes away the drawing of Simba.The young prince and the hope he stood for are gone.

Nala

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The essence of theatre is conflict, the fight between good

and evil. ‘The Lion King’ revels in this conflict, drawing the

audience into partisanship, feeling the highs and lows of

the hero, willing the defeat of the villain. In this lesson,

students explore the characters a little further, especially

Scar, the notorious villain of the piece.

Contrasting viewpoints

P R O J E C T S H E E T 8

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Explore empathetic writingthrough role-play and oration

• Discuss and evaluateconflicting evidence to arriveat a considered viewpoint

• Express a point of viewpersuasively

• Convey action, character,atmosphere and tension inthe presentation of drama

Lesson outline

Remind students, and discuss with them,what they have learnt from ‘The LionKing’ so far. Focus especially on therelationships between the characters,how they develop or meet difficulties.

For example: Mufasa and Simba; Simbaand Nala; Scar and Nala; Timon &Pumbaa; Simba, Timon and Pumbaa.

Which of these relationships aresuccessful and why?  Which are notsuccessful and why?

Ask students to consider Mufasa andScar. They are brothers, but very different.How might they have been as youngcubs together? When did they becomeenemies?  Perhaps Scar is, in a way, avictim, denied the throne first because heis the younger brother, and then becauseof the birth of Simba? Can your studentsrelate in some way to Scar?

Divide the class into two groups anddistribute the project sheets. One halfof the class will represent Mufasa andthe other will play Scar. Explain thatthey are to complete the project sheetas their character, bearing in mindthat they are writing a dramatic pieceto be performed out loud, and mustpay particular attention to the use oflanguage and rhythm.

The task completed, choose one studentfrom each camp and stand them side-by-side. They are not to address each other

directly, but speak their lines alternately,moving about as they wish, using facialexpression and gesture, and appealingto the audience, or the stars, or whatever

they choose.

It might run like this:

Mufasa: I am Mufasa, ‘The Lion King’,mate of Sarabi and father of Simba.

Scar: I am Scar, the rightful heir to thethrone, with a fool for a brother.

Mufasa: I love my family, my gloriouspride, the beauty of Pridelands and the

velvet night sky.

Scar: I love power and luxury. I love tocommand those who are lesser than me,which frankly, means everyone.

Repeat the exercise with more pairsof students.

Discussion

Discuss what has been learned from thelesson. Can students understand Scar’spoint of view?  Did anyone change their

opinion of Scar?

Extension activity

Write a monologue for a characterfrom ‘The Lion King’ explaining theirperspective on the story. Length shouldvary according to the ability of individualstudents, up to a maximum of 200 wordsfor the more able, possibly in verse.These are to be performed to the class(the more able encouraged to performfrom memory) using any props broughtfrom home or made available, and, ifwished, accompanying themselves onpercussion instruments.

PREPARATION

Photocopy the project sheet (Secondary 8) for each student.

Simba

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Simba grows into an adventurous youngcub, as Mufasa tries to instil in him theresponsibilities of leadership, and hisbelief that everything lives together in adelicate balance called the Circle of Life.

Scar plays on Simba’s curiosity by tellinghim about the Elephant Graveyardbeyond the borders of the Pridelands,where Simba is forbidden to go. Simbacannot resist exploring, taking withhim his best friend, the young lionessNala, and evading their chaperone, thehornbill Zazu, Mufasa’s major domo.The young pair are attacked by threehungry hyenas, and only Mufasa’sarrival saves them.

Mufasa is disappointed in Simba and

tries to explain to him the real meaningof bravery and maturity.

Scar continues to plot the downfall ofMufasa. He lures Simba into a gorgeand has the hyenas start a stampedeof wildebeests which threatens tokill Simba. Mufasa arrives in time tosave him but is wounded and clingsdesperately to the cliff by his claws.Scar shows no mercy to his brother,throwing Mufasa back down under thehoofs of the wildebeests. He makesSimba believe that Mufasa’s death was

his fault and persuades him to leave thePridelands, never to return.

The rest of the pride, believing Simbato be dead, must accept Scar as theirnew king. A lazy and inefficient king,he invites the hyenas into the Pridelands,and the devastation of the countryside

begins.

Simba runs a long way from thePridelands before collapsing exhausted,almost becoming a meal for thebuzzards. He is rescued by Timon, awisecracking meerkat, and Pumbaa,a big–hearted warthog. They befriendSimba and teach him their philosophy oflife, Hakuna Matata – which means noworries. Simba grows from a cub into a

 young lion.

 THE Story

ACT 1: It is sunrise over Pride Rock, overlooking the savannah.

Rafiki, the wise old baboon, calls the animals to witness as

Mufasa, ‘The Lion King’, and his queen, Sarabi, present their

newborn son, Simba. All the animals are delighted, except

Mufasa’s brother, Scar, who resents the new prince and the

cub’s place as next in line to the King.

For further details of the story

of ‘The Lion King’ please visit

www.lionking.com.au 

Scar

Zazu

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Scar

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Simba has grown restless, and ratherreckless.

He leaps over a river, daring Timonto follow. When the meerkat tries, hefalls into the river, almost plungingover the waterfall into the jaws ofcrocodiles who wait below. Simbarescues him but is ashamed at his ownfolly. As they lie looking up at the

stars, Simba remembers his fatherand his promise always to be

there for him. As Simba sings‘Endless Night’, back in the

Pridelands old Rafiki hears thesong on the wind and conjures

Simba’s image on a tree trunk,with the mane of an adult lion.

Pumbaa is chased by a lioness.When Simba intervenes toprotect him, he recognises hisold friend Nala, who is shockedto find him alive. The two younglions realise the depth of theiraffection for each other, but

still Simba is too ashamed to dowhat Nala asks, to go back to thePridelands and reclaim the throne.

Simba stalks away into the jungle,but meets old Rafiki who tells himhis father is alive – in him.

The stars seem to come together to formMufasa’s face. Mufasa tells his son thathe must take his place in the great Circleof Life. Simba is resolved, and sets offback to the Pridelands, with Nala, Timon

and Pumbaa.

They arrive to find the land dry and bare,and Scar assaulting Sarabi, Simba’smother, because she advises that theyleave Pride Rock. Simba confronts Scarbut is forced by Scar to admit that hebelieves that he caused his father’sdeath.

As Scar backs Simba to the edge of acliff, in a moment of foolish arrogance,he whispers the truth, that he killedMufasa.

This gives Simba the strength to retaliateand conquer Scar, who is made torepeat the truth to everyone, though hetries to blame everything on the hyenas.Simba spares his life, but banishes him.Scar attacks Simba again, but Simbamanages to flip his uncle over thecliff, down to the hungry hyenaswaiting below.

Simba is proclaimed the new king, andall the animals celebrate. The Circle ofLife continues as Rafiki raises aloft theson of the new Lion King for all to see.

ACT 2: Scar, haunted by the memory of Mufasa, wishes to

secure his immortality by having children. He tries to force his

attentions on Nala, Simba’s childhood friend, now grown into

a beautiful young lioness. She rejects him, and runs away

from the Pridelands, vowing, like Simba, never to return.

Simba and Nala

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Simba

Like any child, Simba’s view of the worldand his role in it is rather simplified. Tohim, growing up to be ‘The Lion King’means getting to tell the other animalswhat to do. Simba’s mischievousness istempered by his adoration of Mufasa,his father. What the little lion cub reallywants is to be just like his father.Mufasa’s death leaves Simba unsureabout whom he really is as he growsinto adulthood. Then Rafiki shows Simbahis reflection in a pool and the sleek

 young male beings to understand thathis father’s courage and wisdom are apart of him, too.

Rafiki

The baboon shaman Rafiki takes onthe task of narrator and spirit guide.Rafiki travels her own road, singsher own songs and knows what sheknows. Appearing the first time to anointnewborn Simba, Rafiki wanders on hermystical way. When the time is right, shereturns again to guide Simba back to thepath he is meant to follow. Rafiki is theteacher in ‘The Lion King’, based on theSangoma, the South African herbalist,healer and truthteller. The Sangomais almost always a woman and thetraditions have been passed down frommother to daughter for generations. ASangoma’s job is to interpret messagesfrom the spirits, use herbs to heal anddivine the future.

Mufasa

With a voice as golden as hismagnificent mane, Mufasa guides andteaches his son, Simba. As ready to playas to instruct, Mufasa knows when tochide Simba for his mischief and whento chuckle at it. Strong, brave and wise,Mufasa is a true leader whose couragecomes from a great, calm certaintyabout who he is and how he fits into theCircle of Life.

Zazu

Mufasa’s most trusted advisor, Zazu isa prim and proper Hornbill bird witha sense of personal dignity. AlthoughZazu’s feathers can be ruffled, he isdedicated to Mufasa. The honourablehornbill would give his right wing for‘The Lion King’, and stays with the pridethrough good times and bad.

Scar 

Lean, sardonic Scar makes up for his

lack of physical prowess with deviouscunning. Obsessed with the need topossess the throne, Scar is Simba’sand Mufasa’s implacable enemy, a factthat the great-hearted Mufasa realisestoo late. Scar may leave most of thedirty work to his henchmen hyenas, buthe’s capable of great cruelty himself.A selfish, greedy ruler, Scar nearlydestroys not only the pride, but also theland in which they live.

Nala

Every bit as courageous and inquisitiveas Simba, Nala, a lioness cub, isready to go wherever he goes and dowhatever he does. But time changes allthings and when Nala and Simba meetagain, her lively cuteness has ripenedinto sleek, tawny beauty, her childlikebravado has become true courage andtheir friendship deepens into love.

 Timon and Pumbaa

Brenda Chapman, the story head forthe movie ‘The Lion King’, first heardthe Swahili phrase Hakuna Mutata– which means ‘no worries’ – whenshe travelled to Kenya in 1991. Thisbecame the motto of ‘The Lion King’s’two clowns, Timon and Pumbaa.Sympathetic and warm-hearted,Pumbaa is ready to trust anyone, even acarnivore like Simba. Pumbaa may havemore brawn than brains, but his sizeincludes an oversized heart. And whenSimba confronts his destiny, the loyalwarthog is the first to follow. The self-proclaimed ‘brains of the outfit’, Timonis a hyperactive meerkat with a motormouth. Whether he’s making good-natured jokes at Pumbaa’s expense,drooling over a plate of delicious bugs,or pitching his freewheeling lifestyle toSimba, Timon always has a fast line.But behind the patter is a loyal littleguy who’d give his last wisecrack tohelp a friend.

For further details of the characters

from ‘The Lion King’ please visit

www.lionking.com.au 

cast of characters

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Timon and Pumbaa

Simba Rafiki Mufasa

Zazu NalaScar

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 The production team

When we sit in the audience at a musical,we see the actors on stage. But where dothe costumes they wear come from? Whatabout the words they say, or the songsthey sing?  Who designed and built thesettings in which they act? A musical aslarge as ‘The Lion King’ brings togetherliterally dozens of creative people, whowork together as a team to bring the showto life.

PRODUCER

The producer gathers the resourcesneeded to put on the production,engaging the creative staff and raisingthe necessary funds for the production’sbudget. Dealing with both the creativeand the business ends of the production,the producer creates a nurturingenvironment in which artists can thrive.

DIRECTOR

The director uses elements of theproduction to bring the written words

of the script or score to life on stage.The director usually sets the tone andthe ‘look’ of a production, and sets theblocking, or the actors’ movements.

COMPOSER

The composer writes the music of thesongs and the incidental music. He or sheis responsible for the ‘sound’ of the show.

LYRICIST

A lyricist writes the words, or the lyrics,for the songs. A lyricist must work veryclosely with the composer to make surethe words work well with the music.

BOOK WRITER

A musical’s ‘book’ is the ‘play’ of themusical, that is, the spoken words betweenthe songs. A book writer must work with

the composer and lyricist to effectivelyblend the spoken word with the songs.

CHOREOGRAPHER

Dance seems to go naturally with song,and a musical will often incorporatedance into its action. A choreographerdesigns a dance, first in his head oron paper, then with the dancers on thestage. The choreographer works withthe director to make sure the dancemovements complement the blocking.

SCENIC OR SET DESIGNERThe scenic designer creates theenvironment of the production,conveying the style, mood, period andplace of the show. A scenic designeralso designs or selects the production’sprops and furniture.

LIGHTING DESIGNER

Using hundreds of spotlights and lightinginstruments, the lighting designer createsthe lighting ‘plot’: the colour, intensityand focus of the lighting in each scene.Since the 1970s, most professional

productions have used computerisedlighting boards, which can store

thousands of cues and change lighting

in a fraction of a second.

COSTUME DESIGNER

A costume designer researches anddesigns what the performers will wearand look like in the production. As wellas having an extensive knowledge ofclothing of all cultures and time periods,a costume designer must know how acostume will hinder or help an actor’smovements.

MASK AND PUPPET DESIGNER

In a production like ‘The Lion King’,

which uses so many masks and puppets,these designers must work closely withthe others on the creative team so that themasks and puppets work efficiently withthe rest of the production. A designer ofmasks or puppets should have trainingin engineering as well as cultural andartistic knowledge.

STAGE MANAGER

The stage manager is the communicationlink between all departments starting withpre-production meetings and rehearsals

and on to the final coordinating of alldepartments in performance through thecalling of cues and the directing ofbackstage traffic.

Costumes, masks

and puppets

’The Lion King’ is unique in that we seehow the magic works on stage. There’sno attempt to cover up the wheels andcogs that make it all happen. The humanbeings that control the puppets andwear the animal masks are fully seen.

As an audience member, you have animportant job: with your imagination,

 you are invited to mix the ‘animal’ withthe human into a magical whole...

Julie Taymor is a director and designer who is well known for mythical staging

inspired by international theatrical forms. When she was approached by

Disney Theatrical Productions regarding the proposed stage version of the highly

successful film, ‘The Lion King’, she was excited by the challenge: ‘When I looked

at the film... I said to myself, what is working in this film for me? What’s the most

daunting challenge? That’s what I like to do – the sheer fact that it’s very hard to

do is a great challenge to me.’

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

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Scar

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As Julie Taymor says: “When the humanspirit visibly animates an object, weexperience a special, almost life-givingconnection. We become engaged byboth the method of storytelling as wellas the story itself.” Although ‘The LionKing’ is Disney as you’ve never seenit before, there are common strands

with which Julie Taymor had to work.She says: “Disney animated charactersare so expressive – they’re animals,but they’re very human animals. Ihad to play with keeping some of the‘character’ of the Disney characters, sothat they’re recognisable. But then, I wasalso very inspired by African masks,which are much more abstract, muchmore stylised, much more essential, lesssoft and round. Because we’re doingthree-dimensional theatre, I didn’t wantthe faces to look flat; I wanted them to

have a kind of depth, like wood has.So I used texture and organic materials,fibres, wood – things that would make itless cartoon-like.”

To create masks and puppets in ‘TheLion King’, Taymor worked with MichaelCurry, one of the country’s leadingpuppet experts. Curry had workedwith Taymor on several of her filmsand operas. With a background inengineering as well as puppetry, hewould create the technical design ofthe characters. Of the challenge of

creating masks for such a theatricalspectacle, Taymor says: “In contrastto the continually changing facialexpressions in the animated film, amask can project a single, fixed attitude.The sculptor has only one opportunityto incorporate the anger, humour andpassion of a character, to tell his or herwhole story. I thought, what if I createthese giant masks that really are clearlyScar and Mufasa, but then the humanface is revealed below, so that you’renot losing the human facial expression,

 you’re not hiding the actor?”

Taymor and Curry’s first step in creatingthe theatrical world of ‘The Lion King’was to craft the masks for Mufasa andScar. Could a balance be found betweenthe recognisable characters from theanimated film and the human actors?The lions’ costumes also helped to createthis duality. While the human qualities ofthe lions come out in the African styledbeadwork, corsets, armour and cloth,the costumes use silk cloth to negate thehuman shape, breaking the shoulderline, enhancing the powerful joints and

thighs. The masks are made from carbongraphite, a tough, lightweight material.First the ‘face’ of the mask is created by

spraying silicone onto a mould madefrom paper or clay. When enough layersof silicone build up, a rubbery shell isleft which is removed from the mouldto become the imprint for the mask.

The mask is completed with the carbongraphite. Although they may look veryheavy, Mufasa’s mask, for example,weighs only 312 grams and Scar’smask, 270 grams. Three of the maintheatrical forms that inspired Taymorand Curry were African masks, Bunrakupuppetry and shadow puppetry.

By exploring the background of thesetechniques, ‘The Lion King’ can be aricher experience for young people.

AFRICAN MASKS

In Africa, masks are functional worksof art. They are meant to be used; theyperform a social purpose. Seen on awall or a table, it may seem dull andstatic, but when used in storytellingor a ceremony, the mask takes ona life. As in ‘The Lion King’, manyAfrican masks are made to be wornover the head instead of just the face.They serve many ceremonial purposes:accepting a young man into manhood,exorcising evil spirits, capturing invisiblesupernatural forces. African masks aresometimes referred to as ‘spirit traps’.

From a purely theatrical point of view,too, the mask could be said to trap aspirit.

BUNRAKU PUPPETRY

Named after its founder, UemuraBunrakuken, this Japanese theatreform started in the 16th century. InBunraku, master puppeteers, visible tothe audience, control large puppet dolls,while a narrator tells the story. Thelarger puppets, which can be as tall

as five feet, are operated by three-manteams. The most experienced man, theonly puppeteer allowed to show his faceto the audience, operates the head and

right arm. The other two puppeteers arecompletely covered with black cloth. Oneoperates the ‘puppet’ right hand with arod, while the other manipulates the‘puppet’ legs. Through movement and

gestures (and, as always, the audience’simaginations) great expressiveness canbe achieved. Because the puppeteersare visible, spectators can concentrateon the story, or on the skill of thepuppeteers. Hopefully, these twoperceptions eventually merge into awhole appreciation of the theatricalevent.

SHADOW PUPPETRY

We have always been fascinatedwith shadows. Shadows thrown by acampfire can appear to be monsters;

fingers twisted in a specific way in frontof a light beam can create intricateanimal shapes. In shadow puppetry, theaudience only sees the shadows of thepuppets, thrown onto a screen by a lightor a fire. Shadow puppetry seems to bethousands of years old; many think itoriginated in Greece, although Chineserecords show forms of shadow puppetrybeing performed 2000 years ago.

In Indonesian shadow puppetry, calledthe wayang kulit, intricate flat puppetsmade of wood and animal hide areshown before a muslin screen, usuallytelling stories from Hindu mythology.In Java, audience members sit on bothsides of the screen, either to watch theshadows, or to see the puppets and themanipulating puppeteers.

SETS

Working with Julie Taymor, set designerRichard Hudson used the essentialconcepts of ‘The Lion King’s story tocreate the scenic design for the show.Pride Rock and the Elephant Graveyard

seem to be opposites, one full of life, theother radiating death and danger, butthey are connected through their design.

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 Julie Taymor

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 Just as Pride Rock is like a stylisedstaircase travelling across the stage as theshow opens, the Elephant Graveyard is atwisting series of steps made of bones.We see Mufasa in his place of dignityon Pride Rock as the show opens; it’s ashock to see Scar in the same position,but with very different feelings, straddling

the bones in the Elephant Graveyard.Perhaps the most dramatic scene in ‘TheLion King’ is the wildebeest stampedein which Mufasa is killed. The effect inthe theatre is electric, as thousands ofwildebeests seem to be rushing straightat Simba – and the audience.

The illusion of thousands of racing animalsis achieved by a canvas scroll and aseries of large rollers. Wildebeests arepainted on the scroll and each roller isequipped with sculptures of the animals.On each successive roller, the wildebeest

sculptures are slightly larger until, closestto the audience, dancers rhythmicallymove huge wildebeest masks. This designcreates a false perspective of greatdistance. When the scroll and rollersare moving, the audience seems to seewaves of wildebeests driving forward.  The Music

‘The Lion King’ animated filmincorporated five songs by Elton Johnand Tim Rice.

Tim Rice had written the lyrics forsuch classic musicals as ‘Jesus ChristSuperstar’ and ‘Evita’, each of which

had also been best-selling recordings.Rice seemed the perfect choice to writethe lyrics for ‘The Lion King’, but whowould compose the music?  Elton John,who has written some of the best knownand most endearing popular music inthe last half of the twentieth century,said: “I actually jumped at the chancebecause I knew that Disney was aclass act and I liked the story line andpeople immediately. The Disney filmslast forever and children watch them andadults watch them and get just as muchfun out of them.”

As Rice and John began to worktogether, they knew that their mainpurpose was to tell the story. “Up untilnow,” said Rice, “about 95 per cent ofthe lyrics I’ve written have been doneto a tune. Elton is one of those rareexamples of a composer who actuallylikes to get the words first. In the caseof... ‘The Lion King’ that proved to bequite useful because the key thing... is toget the story line dead right. Everythingflows from the story.”

For the stage version, more songs were

needed to explore Simba’s growth andNala’s courage. The creative team turnedto ‘The Rhythm of the Pridelands’, a

recording inspired by the film, featuringsongs by South African songwriter LeboM, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin and HansZimmer. The lyrics of these soulful andevocative melodies were rewritten forthe stage version, but their South Africansound and mood became the foundationfor a unique combination. By integrating

the work of musician Lebo M, the scoreto ‘The Lion King’ musical tapped intothe complex and beautiful rhythms ofSouth African music. Lebo M co-wroteadditional music and lyrics in additionto those written by the Rice-John team.As the choral director, he introduced theAmerican cast members to a differentstyle of singing: “I taught them thehistorical meanings of the lyrics andthe practical and spiritual meanings ofthe songs. The singers must understandthe pain or joy, the feeling behindthe song. The most difficult part is

the interpretation, the African way ofsinging... there’s a rawness that is totallyunique; it comes from the heart.”

Lebo M sees his life mirrored in the storyof ‘The Lion King’: ‘‘This is an Africanstory that happens to parallel my ownlife. Young Simba’s loving educationfrom his father, his rebellion and hiseventual struggle to regain a foot-holdin his native land were very familiarto me.” He calls his work on ‘The LionKing’: “a tribute to the New SouthAfrica... like Simba, I too lost family and

close friends during my time away, butreturned home victorious to the openarms of my newly freed countrymenand family.”

Elton John and Tim Rice

Simba

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’World Music: The Rough Guide’ says:“South Africa is distinguished by the mostcomplex musical history, the greatestprofusion of styles and the most intenselydeveloped recording industry anywherein Africa.” South Africa’s musical history,especially in the past century, is linkedto its national history and the racist

system of apartheid, in which blackSouth Africans were confined to smallareas, their movements and rightstightly controlled by the white minority.Because the growth of its music was soclosely tied to the country’s history, astudy of South African music is a perfectfoundation for further exploration intoSouth African history.

AFRICAN MUSIC

Although the continent of Africa holdsmany different cultures, most havethis in common: music is an integral

part of everyday life. In Africa, livesare permeated with music. Music hasa function in society beyond simpleentertainment. Songs are written toentertain, but also to teach, encourage,mourn, heal. Music serves a socialfunction, helping to strengthen the circleof society. It “deepens the connectionbetween people who have come togetherfor reasons casual or profound” (Helen QKivnick, ‘Where is the Way: Song andStruggle in South Africa’). Africa, southof the Sahara desert, takes in a variety ofnations and cultures, yet all African music

has some common traits. The followingcharacteristics can be heard in the sound-track of ‘The Lion King’.

REPETITION: Repeated pattern of soundand rhythm.

IMPROVISATION:  Because music is anintegral part of African life, it is oftenspontaneous, made up on the spot.Improvised, spontaneous creationof music and words is a highly-regarded skill.

POLYPHONY:  Two or more melodylines played simultaneously, workingtogether into a greater whole.

POLYRHYTHMS:  Two or more rhythmpatterns playing at the same time.

CROSS-RHYTHMS: The accents of a songcoming just after the accents of anaccompanying rhythmic instrument orother rhythmic device, such as hand-clapping or foot-stamping. Also calledsyncopation, in a simplified form.

CALL AND RESPONSE:  A choral formin which a leader sings or speaks aline, which is echoed and perhapsextended upon by a larger group.Call and response can also workbetween two groups.

POPULAR SONG AND

THE MUSICAL THEATRE

How are the songs in musical theatredifferent from the popular music youhear every day? A song you hear on arecording, on the radio or at a concertmay create a character or tell a story,but its primary purpose is to express amood or an atmosphere, and create amemorable tune.

In a musical, a song must help in thestorytelling. A song in a musical shouldact as a kind of shorthand, movingthe story forward, telling you somethingabout the character’s inner life orchanging the character in ways that thespoken word cannot. At the turn of the20th century, the beginning of musical

theatre, theatre music was popular music.Songwriters brought a vibrant, fast-talking quality to songwriting, throwingoff the long accepted models of theEuropean opera and operetta. But forpioneers of the musical, the theatre,along with vaudeville, burlesque andlater recording, radio and the movies,was just another forum for songs. Therewas no attempt to blend the songs intothe story.

The musical changed forever in 1927,with ‘Show Boat’, based on Edna Ferber’s1926 novel about life in America after

the Civil War. Composer Jerome Kernand lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II weredetermined to create an organic workof art from the musical, in which songs,music and text all combined to tellthe story. As Denny Flinn Martin writesin ‘Musical! A Grand Tour’: “Criticsdescribed Kern as having left musicalcomedy behind for somethingthey described as opera or lightopera composing. In fact, it was puremusical theatre.”

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Project Editors: Fay Wolftree, Giles Woodrow, Judith Bloor.Teaching Contributors: Nicola Farquhar, Susan WhiteStudy Guide Contributing Author: Peter Royston.Education Consultants: Rapport Learning

Photo credits:  All production

photography by Catherine Ashmore,from Original London Company unlessotherwise noted. Page 2 Brown LindiweKkhize as ‘Rafiki’; Page 3 Geoff Hoyle as‘Zazu’ from the Original Broadway Company(Photograph by Per Breiehagen); Page 4Photo of London Company by Johan Persson;Page 5 Tsidii Le Loka as ‘Rafiki’ from theOriginal Broadway Company (Photograph byPer Breiehagen); Page 7 Christopher Holt as‘Ed’, David Christopher and Yaa as ‘Zebras’;Page 8  Ako Mitchell as ‘Mufasa’ (2004London Company); Original Costume Designsketch by Julie Taymor; Page 9 Rob Edwardsas ‘Scar’; Page 13  Luke Youngblood as‘Young Simba’, Dominique Moore as ‘YoungNala’ with “Boaz Dopemu as ‘Young Simba’,Freya Karlettis as ‘Young Nala (2010 LondonCompany – Photo by Johan Persson) Page10  Photograph of Julie Taymor by KennethVan Sickle; Page 16  Roger Wright as‘Simba’; Page 17 Original Dutch Company(Photograph by Deen Van Meer); Page 18 

 James Simmons as ‘Scar’; Page 19  RogerWright as ‘Simba’ and Paulette Ivory as‘Nala’; Page 21 Martyn Ellis as ‘Pumbaa’,Luke Youngblood as ‘Young Simba’ andSimon Gregor as ‘Timon’, RogerWright as ‘Simba’, Brown Lindiwe Mkhize as‘Rafiki’ and Ako Mitchell as ‘Mufasa’ (both2004 London Company), Gregory Gudgeon

as ‘Zazu’, George Asprey as ‘Scar’ (2008London Company – Photo by Johan Persson),Alexia Khadime as ‘Nala’ (2003 LondonCompany). All images © Disney

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 Studies have shown that students involved in theatre

develop better cognitive skills, exhibit higher self-esteem,

build collaborative and social skills, display better study

habits and consistently perform higher on tests.

MUSICALS AS EDUCATION

 THE ROLE OF

MUSICALS IN EDUCATION

“Putting on a school musical is not afrivolous thing. It’s part of education.It requires imagination, creativity andinventiveness.” Freddie Gershon, CEO ofMusic Theatre International (MTI).

The process of putting on a showcultivates school spirit and generatescommunity support. It helps studentsmake intellectual connections across avariety of subjects.

Teachers can use the musical as context

for teaching History, Science and English. Art, Music and Physical Education classescan be geared towards creating props,learning songs and practicing dance steps.

BENEFITS TO STUDENTS

The success of musicals in schools maybest be measured by the self-confidence,discipline, character, cooperation andself-esteem instilled in the children whohave participated in the shows, as theymaster the diverse skills necessary topresent a musical.

Marked increases have been noted in

student’s creativity, teamwork, leadership,responsibility and commitment.

Involvement also helps students improvetheir time management, communicationand interpersonal skills.

 THE BROADWAY JUNIOR

COLLECTION

Developed by educators and designedfor the energies and attention spansof younger performers, this collectionfeatures Disney favorites, tailored to theneeds of young people and schools.

The shows have been adapted into eitherJUNIOR (60 minute) or KIDS (30 minute)shows.

The music is written in keys appropriatefor developing voices and all shows canbe expanded to accommodate as manyperformers as can fit on your stage.

HOW CAN A BROADWAY JR

SHOWKIT HELP YOU?

Each show in this collection comes witha ShowKit of helpful materials enablingyou to make your musical the ultimateinterdisciplinary teaching tool andcontains everything you need to put ona show.

This includes a comprehensive, annotatedDirector’s Guide, Orchestrated BackingTracks, a Step-by-step ChoreographicDVD and so much more.

 TITLES IN THE BROADWAY

 JUNIOR COLLECTION...

FULL LENGTH MUSICALSALSO AVAILABLE...

For a complete list of shows andmore information, visit us at:

WWW.HALLEONARD.COM.AU

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