I've decided that the best time to see Festival of the Lion King is the first showing. All of the performers have more energy and seem to interact with the audience more. Also, every time I've seen the show in the afternoon, there was an essential performer missing. (I'll explain later, if you like.) On wednesday I had the best experience of any time I've been there.
I got there very early, so I was first in line. I managed to get a great seat in the very front row of the lion section. A while before the show, some "camp counselors" come out and teach everybody to do the hand jive. I got to help. Once the show had started and the singers went to their sections of the audience, the "good looking" singer ran over to me and volunteered me to lead the lion section with my best lion imitation. He asked me where I'm from and I told him I'm from Orlando. He looked surprised and said "Whoa! You came such a long way!!!" We both laughed our butts off at the victim of the singer who's name means "the gift". "This gentleman over here thinks I'm the gift..." The man was not paying any attention. "Don't you?" He still didn't notice. "Hello? Hello?" I think he finally noticed. We also made fun of the fact that most of the people in the warthog section "only had one tusk". Then it was my turn. I was laughing so hard that my "roar" came out as "Rrroooaaaaoaeooauoo.... oh man!" As all of the performers came out, one of the tumble monkeys started picking bugs off of me. Then a passing stilt walker came up and acted like he was tripping over my feet. During the Be Prepared scene, the fire juggler (or whatever you call him...) only lit one end of the stick. He then grabbed the lit end and then grabbed the unlit end really fast. He lit the other end with his bare hand!!! (not interaction, but still really cool) And, as the lead singer walked off stage, he suddenly shook his staff in the faces of the people in my row, causing the family next to me to scream. ::wipes sweat from my forehead:: *WHEW* And that was only a portion of the fun I had!!!!
I got there very early, so I was first in line. I managed to get a great seat in the very front row of the lion section. A while before the show, some "camp counselors" come out and teach everybody to do the hand jive. I got to help. Once the show had started and the singers went to their sections of the audience, the "good looking" singer ran over to me and volunteered me to lead the lion section with my best lion imitation. He asked me where I'm from and I told him I'm from Orlando. He looked surprised and said "Whoa! You came such a long way!!!" We both laughed our butts off at the victim of the singer who's name means "the gift". "This gentleman over here thinks I'm the gift..." The man was not paying any attention. "Don't you?" He still didn't notice. "Hello? Hello?" I think he finally noticed. We also made fun of the fact that most of the people in the warthog section "only had one tusk". Then it was my turn. I was laughing so hard that my "roar" came out as "Rrroooaaaaoaeooauoo.... oh man!" As all of the performers came out, one of the tumble monkeys started picking bugs off of me. Then a passing stilt walker came up and acted like he was tripping over my feet. During the Be Prepared scene, the fire juggler (or whatever you call him...) only lit one end of the stick. He then grabbed the lit end and then grabbed the unlit end really fast. He lit the other end with his bare hand!!! (not interaction, but still really cool) And, as the lead singer walked off stage, he suddenly shook his staff in the faces of the people in my row, causing the family next to me to scream. ::wipes sweat from my forehead:: *WHEW* And that was only a portion of the fun I had!!!!
