LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — In its return to The Smith Center, Disney’s The Lion King set up shop for two weeks in Las Vegas, and none of it would be possible without puppet supervisor Michael Reilly.
Inside The Lion King: 230 puppets bring magic to Las Vegas stage
“A very difficult puppet, aren’t you Zazu?” he asked the puppet he was holding while shaking its head no. “Yes you are,” he responded.
He’s responsible for 230 puppets in the show.
“The hardest part about Zazu. The actor who plays Zazu, Nick LaMedica, he has to do it all from behind Zazu’s head. He can’t see what Zazu’s doing,” Reilly said.
He says it takes five weeks before someone playing Zazu goes into the show. It can take a full six months before they know every little thing the puppet can do.
Reilly discussed the masks, including Scar’s, which moves mechanically.
“He can take that mask and put it in front of his face and have the lion take over. So a lot of research and development went into having the most tools for the actors to have in order to express that animal,” Reilly said.
He says the majority of the masks in the show are lightweight, coming in at less than a pound.
That, mixed with the rest of the costumes, lighting, and set pieces all come together for that epic animal procession to start the show.
It’s something Eric Bean, Jr. who covers a number of roles in the show, says touches everyone.
“Seeing how people react when they see a giant elephant walk next to them is mind blowing. I have literally seen grown men weep,” he said laughing.
“It takes so much and we really look forward to telling and sharing that story every day with everybody who walks in through these doors,” said Thembelihle Cele, who plays Nala.
Both Cele and Bean are local to Las Vegas.
When the The Lion King was last in Las Vegas, it was a pretty monumental year for Bean.
“That marked the one year anniversary of us doing the show and it’s also when I bought my house here in Vegas so it was like a beautiful moment for me all around,” he said.
That was seven years ago.
Donning the iconic costumes and performing the choreography was not something that was initially a part of his plan.
“I was thinking maybe I’ll become a dancer for Alvin Ailey or a major contemporary company over in Europe,” he said.
A friend invited him to check out the show, which happened to be playing in Las Vegas, and it opened his mind to the possibility of joining the cast.
Several years later, he was presented with an opportunity to audition and the rest is history.
“Take those dance classes. Take those voice classes. Take that acting class. We live in Vegas. Take a silks class. Cirque is here for you. Use those opportunities to further your craft and further you reach across the country and the world,” Bean said.
Cele has lived in Las Vegas for a couple of years.
Her journey with The Lion King started with her skipping class in her native South Africa to go to the movies with a friend.
“We saw a banner and [the audition] was happening that exact same day. We walked in, and we filled out the paperwork, did the headshots, mugshot style, and were literally in front of the casting team and the rest is history,” she said.
For those not looking to be on the stage, Reilly says there’s a place for those individuals too.
“One of the great things about puppets, it’s an all ages thing. As a young person, obviously you don’t have the materials that we have here at The Lion King, but you have a slinky. You have paper. You have feathers you can get very cheaply at Michaels or wherever. You can have access to puppets pretty much right away, even at a young age,” he said.
