The Lion King at the Mogador theater shines with Donald Holder’s lighting, crafting a living African savanna with a kit using a majority of ETC gear.

The Lion King is a mythic epic spanning generations, deeply rooted in Shakespearean drama. While the musical adaptation stays true to the core narrative, it brilliantly diverges from a typical Disney universe, evolving into a vibrant and living theatrical creation that, for me, personally evoked immense emotion. To support this incredibly intense show, masterfully directed by Julie Taymor, renowned lighting designer Donald Holder brought his visionary ideas to life using a lighting rig now predominantly composed of ETC (Electronic Theatre Controls) equipment. This powerful setup allows him to craft the nearly 200 distinct scenes and variations that seamlessly flow throughout the production.