Upcoming The Lion King dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
What the Lion King stage musical is
The Lion King is Disney's Broadway stage musical based on the 1994 animated film, told with masks, giant hollow puppets and actors on stilts instead of animation. It plays at the Minskoff Theatre in Times Square, where it moved in 2006 after opening on Broadway on November 13, 1997, and a North American touring company performs it in other cities. Julie Taymor directed the production and designed its costumes, and the result is less a copy of the film than a piece of physical theater: you see the performer and the animal at the same time.
The score combines the film's songs by Elton John and Tim Rice with additional music by Lebo M, Hans Zimmer, Mark Mancina and Jay Rifkin. Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi wrote the book. The show premiered at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis in July 1997 before reaching Broadway's New Amsterdam Theater.
Awards, records and the touring companies
The Lion King won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and Taymor became the first woman to win the Tony for directing a musical. It is Broadway's third-longest-running show, with more than 11,000 performances, and the highest-grossing Broadway production of all time. Worldwide, productions have grossed more than eleven billion.
Touring has been continuous for most of the show's life. The Gazelle tour ran from 2002 to 2017 and the Cheetah tour from 2003 to 2008. The current North American company, the Rafiki tour, launched in October 2017 and plays multiweek engagements in large performing arts centers. A West End production in London has also passed 10,000 performances.
Runtime, age guidance and first-time family tips
The show runs about 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission. It is suggested for ages 6 and up, and the Broadway house does not admit very young children (as of 2026, published guidance puts the cutoff at age 4); every guest needs a ticket regardless of age. Check current policy on the official Lion King site before booking for a preschooler.
The story follows the film closely, so the darker moments are the same: the stampede, Mufasa's death and the hyenas. Children who know the movie are rarely surprised. The music is loud in places, which matters more for sensitive toddlers than for school-age children.
The opening number is the part people talk about afterward, so arrive early enough to clear the escalators and be seated before the lights go down.
Best seats at the Minskoff Theatre for The Lion King
The Minskoff sits on the third floor of One Astor Plaza at 1515 Broadway, reached by escalators from the street. It holds about 1,710 seats on two levels: a large, steeply raked orchestra and a smaller mezzanine above. The orchestra uses continental seating (long rows with no center aisle), so rows can run up to 52 seats between exits. Center orchestra seats are excellent for viewing but slow to reach, and leaving mid-show is awkward.
Orchestra aisle seats
During "Circle of Life," performers and animal puppets enter through the orchestra aisles on their way to the stage. An aisle seat in the orchestra puts a child, or an adult, within a few feet of the animal puppets as they pass. This is the single best reason to choose an orchestra aisle over a center seat a few rows closer.
Front mezzanine
The first rows of the center mezzanine show the whole stage picture, including the large ensemble and puppet scenes, and the rake gives children a clear view over the row in front. For families who cannot get an orchestra aisle, front center mezzanine is the strongest choice.
Where to save, and where to avoid
- Middle-to-rear center orchestra: the steep rake keeps sightlines good well back, and these rows usually cost less than the front.
- Center mezzanine, middle rows: a good angle at family-budget levels.
- Far sides and the last mezzanine rows: sightlines narrow and the stage feels distant; these are the seats to skip if your budget allows.
Seeing The Lion King on tour
The touring production travels with the same puppet and costume design. How the opening procession uses the house varies with each hall's layout, so do not assume a particular aisle sees it. Touring venues are usually larger than the Minskoff, with two or three balconies. In a big hall, the lowest balcony often beats the back of a deep orchestra, and the top balcony can feel remote for small children. Tour stops typically sell their busiest performances in the opening and closing weekends.
When demand peaks for families
The Lion King's audience is heavily family and visitor based, so the school calendar drives demand more than reviews or casting.
- Highest demand: Thanksgiving week, the Christmas and New Year's holidays, Presidents' Day week, spring break and summer weekends.
- Strong: weekend matinees all year, when parents bring younger children.
- Easiest: weekday evenings in late January, February, September and October.
Orchestra aisle seats sell first because of the procession, so if that experience matters to your group, book those before anything else. GoodSeats orders include free shipping.
Frequently asked questions
How long is The Lion King on Broadway?
About 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission.
What age is The Lion King musical good for?
It is suggested for ages 6 and up. Very young children are not admitted at the Minskoff Theatre, and every guest needs a ticket, so check the current age policy before booking.
Do the animals come through the audience in The Lion King?
Yes. During the opening number, Circle of Life, performers and puppets enter through the orchestra aisles, which is why orchestra aisle seats are in demand.
Which theater is The Lion King in?
The Minskoff Theatre at 1515 Broadway, between 44th and 45th Streets. The show moved there from the New Amsterdam Theater in 2006.
Is the mezzanine good for The Lion King?
Front center mezzanine is one of the best views in the house for the full stage picture. You miss the aisle procession up close, but children see over the row in front easily.