“Disney’s The Lion King” has raked in more than $2 billion in the almost 30 years that it’s been on Broadway, making it the highest grossing Broadway musical of all time. And it’s no wonder — the show is emblematic of modern musicals in many ways. It’s based on a successful film, it’s good for families and it’s got a pretty impressive visual wow factor. All of this makes it a perfect choice to open the 2026-27 Pittsburgh Cultural Trust PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh Series, no matter how many times it’s graced the Benedum Center stage in Downtown Pittsburgh before.

Audiences simply cannot get enough of it. And yes, it’s still gasp-worthy, even if the padded-out runtime can drag.

“The Lion King” is, arguably, the crown jewel of the Disney Renaissance. The animated film was released in 1994, with an instant classic score by Elton John and Tim Rice and boasting a voice cast that included James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane. It was the highest grossing film of a year that brought us “Forrest Gump” and “Speed.”

So naturally, the next step was to make it a musical! The show debuted on Broadway in 1997 and is still roaring, making its Broadway run nearly old enough to run for Senate. It was also decently acclaimed, winning six Tony Awards including Best Musical. The show was directed by the legendary Julie Taymor.

I’m not going to break any new ground talking about “The Lion King.” Anyone over the age of 7 who’s particularly motivated to see it has likely seen it. It was even my very first Broadway musical, on a seventh grade trip to New York City a … certain number of years ago. But if you haven’t gotten to see it yet, or you have a newly aware Disney kid in your orbit, I will say this: there’s still magic in this show.

In theory, “The Lion King” is Shakespearean: its plot is loosely based on “Hamlet,” after all. In the musical, Simba (Gilbert Domally) returns to face his uncle, Scar (Peter Hargrave) after Scar murdered Simba’s father, King Mufasa (a gravitas-filled David D’Lancy Wilson) and took over the Pride Rock throne. Along the way, Simba learns about how to be a leader and how to put the past behind him, thanks to the wise Rafiki (Thembelihle Cele, in a show highlight performance).

But the puppets! And the incredible costumes! Simba’s friends, meerkat Timon and warthog Pumbaa, are respectively played by hilarious and talented puppeteers Thom Christopher Warren and Danny Grumich, and they feel shockingly lifelike. The same goes for Mufasa’s advisor bird Zazu, performed by Robb Sapp, whose puppet movements are graceful and swooping but who also executes some great physical comedy.

The full ensemble is charged with complex choreography and breathtaking costuming, with choreography by Garth Fagan, costume design by Julie Taymor, and mask and puppet design by Taymor and Michael Curry. The cast leaps, twirls, stalks, bounds, swoons and battles in large masks, colorful costumes and headpieces, allowing for a surprising amount of suspension of disbelief that puts us smack-dab in the heart of Africa.

And it gets even more immersive, with several scenes featuring cast members walking through the auditorium’s aisles. The second act opener “One by One” is an especially lovely example that really got the audience ready to dive back into the story.

Scenic design by Richard Hudson and lighting design by Donald Holder feel surprisingly natural, lending to the completely outdoor setting well with skies full of stars, stunning sunrises and fiery fight scenes. One of the highlights was Scar’s villain song “Be Prepared,” which devolved into a red-lit evil disco accentuated with perfectly timed jets of steam.

All of the familiar favorite songs are there, from high-energy “I Just Can’t Wait to be King” to the awe-inspiring, sweeping opener “Circle of Life.” The biggest trouble with the musical is just how much it adds for the sake of padding runtime — while some of the non-movie scenes are super cool, like the act one hunt/dance from the pride’s lionesses, a lot of it feels unnecessary and a little out of place.

But some things are just timeless, and “The Lion King” is one of them. It’s still exciting and familiar all at once, a great show for adults and kids alike. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was still on Broadway in 2057, and hopefully everyone takes their chance to see it.

”Disney’s The Lion King” will run at the Benedum Center in Downtown Pittsburgh through Sept. 27, as part of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh Series. To learn more and get tickets, visit trustarts.org.

(Editor’s Note: Acorrection has been made in the names of actors in this story from a previous version.)