It was a moment fit for a king on Saturday, July 29th when performers of the Marshall Civic Players (MCP) youth theater cast of Disney’s The Lion King Jr. staged a flash mob at Binder Park Zoo’s new African lion exhibit. Zoo visitors were wowed during a sneak peek of the full performance that took the stage the following week at the Franke Center for the Arts in Marshall, Michigan.
Performing three hit numbers, “Hakuna Matata,” “The Circle of Life,” and “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” the MCP cast sang and danced their way into the hearts of surprised Binder Park Zoo guests. Their energy and enthusiasm celebrated the recently unveiled African lion exhibit at the zoo. “This is an incredibly talented and hardworking cast. They clicked from the very beginning. This has been one of the most fun productions I have been involved in,” producer Allison Ebner shared.
The Lion King Jr. was directed by Beth Smith, choreographed by Drea Smith, and featured music directed by Marge Smith. A particular triumph for the cast and crew was that this was the first time the junior youth theater had the rights to produce this popular and much-loved musical. Ticket sales reflected the roar of excitement. Due to overwhelming demand, additional show dates needed to be added for the first time in nearly 20 years at the Franke Center.
“The flash mob was a collaborative effort between Binder Park Zoo and the Marshall Civic Players that showcased both the new lion exhibit and talent of the MCP - what a wonderful way to strengthen community ties along a common thread for two great arts and cultural organizations. The timing could not have been any better,” says Leslie Walsh, Manager of Marketing and Development.
A video that recorded the flash mob event can be viewed on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrD26LxGV6c[youtube.com].
The Lion King Jr. ran Thursday, August 3rd through Saturday, August 5th. Visit www.marshallcivicplayers.org[marshallcivicplayers.org] to learn about upcoming productions. Binder Park Zoo is open Monday- Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 9am-6pm and Sunday 11am-6pm. Visit www.binderparkzoo.org[binderparkzoo.org] to plan your visit.
