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[0:00] Jackson Klein: You're listening to The Ensemblist, the only podcast that shows you Broadway from the inside out. Welcome, I'm your host, Jackson Klein.

[0:21] Jackson Klein: On November 13, 1997, twenty-three years ago today, Disney Theatrical Productions opened The Lion King at Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre. It was a smash hit, winning six Tony Awards, leading to numerous productions all over the world, and becoming the highest-grossing Broadway production of all time. The Lion King is currently the third-longest-running Broadway show, and has dazzled audiences for an impressive 9,302 performances and counting. Although performances are currently paused because of the COVID-19 pandemic, several of The Lion King's beloved cast members have joined us to share some of their favorite memories of working on the show. These pieces were originally shared on our blog to celebrate The Lion King's 20th anniversary in 2017. Here, in their own words, are Rosie Lani Fiedelman, Blake Hammond, Kimberly Marable, Arbender Robinson, and L. Steven Taylor.

[1:32] Rosie Lani Fiedelman: I joined The Lion King Company in June of 2014. I remember seeing posters on the sides of buses and taxicab ads everywhere for a year, and I just kept saying to myself, I'm going to be in that show. When I got the call that they were offering me a job, my grandfather had been in the hospital for a month. We spoke every day, and when I told him he could not have been happier. I wanted to go home when he went into hospice care, but he did not want me to go home at all. When he finally passed, I knew that his spirit would be with me as I continued on my journey through the show. When my father came to see the show that October, I could only think of him during Endless Night, the song that Simba sings when he is missing his father.

It's exciting right now because we are celebrating the 20th anniversary on November 5th, and there are some changes in two of the numbers, choreographically, percussion, staging, lighting, and sound. The process has really brought us, the ensemble, closer together. It feels like we are going into an opening night. We've shared and supported each other in this experience, and it has made us stronger. As a member of the ensemble, we are truly part of the story and storytelling. As animals and plants, we come together as a community through movement and voice, but we also thread that continuity because we are human, and we get to feel those emotions of love for mother and son, father and son, for each other.

We get to feel loss of a father and a leader. We feel fear of losing everything, going hungry, being ruled by someone who is determined to destroy us, and everything we've built and hold dear. It's sort of a parallel to some of the things that are currently going on in our world and country. There are times when you are tired, sick, or injured, but it takes one person in the audience who has moved to tears, one person who stops you on the street and says how much you've changed their life. I have to say that this ensemble is filled with some of the most beautiful voices, strongest dancers, and extremely multi-talented human beings. The physicality of the dancers is incredible, and you have all of the puppets on top of all of that. They are the strongest people that I know.

[3:54] Blake Hammond: I'm back in Denver right now where my journey with The Lion King all started. I was the first Pumbaa on the gazelle company of The Lion King. Crazy. I can remember sticking out front every night with Josh Tower, my adult Simba, to watch the opening. It never failed to give me chills. Still, to this day, one of the most stunning opening numbers of any musical. Then Josh and John Plumpus, my Timon, and myself would head to make up for what we called family time. It was some of the best times of my career hanging out with those men. We would spend 20 minutes laughing, being painted, and preparing to go tell our part of the magical story. Getting to bring that beautiful show to those cities for the very first time was a joyful experience.

Can't believe I got that chance. Hakuna Matata. A few years later, I got to revisit the Pride Land on Broadway as the 10th anniversary Pumbaa alongside Danny Reticuliano as my Timon. And now it's 10 years later. So happy 20th to The Lion King. It's the circle, the circle of life.

[5:06] Kimberly Marable: When asked to comment on my The Lion King experience as a cast member, I found myself thinking of all the different ways to respond. Finally, I said to myself, go to the beginning. It was November 13, 1997, when The Lion King opened on Broadway. And now here we are talking about a show that has been seen by over 70 million people. I was in my last year of study at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and had the amazing opportunity to see the show when it premiered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the big city as we called it. This show later on Broadway would win six Tony Awards out of its 11 nominations. It is still one of the most breathtaking shows and the iconic circle of life opening number still causes the audience to gasp.

As I write this, statistics say the show has grossed over $1 billion and still fills 97% of its available seats weekly. At the time, I had this overwhelming urge to be a part of the show. Why? It looked fun. It was magical. It spoke to me on a spiritual level. And it seemed like the right thing to fight for. I set out on that journey and failed so many times along the way. I tried the front door, the back door, air, land, and sea to get into this amazing cast of stellar performers. And oftentimes, it seemed the impossible dream. I want to clarify something here, remind you that the impossible dream was not to get on Broadway. The unreachable star was not to make a career as a professional actor.

It was my quest to follow that star that would one day lead me to perform on any stage in Disney's The Lion King. For the sake of time and space, I'll move to a later part of the story. By now, I had been in the Broadway cast of Hairspray, Disney's The Little Mermaid, Hair, Ragtime, and The Book of Mormon. At this point, I had lost track of the number of Lion King auditions I attended. I had lost track of the number of cities I had traveled to in order to audition for Lion King. For some reason, I was still determined to be a part of this show, and I could no longer explain this insane adventure. And suddenly, my eyes were opened. The year is now 2012, and I have an email from Ronald Vodicka that reads, welcome to the Pride Lands.

I still have this email message because there's a part of me that thinks it was all a dream, a wonderful and delectable dream, but still a dream. Here I was, headed to that magical place. Here I was, joining the cast of Disney's The Lion King. Finally, I had accomplished the impossible dream. I was going to be a swing in this show. I was terrified as the management team brought me around the building to meet everyone. Everyone. You will not believe how many people are in this building. It is truly a small village, and this village made me feel so welcome. This immediately felt like home with over 100 people living and working in this small village. This massive ensemble of cast and crew and wranglers became my family.

[10:39] Arbender Robinson: The next moment answered all the questions I had in my head. Why did I need this so badly? What is it about this show and ensemble that pulled me in this direction for so many years? Why do I immediately feel at peace in this small village known as the Men's Club Theater? Over the loudspeaker, the entire company was immediately sent to the women's ensemble dressing room. I was led across the massive stage and down to the ladies' dressing room with a sense of urgency. I heard others rushing in, and in hushed tones, I heard a few phrases. Yes, it's the Cubs. Why? Because we love them. Hurry. We can't miss it. And once inside, I felt like a sardine in a can. How did all these people fit in this tiny space?

Why are all of these people in this tiny space? And suddenly, the ladies, all dressed in black, began to lead a funeral service. A funeral service? How did I know it was a funeral? Well, they were all dressed in black with hats and veils, organ music playing and tears flowing. Apparently, the young Cubs in the show, Simba and Nala, had a goldfish. Milky Bones had come to the end of his life. And it only makes sense that we celebrate life and death in this building. It's the circle of life. And the village had to support the young Cubs as they sadly said goodbye to their little friend. We cried, prayed, shared stories, and then all sang When the Saints Go Marching In as we celebrated the life of Milky Bones.

After the celebration, the cast had to quickly run to places and share that same giving spirit with their sold out house. Just one of the many magical backstage moments being part of this glorious ensemble. Over the next two years, this village would have amazing Halloween gatherings complete with creating our very own haunted house, holiday door decorating contests, raising awareness of social issues, supporting Broadway Cares events. The village would have a chili cook off on Super Bowl Sunday. The village would celebrate the largest and smallest.

[10:58] Kimberly Marable: A few thoughts on being part of this ensemble, I immediately jumped at the opportunity. Since The Lion King, I've been lucky enough to work on beautiful The Carole King Musical, Les Miserables, Shuffle Along, and In Transit. And years later, I still call this place home. The Pride Lands is my home. There's a wall of fame with headshots of the long legacy of performers that have graced this amazing show, and I am so proud to be part of that legacy. Everyone is still considered family, and I cannot express how much security and safety that gives me as we navigate the entertainment industry. The universe has a way of taking care of us, and the universe allowed me to fight to join this family, and for that, I am eternally grateful. At the time of this, 20 years and counting, 70 million audience members and counting.

[12:42] Kimberly Marable: I first graced the stage as a bird lady in The Lion King on February 11th, 2014, which makes me, after three and three quarters years, one of the newest ensemble members of the Broadway company. As crazy as that sounds, particularly as someone who spent much of her career going from one job to the next, the time has literally flown by. It truly doesn't feel like almost four years have passed. So much has happened. I have to admit, when I booked the show, I put my nose up at the idea of having a government gig. In spite of the financial stability, I didn't want to become creatively stagnant, like I ignorantly assumed the people here were, or forget the hustle and grind and skills that got me to the Pride Lands in the first place. I didn't want for The Lion King to be my final resting place. But the Pride Lands are so much more than the paycheck. To be plain, being in the Lion King ensemble has been a gift and a life changer.

[13:41] Kimberly Marable: The Lion King came at a time in my life when I wanted to be in a show that allowed me to uphold my social conscience and that brought joy to both me and to audience members. The show is all of those things in spades. Though for the most part we play animals and plants as opposed to people, I am beside myself with how much beauty, reverence, and respect are shown in the theatrical representation of African languages and African and other global cultures, particularly South African. From the makeup we wear, to the songs in multiple languages that we sing, to some of the movements we do. It's no secret that the puppetry is the star of the show, and is in large part what has made the show last for twenty years so far.

It is inspiring to actually be the elements that are so visually stunning about the show, to be the grass that is growing out of the ground, to be the giraffe walking across the savannah, or the birds that soar above the audience members' heads as they whisper or yell with tears in their eyes. So beautiful. Coming down the aisle sixteen times per week allows me to see firsthand just how much joy and awe The Lion King brings to people, and it fills me up.

[14:59] Kimberly Marable: Our ensemble has a bit more of an operatic setup, with a singing chorus and a dancing chorus, obviously on a much smaller scale, numbers-wise. Our full ensemble is twenty-five, or thirty-four, including our super-talented swings. Out of our thirteen-person on-stage choir, eight are from South Africa, affectionately called by me Zulu Nation, which initially made for a bit of a culture shock upon my joining the company. Prior to being in The Lion King, I'd never experienced the theater in the United States as a bilingual environment, with the other language being Zulu, no less. Almost four years later, I still find myself having to adjust when conversations that begin in English continue in Zulu, but I welcome the cultural immersion. I've learned and continue to learn about South African life, languages, traditions, and culture, and I believe we can all afford to be as proud of who we are.

[15:52] Kimberly Marable: To a degree unlike other shows that I've been a part of, I am literally surrounded by seasoned artists with a wealth of experience. As an ensemble, we are nationally-renowned choreographers, Drama Desk Award nominees, filmmakers, songwriters, producers, recording artists, backup dancers, and singers, graduate students and grad school grads, dance studio and other business owners, international ambassadors, dance-slash-gyrotonic-slash-yoga instructors, not to mention TV and voice-over actors. And while our outside projects do help keep our minds agile, the creative juices keep flowing while in the building. If the annual Haunted House we do for the kids of Broadway or the Holiday Door Decorating Contest aren't indications of that, I don't know what is. In the 7, 10, 15, even 20 years that people have been with this show, there is no shortage of creative stimulus both in and outside of the building.

[16:50] Kimberly Marable: I think what has been the most valuable takeaway for me are the many life lessons I've learned. Pardon the example, but with the degree of learning and growth I've had, it almost feels like being back in college. I am a proud student of Pride Lands U. Seriously though, I've been reminded daily that I am very much an artist, but that is secondary to being human. Practically speaking, I've gained apartments, doctors, surgeons, physical trainers, and a shared love for running. On a grander yet more personal scale, being a member of The Lion King Ensemble has taught me how to be a better romantic partner, philanthropist, business collaborator, and future mother. I am surrounded by some of the most outspoken, funny, caring, and intelligent women who show me just by living that I can have it all, that I can achieve a work-life balance and not lose my sense of self.

I often joke that everything I know about pregnancy, babies, and small children I learned from being in The Lion King, but it's true. I am humbled by this wacky, spirited, and spirit-filled, generous, and wildly talented bunch. But more than that, I am grateful to have had such wonderful teachers and companions along this life journey.

[18:08] Arbender Robinson: In my time here, our ensemble has had marriages, births, crises, deaths, a true circle of life that continues to move us all through despair and hope, through faith and love. We continue to laugh through it all. The Lion King Ensemble has changed my life for the better and has been the true embodiment of Ubuntu. I am because you are.

[18:46] L. Steven Taylor: I stood there, atop the hill made of brown skin and earth tones. The bright lights seemed to accentuate a flicker at the tips of the grass that was worn atop their heads. A smile registered in my heart as I swayed in unison and sang in harmony with my new family during my Broadway debut in the Ensemble of The Lion King. That was 2005. I joined the company as a temporary replacement in the ensemble and a Mufasa understudy. I had only a shortened amount of time to learn the show, and most of that was spent away from my fellow ensemble members, but the welcome reception that I received when I joined the company immediately felt like I was returning home. The ensemble of any show is usually the heartbeat, and that is particularly true with this show.

Literally, some of the rhythms that we sing are meant to give the feel of a heart beating. Aside from that, though, is how we became each other's lifelines offstage, supporting one another through deaths and births and illness and success.

[20:02] L. Steven Taylor: I left to play Mufasa on the tour for a couple of years and recently rejoined the Broadway company to play the role here. There is no way that that transition would have happened without the support of my cast, especially the ensemble, giving me words of encouragement, blunt truths, and keeping it real with me along the way. The great thing about The Lion King is that it is an ensemble-driven show, so even as a principal, you feel part of that heartbeat that starts with Wildebeest No. 2 or Gazelle No. 4. And Wildebeest No. 2 was me! I've made it a point to continue my offstage social cues from my ensemble track back in 2005. It was a way we kept each other grounded then, and that still holds true for me now. I'll never forget where I came from or that this show does not exist without its heartbeat, the ensemble.

[20:56] Jackson Klein: Special thanks to Rosie Lani Fiedelman, Blake Hammond, Kimberly Marable, Arbender Robinson, and L. Steven Taylor for sharing their stories with us this week. The Ensemblist was produced by Mo Brady and me, Jackson Klein. There are two great ways you can help The Ensemblist right now. One is by leaving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. The other is by becoming a Patreon member, which you can do at patreon.com slash The Ensemblist. Please follow us wherever you listen to podcasts, whether that's on Spotify, on Apple Podcasts, or at bpn.fm, the home of Broadway Podcast Network. You can also follow us on Instagram, where we share all of our latest episodes. Stay safe, and thank you for listening. Until next time.