MTI musical · Broadway Junior
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Disney’s The Lion King JR.Script, Piano/Vocal Score & show details
- Broadway Junior
- Large cast (21+), flexible
- Roles: 5 women · 5 men · 1 any-gender + ensemble
- G
The printed Lion King JR. script comes with your MTI license. The digital version is a separate add-on for your whole cast and crew. See pricing
The Lion King JR. synopsis
Music and Lyrics by Tim Rice and Elton John · Additional Music and Lyrics by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin and Hans Zimmer · Book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi
Welcome to The Lion King JR.!
Disney's The Lion King has captivated the imagination of audiences around the world, and now you have the opportunity to produce this one-of-a-kind musical in your community. Bring the African savanna to life on your stage with Simba, Rafiki and an unforgettable cast of characters as they journey from Pride Rock to the jungle and back again in this inspiring, coming-of-age tale.
The Lion King JR. features classic songs from the Broadway musical and animated feature film, including “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” “He Lives in You,” and “Hakuna Matata.” Young performers will also get the chance to learn a wide range of new theatrical skills—such as mask-making and puppetry—encouraging them to explore this beloved story with creativity and pride.
Full synopsis
Rafiki gathers the Animals of the Pridelands to welcome Simba, the newborn cub of King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi ("Circle of Life with Nants’ Ingonyama"). The king’s jealous brother Scar, no longer heir to the throne, skips the ceremony, upsetting Mufasa.
Time passes ("Grasslands Chant") and Young Simba grows into a curious young lion. Mufasa explains the circle of life and that Young Simba will one day be king of the Pridelands. Young Simba shares this news with Scar, who encourages his nephew to visit the forbidden Elephant Graveyard.
Young Simba finds his best friend Young Nala hunting with Sarafina and the Lionesses ("The Lioness Hunt") and invites her on his adventure. Once they ditch their overbearing babysitter Zazu ("I Just Can’t Wait to Be King"), the cubs encounter the ravenous Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed in the graveyard. Mufasa arrives and pummels the hyenas before taking the cubs home. Scar emerges from the darkness to recruit the Hyenas in his murderous plan to become king ("Be Prepared").
Back in the Pridelands, Mufasa reprimands Young Simba, then shares the guidance of their ancestors up among the stars ("They Live in You"). Enacting his plan, Scar leaves Young Simba alone in the gorge and signals the hyenas to scare a herd of wildebeest ("The Stampede"). Scar alerts Mufasa, who leaps into the stampede to save his son. Mufasa rescues Young Simba, but Scar pushes his brother back into the gorge, where he is trampled. Scar blames Young Simba for the king’s death and tells him to run away and never return.
As Sarabi, Young Nala, Rafiki, and the Lionesses mourn the loss of Mufasa and Young Simba ("The Mourning"), Scar assumes the throne, uniting lions and hyenas under his dark reign. Lost in the desert, Young Simba meets Timon and Pumbaa, who take him to their “worry-free” jungle home ("Hakuna Matata – Parts 1 & 2").
Under Scar’s reign, the Pridelands are nearly destroyed. Now grown, Nala decides to leave and seek help ("Shadowland"). To her delight, she finds Simba alive in the jungle ("Can You Feel the Love Tonight"). Nala urges him to take his rightful place as king, but still ashamed, Simba refuses. Rafki appears and helps Simba remember his father ("He Lives in You"). With newfound courage,
Simba agrees to return to the Pridelands.
Timon and Pumbaa distract the hyenas while Nala rallies the lionesses. Simba confronts his uncle, the truth of Mufasa’s murder is revealed, and Scar runs away, pursued by angry hyenas. With peace restored in the Pridelands, Simba takes his place as king and the circle of life continues ("Finale").
Synopsis courtesy of Music Theatre International (MTI).
The Lion King JR. characters & vocal ranges
The Lion King JR. musical has 14 named roles plus an ensemble, for a large cast (21+), and the cast size is flexible. Many roles can be cast across gender. ‘Written as’ reflects how MTI lists each role.
| Character | Written as | Vocal range | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rafiki | Female | C4–A3 | Rafiki is a wise mandrill who acts as a healer of the Pridelands and guides Simba on his journey home. She is an omniscient character, evincing an air of mystery. Rafiki has significant solos and leads the African chants throughout the show, so cast a confident performer with a strong singing voice who can convey both the character's wisdom and humor. |
| Mufasa | Male | C4–B3 | Mufasa is the strong, honorable, and wise lion who leads the Pridelands. Mufasa should command respect onstage and also show tenderness with his son, Simba. Cast a mature actor who can convincingly portray the authroity of a king. Mufasa passes away partway through the show, so be mindful of any potential sensitivites among your young performers when casting this role. |
| Zazu | Any | Not listed | Zazu is Mufasa's anxious yet loyal assistant who is always busy trying to serve the king. Bound by an unfailing sense of duty, Zazu appears uptight but never wavers in trying to protect Young Simba. Cast an actor with good diction and comic timing to help convey Zazu's worried, rule-following nature in contrast to the more playful cubs. |
| Scar | Male | A4–A3 | Scar is the antagonist of the show, overcome with jealously of his brother, Mufasa, and nephew, Simba. Coldhearted and wickedly intelligent, he will stop at nothing to become king of the Pridelands. Cast a mature performer who can bring out this villain's dark side while handling Scar's sarcastic sense of humor. |
| Young Simba | Male | E5–B3 | Young Simba, the protagonist of the story, is an adventurous and endearing cub who can't wait to be king of the Pridelands. Young Simba is playful, energetic, and naive, but after his father Mufasa's death, he struggles with shame and questions his destiny. Cast a confident singer and a dynamic, high-energy performer in this role. Bear in mind that this actor will need to embody challenging themes involving the death of a parent, so be sure to cast this role thoughtfully and sensitively within your community. |
| Young Nala | Female | C5–A3 | Young Nala is a courageous lion and Young Simba's best friend who is not afraid to speak her mind. Look for a strong, spunky performer who can portray this confident cub. |
| Simba | Male | E5–B3 | Simba, having grown from a cub to lion, is carefree on the surface while wrestling with guilt over his past. Cast a mature actor who can portray the complex moments as Simba reunites with Nala, mourns his father, and finds the strength to confront Scar. To help illustrate the connection to Young Simba, consider auditioning the two actors in pairs, and ensure that Simba and Young Simba share a movement vocabulary. |
| Nala | Female | E5–G3 | Nala has grown into a brave, empowered lioness who is fiercely protective over her pride and homeland. Cast a strong actress and singer who can embody Nala's courageous, determined nature. As with older Simba and Young Simba, consider the transition from Young Nala to Nala when casting this role. |
| Timon | Any | B4–B3 | Timon is an outcast meerkat who lives in the jungle with his best friend Pumbaa. This anxious mammal pretends to be the confident, relaxed leader of the duo but is actually afraid of their own shadow. Timon is one of the funniest characters in the show and should be played by a charismatic actor who understands comic timing. |
| Pumbaa | Male | G5–D4 | Pumbaa is a kindhearted, sensitive warthog who enjoys his simple life of grubs and relaxation. Cast an actor who can portray this loveable and loyal friend to Timon and Simba with deadpan humor. |
| Sarabi | Female | Not listed | Sarabi is a featured lioness, Mufasa's partner, and Simba's mother. Cast an actor who can deliver Sarabi's few speaking lines with warmth and command of a queen. |
| Banzai | Any | Not listed | Banzai is a slick yet childish hyena who works for Scar. Banzai is the closest thing this lazy group has to a leader, so look for an outgiong and confident actor who can portray nastiness and gruffness. As Banzai is always featured with Shenzi and Ed, consider auditioning the hyenas in trios. |
| Shenzi | Female | Not listed | Shenzi is one of Scar's hyenas who plot to take over the Pridelands. She is the most brazen one of the trio and is always looking out for herself. With Banzai and Ed, she should be able to laugh loudly and long, as well as be menacing to Young Simba and Young Nala. |
| Ed | Any | Not listed | Ed is the third member of Scar's trio of lackeys. Ed's loud, cackling laugh is this hyena's only form of communication, so cast an actor who can laugh unabashedly and communicate through physicality and facial expressions rather than words. |
| Ensemble | Not listed | Not listed | The Ensemble plays various inhabitants of the Pridelands, such as giraffes, elephants, antelopes, wildebeest, and other creatures you choose to include. They even become part of the environemntal landscape, portraying the swaying grasslands and leafy jungle. This group can have as few or as many performers as your production permits. |
The Lion King JR. song list
- Circle of Life with Nants' Ingonyama
- Grasslands Chant
- The Lioness Hunt
- I Just Can't Wait to Be King
- Be Prepared
- They Live in You
- The Stampede
- The Mourning
- Hakuna Matata (Part 1)
- Hakuna Matata (Part 2)
- Shadowland
- Can You Feel the Love Tonight
- He Lives in You
- Bows
- Finale
How to get the Lion King JR. script & Piano/Vocal Score
The printed materials come with your MTI license. The digital version is an add-on that gives your whole cast and crew immediate access. See what that looks like
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Delivered through ProductionPro, MTI’s exclusive digital delivery partner. Looking for a free Lion King JR. script PDF? The script comes with your MTI license, so it isn’t available on its own.
What is a digital script?
Your Lion King JR. script and Piano/Vocal Score, digitally, alongside your printed copies
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- Lines, assigned onceEvery actor finds their own lines and harmonies.
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Curious how it would work for your show? Hear from directors who’ve used it.
