Disney’s The Lion King returns to Cleveland(July 8 – August 16)! audiences will once more be able to experience one of Broadway’s most celebrated productions at Cleveland’s prized Playhouse Square!
Since making its Cleveland debut in 2003, The Lion King has roared into town five previous times, and makes its triumphant return after nearly a five year absence!
Theater goers will be captivated by the elaborate costumes, meticulous puppetry, and unforgettable score! Behind all the razzle-dazzle, glitz-and-glam, and on-stage puppeteers pulling literal strings, there are people working behind ‘everything the light touches,’ pulling metaphorical strings that bring the show’s magic to life!
The heartbeat of the production, Conductor and Musical Director Karl Shymanovitz, sits beneath Pride Rock, dug out in an orchestra pit.
Shymanovitz put down his baton and picked up his phone to speak with CleveRock ahead of the show roaring into Cleveland!
During the conversation, Shymanovitz shared what goes into preserving one of Broadway’s most beloved productions, why conducting The Lion King is unlike any other show, and the remarkable teamwork required to deliver the same breathtaking experience eight shows a week.
Karl’s journey with The Lion King began more than two decades ago after a recommendation from one of his college professors. Since then, the production has remained the constant thread throughout his remarkable career that has taken him from Broadway tours to opera houses across Europe.
A CONVERSATION WITH KARL…
CleveRock: You started working with The Lion King more than two decades ago. How have you allowed it to remain such a consistent and important part of your career?
KS: “I started working on The Lion King in 2004. One opportunity led to another, and over the years, I became someone who could fill almost any role in the orchestra. Even while I was living in Italy and Germany working in opera, I’d come back every year to work on The Lion King. It’s really been the through line of my career. Becoming the music director in 2022 has been the best job of my life!”
A production that has toured for decades doesn’t stay successful by accident. Karl explained that one of his biggest responsibilities isn’t changing the show—it’s protecting it.
CleveRock: Audiences go into the show with a preconceived notion of what to expect. How do you keep the production feeling fresh while still remaining faithful to its original vision?
KS: “I mean, that’s my job as a music director and conductor to first of all, conduct the show every night. I’m in the show and performing with people and maintaining the consistency that way, but also the artistic integrity of what the creators wanted, and keeping things consistent over the years, and not losing what it was originally. That can happen over time. Things can either degrade, or you lose detail, or it’s like an apartment in New York where there’s 25 coats of paint over all the moldings and you can’t see the moldings anymore. You have to be careful about people adding things to the show and sort of really keeping it true to the original intentions of the creators, which is the job of doing it long-term and keeping it the shiny jewel that it is to take around the country.”
Many theatergoers leave surprised to discover that every note of music they heard was performed live. There are ten musicians present in the orchestra pit doing the work of what used to be almost 30 musicians from when The Lion King first opened on Broadway.
CleveRock: Do you think that audiences would be surprised to learn that all of the music is being performed live at each show?
KS: “People will come down to the pit afterward and say, ‘Oh, it’s live? I didn’t know there were people down here playing.’ Most people don’t notice us because we’re intentionally a little hidden, but that’s part of the excitement. Everything is happening live in the moment.”
For musicians and crew members, doing the job right often means becoming invisible so the audience can stay immersed in the production and story. Those who do their job well go unnoticed. It can be a very thankless job.
CleveRock: Does doing your job well sometimes mean people don’t properly recognize everything that’s happening behind the scenes?
KS: “When something goes wrong, that’s what people notice. If everything is working correctly, your attention stays on the story. Our job is making sure nothing pulls the audience away from what’s happening on stage.”
Although audiences see only a conductor with a baton, an impressive amount of technology helps connect performers. From wireless monitors, night vision, and in-ear monitors, there are any number of different elements going on to make sure everything goes smoothly.
There are ten musicians. Two percussionists up and normally in the front most boxes in the balcony. Sometimes we even build a little platform for them on the side of the stage so they’re out there, and they can see them, and everybody in the pit is using in-ear monitors. I’d say about half of the band, you don’t hear any sound from their instruments because it’s either an electric keyboard or electric guitar or electric bass, things that are just direct into the sound board. Everyone uses video monitors and in-ear monitors. Some musicians aren’t even in the orchestra pit depending on the theater, so they rely on video feeds to see me and audio feeds to hear one another. If we have to stop, I can speak directly into everyone’s ears. It’s an incredible system that allows the entire orchestra to perform together no matter where they’re located.”
Shymanovitz says the conductor’s role extends well beyond leading the orchestra.
CleveRock: What makes conducting The Lion King different from other Broadway productions today?
KS: “Most new shows on Broadway don’t even have a stand-up conductor anymore. The Lion King was built around one. I’m not only leading the orchestra, but am assisting with lighting cues, sound cues, and other technical elements, that all happen from the musical timing I provide. Between the stage manager, the sound department, and myself, we’re keeping everything lined up throughout the performance.”
There’s a reason The Lion King resonates with audiences around the world: one of them is absolutely the attention to detail in every performance.
CleveRock: After conducting the show for so many years, what continues to inspire you?
KS: “I’ve always loved the music. The African music is a joy to perform every day. The orchestra uses instruments from all over the world, and the production combines African music and dance with Balinese puppetry and theatrical traditions from centuries of storytelling. That’s what gives it its timeless feel.”
CleveRock: What makes Cleveland such a memorable stop for the tour?
KS: “We play Cleveland a fair amount and always have long stays there. The theater is large, there’s plenty of rehearsal space, and audiences continue to support the show. If we’re coming back for six weeks in the summer, Cleveland must like us—and that’s always a good sign.”
For audiences, The Lion King is an unforgettable evening of music, storytelling and breathtaking visual, with a remarkable creative team working ogether with precision to preserve the production’s original vision. While most will never see Shymanovitz’s face, his work is felt in every musical cue, every dramatic moment. and every standing ovation that follows!
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