FEATURE REVIEW - December 2012
By Gemma Calandra, 8th Grade, Del Mar School
Performances at San Francisco's Orpheum Theatre
If you have seen The Lion King movie, you know that the show is a whole new experience. First of all, the live music really makes a difference. Down in the “pit,” musicians are actually playing while the actors are on stage. There are two areas on the left and right of the stage where you can see someone tapping on an assortment of different drums. The actors and actresses are singing right in front of you.
Then there’s the set. In a movie, the characters have the freedom to travel to different places and move around a lot without much difficulty. On stage, it’s a lot harder, but it’s also more interesting. It’s fascinating to see what elements are used to make it seem like the characters have changed location. They can alter the lighting, bring in props, change the background. The color theme of the whole set was orange, yellow and brown, like a lion. I liked the giant elephant skeleton that Simba, the main character, and Nala, his best friend, climb around on when they are trying to escape the hyenas.