Sure, Mufasa may reign on the stage of Disney’s “The Lion King,” but Michael Reilly is the master of all he surveys. As puppet supervisor for the touring company of “The Lion King” for 10 years, his kingdom is comprised of over 200 different types of puppets, with a dedicated crew of 49 to bring those animals to life.
“It’s a big job,” Reilly said. “We wear a lot of different hats in the puppet department because we’re part of both wardrobe and props.”
The tallest animals in the show are four 18-foot giraffes from “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King.” Two actors trained in stilt-walking climb 6-foot ladders to fit inside these puppets, mount stilts and enter stage left to cross the stage.
PLEASE LOG IN FOR PREMIUM CONTENT. Our website requires visitors to log in to view the best local news.
Not yet a subscriber? Subscribe today!
