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Costumes, Masks and Puppets | African Masks | Bunraku Puppetry | Shadow Puppetry
Julie Taymor Biography | Sets, Lighting and Special Effects
 "One of the most remarkable things about 'The Lion King' is that it is not
set in any specific time. The story could be taking place today or one hundred
years ago. I couldnt peg my designs to a particular date or period as I
usually do and that made me much freer. The design possibilities were endless,
so long as the scenery evoked Africa and so long as it helped tell the
story." Richard Hudson, Scenic Designer
Working with Julie Taymor, set designer Richard Hudson used the essential
concepts of 'The Lion King's' story to create the scenic design for the show.
 The most dramatic scene in 'The Lion King' is the wildebeest stampede in which
Mufasa is killed. The effect in the theatre is electric, as thousands of
wildebeests seem to be rushing straight at Simba - and at the audience. The
effect is created in a very simple way that plays with our perceptions. The
canyon is created by placing five earth-colored portals one behind the other,
creating a false perspective of great distance. The illusion of thousands of
racing animals is achieved by a canvas scroll and a series of large rollers.
Wildebeests are painted on the scroll and each roller is equipped with
sculptures of the animals. On each successive roller, the wildebeest sculptures
are slightly larger, until, closest to the audience, dancers rhythmically move
huge wildebeest masks. When the scroll and rollers are moving, the audience
seems to see waves of wildebeests driving forward.
 Richard Hudson's model for the Elephant Graveyard gives the staircases a
skeletal look
"I really cant begin the process of designing the show
actually making a light plot until the sets have been designed, because
a number of technical choices depend on the scenery. I need to know where there
will be room to hang lights, what color the scenery is going to be. But in the
meantime, I do consult on the ground plan. I try to protect "real
estate," to make sure that, once the set is designed and built, there is
space for the lighting instruments."
Donald Holder, Lighting Designing
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