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The Story (Act One) | The Story (Act Two) | Characters
Entr'acte
The chorus welcomes the audience back to its seats with a song.
("One By One") The song is full of hope. Beautiful birds fly high
above the Pridelands. But as the song ends, the birds are replaced
by buzzards, and the skeletons of gazelles. Under Scars rule, the
Pridelands have become dry and lifeless. He has ignored the Circle
of Life.
 Scar's Cave
With Zazu his prisoner, Scar complains that being King is not enough
he wants to be loved.
Scar is haunted by the memory of Mufasa, and decides to secure
his immortality by having children. When Nala enters to protest the
pride being forced to overhunt, Scar notices that she has grown into
a beautiful young lioness. When Scar tries to force himself on her,
Nala runs away.
The
Pridelands
Rather than submit to Scar, Nala leaves home, vowing never to forget
her family or her pride. ("Shadowlands") Rafiki blesses Nala before
she leaves.
The
Jungle
Simba leads Timon, and Pumbaa through the jungle in search of a
place to rest. His friends want to sleep, but Simba feels the need
to keep moving. The young lion cant help playfully pouncing on his
two friends; he is starting to feel the restlessness of adolescence.
Simba leaps easily over a river, and dares Timon to follow. The
meerkat falls into the swiftly moving water, hanging from a branch
over a roaring waterfall. Hungry crocodiles wait below.
 Simba doesnt react. The sight of his friend in danger sends
Simba into a flashback: Mufasa falling to his death. Timon loses his
grip and tumbles into the water below. Simba snaps out of his
nightmare and helps Timon to the shore. Simba is stunned and
ashamed: Timon nearly died because of the young lion's recklessness.
Under the Stars Timon, Pumbaa and Simba stare up at the night
sky, and wonder what the stars are. Simba remembers Mufasas words:
that the great kings of the past look down from the night sky,
watching over him. Timon and Pumbaa dont think much of this story.
Alone, Simba looks up at the sky, remembering his father, and
Mufasas promise to always be there for him. ("Endless Night").
 Rafiki's Tree
Back on her tree, old Rafiki hears Simbas song on the wind, and
realizes "He's alive!" She again conjures Simbas image on the tree
trunk, this time with the mane of an adult lion.
The Jungle
Pumbaa enters, chased by a lioness. Simba comes between them, and
the two lions fight. The lioness flips Simba, which allows him to
recognize his old friend Nala. Nala is shocked to find Simba alive
she tells Timon and Pumbaa that he is the true king. When Simba
and Nala are alone, they start to realize the depth of their
feelings for each other. ("Can You Feel The Love Tonight?") Timon
and Pumbaa look on unseen, lamenting the loss of their pal to love.
Nala
tells Simba of the Pridelands' devastation, that he must return and
reclaim the throne. Simba, hiding his guilt over Mufasas death,
refuses and stalks away.
 Simba meets Rafiki in the jungle. The old baboon tells Simba his
father is still alive. ("He Lives In You") As Simba protests, a
vision of his father appears. Mufasa tells Simba to remember who he
is, and that he must take his place in the Circle of Life. As
Mufasas image fades, Simba realizes that he must learn from his
mistakes and return to the Pridelands.
Pride Rock
Simba returns to Pride Rock with Nala, Timon and Pumbaa. They find
the land bare and dry. While Timon and Pumbaa distract the hyenas,
Simba looks for Scar.
Scar calls for Sarabi, demanding she and the lionesses improve
their hunting. Sarabi tells him there is no food or water left, and
that they must leave Pride Rock. Scar refuses and strikes Sarabi. In
a flash of heat lightning, Simba charges towards Scar, who cannot
believe his eyes when he sees the young lion alive. When Simba, Nala,
and the lionesses confront Scar and the hyenas, Scar forces Simba to
say in front of the other lions that he had caused his fathers
death. Scar backs Simba to the edge of a cliff, and, in a moment of
arrogance, whispers the truth: he killed Mufasa. Overcome with rage,
Simba leaps up and catches Scar by the throat. He makes Scar tell
the other lions the truth. A battle rages, with Nala, Rafiki, Timon,
Pumbaa and the lionesses fighting the hyenas.
 Finally,
Simba confronts Scar on the summit of Pride Rock. Scar begs Simba
for his life, blaming the hyenas for everything. Simba tells Scar to
run away and never return. In a final moment of treachery, Scar
attacks Simba again, but Simba manages to flip his uncle over the
side of the cliff. Scar lands at the foot of Pride Rock, surrounded
by the hungry hyenas.
 As the dawn breaks, Simbas friends come forward, acknowledging
him as the new King. He embraces Rafiki, who adorns him with the
kings mantle. Simba climbs to the top of Pride Rock, and lets loose
with a mighty roar. Herds of animals come in answer to his call,
rejoicing in his victory ("King of Pride Rock"). Nala joins him.
Rafiki holds up their newborn cub for all to see as the animals
dance and sing. ("The Circle of Life")
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