Khalifa White & More Join the National Tour of The Lion King
(Photo by Caitlin McNaney for Broadway.com)
The North American tour of Disney’s The Lion King is set to welcome Khalifa White as Nala, Peter Hargrave as Scar and Nick LaMedica as Zazu. The new cast members will begin performances in Salt Lake City at the Eccles Theatre, where the musical will play a four-week return engagement from September 29 through October 23. LaMedica and White begin performances on September 29, while Hargrave debuts on October 13.
The Lion King national tour also features Gerald Ramsey as Mufasa, Gugwana Dlamini as Rafiki, Tony Freeman as Timon, John E. Brady as Pumbaa, Darian Sanders as Simba, Forest VanDyke as Banzai, Martina Sykes as Shenzi, Robbie Swift as Ed, Scarlett London Diviney as Young Nala, Jaylen Lyndon Hunter as Young Simba, Jordan Pendleton as Young Simba and Farrah Wilson as Young Nala. Rounding out the cast are Derek Adams, Kayla Rose Aimable, William John Austin, Iman Ayana, Isaiah Bailey, Samantha Lauren Barriento, Eric Bean, Jr., Layla Brent, Christin Byrdsong, Sasha Caicedo, Thembelihle Cele, Adrianne Chu, Leroy Church, Daniela Cobb, Lyric Danae, Marquis Floyd, Mukelisiwe Goba, Marquise Hitchcock, Gabisile Manana, Christopher L. McKenzie, Jr., Justin Mensah, Nhlanhla Ndlovu, Aaron Nelson, Jeremy Noel, Sicelo Ntshangase, Sayiga Eugene Peabody, Yael Pineda-Hall, Christopher Sams, T. Shyvonne Stewart, Jennifer Theriot, Courtney Thomas, Thom Christopher Warren, Diamond Essence White, Jordan Nicole Willis and Sherman Wood.
White has appeared on Broadway in Caroline, Or Change and off-Broadway in Little Shop of Horrors and School of Rock. She has performed on the national touring productions of Aida, Ain't Misbehavin, The Bodyguard, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Dreamgirls, Beehive and Hairspray. She was also a finalist of Broadway.com's casting competition series The Search for Roxie. Lamedica has appeared on the national tour of War Horse. This marks Hargrave's national tour debut.
A lively stage adaptation of the Academy Award-winning animated film, The Lion King is the story of Simba, a young lion prince born into the royal family, who idolizes his kingly father, Mufasa, while youthfully shirking the responsibility his position in life requires. When an unthinkable tragedy, orchestrated by Simba’s wicked uncle, Scar, takes his father’s life, Simba flees the Pride Lands, leaving his loss and the life he knew behind. Simba starts anew, but eventually, the weight of responsibility comes to find the adult prince, and Simba must take on a formidable enemy and fulfill his destiny to be king.
