by Keridwyn Deller
I’ve been daydreaming about Disney’s The Lion King coming back to The Paramount Theatre in Seattle for months now. Now, it’s rare that I want to see a musical more than once, but The Lion King is truly exceptional.
This last weekend, I had the joy of seeing this magnificent production for the fourth time – and hopefully it won’t be the last. (I’m playing with the idea of seeing it again while it’s in town, actually.) I also had the opportunity to tour backstage with some of the incredible folks who make the production happen night after night.
I can’t believe it’s been seven years since this tour came to Seattle. My flashes of memory from the show and chatting in the theatre with my pal Rusty are so vivid because the experience was so wonderful. You can read my 2018 review here: “Exciting, Memorable, and Stunning: Disney’s The Lion King at The Paramount is a true joy.”
There’s a magical, full-body visceral sensation I get when watching this musical – a feeling I even get echos of when I replay moments in my mind or see clips online from the show.
The combination of vibrant design, music, and movement brings up sensations of awe, wonder, warmth, and aliveness. I hope you can treat yourself and a loved one to tickets to see it this time around – it will transport you to another world. Healthy, gorgeous escapism at its finest, my friend.
It might be tricky to explain how performers in costumes representing the natural beauty of grasslands – yes, grasslands! – can evoke an incredibly powerful feeling of awe and wonder. But, if you’ve seen this show, you get it.
Last Friday was like a vivid dream as I had the chance to see the puppets, costumes, and backstage up close during a special tour. I even got to operate Zazu for a bit! He has 1500 feathers – individually glued and hand painted. My joy is pretty clear:
Visit my instagram or Facebook for a video of me puppetering Zazu for a moment.
This show is full of hundreds of incredible works of art with an attention to detail that blows my mind:
Hand beaded corsets. Simba’s mask, each tiny piece of wood hand cut, painted, and attached. The trigger design that allows Scar’s mask to jut out when he loses his temper.
Gorgeous textured fabrics with the wildest attention to detail. I’m obsessed.
Clever mechanisms inside the lionesses’ masks that give them a distinctive artistic depiction of weeping.
Strong harnesses attached to hyena masks. So. Many. Hyenas!
And of course this show has its own jaw-dropping backstage choreography. Full-body zebra puppet costumes are perfectly timed to drop down and around an actor mere seconds before they gallop on stage. The tracks on the floor, like a model-train, allow Pride Rock to move straight or along a curve. One of the largest puppets I will likely ever see, hanging high above us, showing off its wheels.
Thank you so much to:
Assistant Stage Manager Karen Parlato for sharing fascinating details of what happens backstage mid-show and how important a second or two can be. What a pro!
the good-natured, performers David D’Lancy Wilson (Mufasa) and Peter Hargrave (Scar) who took time to share laughs and stories of some of their experiences with us.
Wardrobe Assistant Season Saulet, a ray of sunshine who lit up the room with shared enthusiasm and attention to detail and we walked among the racks of costumes.
the delightful Michael Reilly with the Puppet shop (who has been with this show for 25 years!) for answering all my questions with detail and humor
and to Julie Furlong for inviting me to join this backstage experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.
Ok, enough gushing (though I WILL absolutely share video and more detail if you ask, friends!)
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I hope you can give yourself the gift of seeing this show while it’s here. If you’re someone who can spoil a friend or family member right now: experiences truly can be some of the best and most memorable gifts!
If you’re elsewhere in Washington State, the tour visits Spokane, WA from January 28 – February 15, 2026.
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A few excerpts my 2018 review – all of it still ring true:
“Walking into this gorgeous theatre is a gift in itself. Seeing the incredible costumes and puppetry in this production is a jaw-dropping experience… The puppetry and costuming alone are worth the ticket price. My +1 for the night, my dear friend Rusty, had very high expectations and they were absolutely met. It was such a joy in itself to sit next to him as he saw this production for the first time. At one point, he leaned in and whispered “I am having SUCH a great time” with such glee on his face… I heard many comments of awe and wonder shared by other audience members… “I think my mouth has been open in amazement from the start of the show!” I can relate… I would see this show every year if I had the chance. And, yes, I have been singing “Oh I just can’t waaaaait to be king” in the streets of Seattle all month.”
Seattle Pockets 