Pride Week In The Pride Lands: Lion King In Portland

LIONS DEN: It's Pride week, so it only makes sense that I would spend some of it in the "Pride-lands," aka on the stage of one of the most celebrated theatrical experiences of all time: Disney's The Lion King—the breathtaking musical that "officially" opens on Friday night at the Keller Auditorium.
As I climbed all over the show-stopping Pride Rock, I had a chance to speak to one of the guys who makes this show "magic."
Now Michael Carey is not Michael Curry, but he does receive a lot of Curry's mail. That's because both Carey and Curry are instrumental to The Lion King's success. Local hero Michael Curry (he lives in St. Helens, Oregon) is the artist/genius who created many of the spectacular costumes and critters that prance and dance across the stage in this musical that originally premiered in 1997. And Carey, as The Lion King's Head Carpenter and all-around "go-to guy," is the man who makes sure all of Curry's intricate costumes and set pieces work smoothly in this show. Carey, who has been with the tour off and on for the last ten years, says when he first started working on the show he could easily walk/run/climb over 16 miles a week prior to the show's opening night which included several all-nighters. Now, with at least two different Lion King sets currently touring the country at the same time, Carey says he doesn't put in as many miles or hours as he once did, but when asked if working on The Lion King was a reality show which one it would most resemble, he said, "The Deadliest Catch." "You have to stay on your toes," said Carey.
As for staying on your toes, this tour is one to catch as it will be the last one for some of the songs in the show, including "The Morning Report" as this show trims down to meet the other productions currently crisscrossing the country.
Disney's The Lion King: June 16-July 11, 2010. Ticket prices start as low as $23.25 (Premium Ticket Packages, which include prime seat locations, a commemorative souvenir program and an exclusive merchandise item, are also available.)
Ticketmaster: (800) 982-ARTS (days, evenings, and weekends); Portland Opera Box Office: (503) 241-1802 or toll free at (866) 739-6737, www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com/Portland.
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Last Updated (Tuesday, 15 June 2010 11:23)









