THE LION KING ROARS TO A CLOSE AT SYDNEY'S CAPITOL THEATRE

Disney Theatrical Productions estimates that 620,000 people will have seen its Sydney based production of the award-winning musical, The Lion King, by the time the show closes at the Capitol Theatre on Sunday, 31 August 2014.

Destination NSW secured the Lion King’s return to Sydney in December 2013 after a 10 year absence.

The musical remains the highest-grossing Broadway show in New York history and after issuing its 600,00th ticket last weekend, becomes the second highest attended in Sydney over the last decade behind the first production of The Lion King.

In fact 22 global productions of The Lion King have been seen by more than 70 million people since its Broadway premiere in 1997, cumulatively running a staggering 106 years.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Andrew Stoner, said: “The Lion King has proved once again to be a winner with audiences who have come from across Australia for this internationally renowned musical production.

“The popularity of The Lion King has seen Sydney’s Capitol Theatre at capacity, with the ‘house full’ sign out front most nights, since the production opened last December. These outstanding ticket sales will also have a flow on affect in visitor spend to the NSW Economy.”

This latest run at Sydney’s Capitol theatre marks the tenth concurrent worldwide production of The Lion King, the highest number of productions running at any one time in the show’s history.

Among the most successful titles in entertainment history, The Lion King’s more than $5 billion worldwide box office to date, exceeds that of any film or entertainment title. The show has also played 19 countries on every continent except Antarctica.