Dashaun Young Returns to Broadway's The Lion King May 16

By Andrew Gans
16 May 2012

Dashaun Young
Dashaun Young

The Broadway company of the Tony-winning musical The Lion King welcomes Dashaun Young back to the cast May 16 at the Minskoff Theatre (200 West 45th Street).

Young, recently seen in the Las Vegas staging of Lion King, returns to the role of Simba. Adam Jacobs is currently taking a brief hiatus from that role and will return to the show June 26.

In addition to The Lion King, Young has appeared in New York and on tour in Hairspray (first national tour), Legends (NY premiere), The Scottsboro Boys (reading) and Emerald Man (workshop).

For more information about the Broadway history of The Lion King, visit the Playbill Vault.

The Broadway score features Elton John and Tim Rice's music from "The Lion King" animated film along with three new songs by John and Rice; additional musical material by South African Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Taymor and Hans Zimmer; and music from "Rhythm of the Pride Lands," an album inspired by the original music in the film, written by Lebo M, Mark Mancina and Hans Zimmer.

The book was adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed "The Lion King" animated feature, and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the film's screenplay. Other members of the creative team include Steve Canyon Kennedy (sound design), Michael Ward (hair and makeup design), John Stefaniuk (associate director), Marey Griffith (associate choreographer), Clement Ishmael (music supervisor). 

Directed by Julie Taymor — who became the first woman to ever receive a Tony Award for Best Director of a Musical — The Lion King has become an international hit with productions playing all around the globe. In fact, the Elton John-Tim Rice musical has won over 30 major awards. Those include six Tony Awards, including one for Best Musical; eight Drama Desk Awards; six Outer Critics Circle Awards; two Sir Laurence Oliviers; the Evening Standard Award for Best Theatrical Event; and three Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards.

The musical currently plays Broadway's Minskoff Theatre. For more information visit www.DisneyOnBroadway.com.