The Lion King comes to Liverpool May 2014

Announcements don't get much bigger than this.Disney today revealed that its award-winning production of The Lion King will play the Liverpool Empire for a massive seven week stint from May 2014 as part of the show's record-breaking UK tour.Four years in the making, the international production brings together a cast of more than 50 actors, singers and dancers from 17 different countries, supported by a backstage team of more than 100 people.The touring production is the biggest musical production ever to tour the UK, featuring hundreds of masks, puppets and more than 700 elaborate costumes representing 26 different types of animal. Some 21 giant trucks are used to transport everything across the country.The Lion King is based on the animated film telling the tale of Simba the young lion cub as he journeys through life and struggles to accept the responsibilities of adulthood and his destined role of king.The acclaimed stage adaptation of Disney’s 1994 film was first seen on Broadway in 1997, where it recently became the highest grossing show in Broadway history. The production has now been seen by over 65 million people across five continents and the acclaimed West End production continues to sell out at London’s Lyceum Theatre after 14 years.In addition to the record-breaking productions in London and New York, it can currently be seen in Tokyo, Hamburg, Madrid, Sao Paulo, Brazil and on tour in the US and Japan. This year there will also be a new production in Sydney.The Liverpool show will run from May 16 to July 5 next year. Tickets go on general sale  on April 13 from the Empire or www.thelionking.co.uk. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-pgZtzDj_7o