Will Simba succeed in Las Vegas where others have failed?

It's commonplace to lament the Disney-fication of Las Vegas. Now, the company is planning to make its presence even more unavoidable when "The Lion King" opens at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in May 2009.

The sit-down production (theater-speak for an open-ended run) represents the first venture by Disney Theatrical Productions in Las Vegas. Disney said the staging will be virtually identical to the original Broadway production, which was directed by Julie Taymor, and opened in 1997.

At first glance, "The Lion King" seems like a perfect fit for family-friendly Vegas. But Culture Monster is more than a little bit wary considering the seemingly indestructible Broadway war-horses that have flopped under the hot desert sun.  "Hairspray," "The Producers" and "Avenue Q" all met ignoble deaths following their much-hyped Vegas debuts.

Even a shortened version of "The Phantom of the Opera" at the Venetian has yet to recoup its costs after nearly two years.

Will Simba fare differently? It's impossible to say, of course, but only Cirque du Soleil has truly conquered Vegas stages. Do vacationers traveling to the Strip really want to see a Broadway show? Can lion puppets compete with slot machines? Only time (and the box office) will tell.

— David Ng

Photo credit: Disney Theatrical Productions

Comments

[alex]

The Disney-fication of Las Vegas has come and gone. Family-friendly attractions are mostly the exception instead of the rule. Consider this:

1. Luxor, once home to more gawdy Egyptian crap has been "re-themed" to remove said crap in exchange for a more modern, upscale clientele.
2. Excalibur has effectively ditched kids by adding a male strip show and Dick's Last Resort - the restaurant that intentionally treats you rudely.
3. The "What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas" ad campaign certainly attempts to abolish any notion that Vegas is for kids.
4. And, my favorite: The Wynn Resort actually bans strollers from it's property for non-guests. The simple message is that kids are not welcome.

All that said, I think "Lion King" has a far shot at making it in Vegas. In my opinion, the great power of Cirque du Soleil is that it is accessible for people from virtually any culture. Language is not a stumbling block for ticket sales. While "Lion King" obviously is performed in English, the spectacle of the show will appeal greatly to non-English speakers. If I was marketing this show, I'd get flyers printed in various languages that include a brief synopsis of the show. That way, non-English speakers can marvel at the puppetry and not really care about the lyrics of "The Morning Report". (Besides, some of the songs are in Zulu.)