The gold standard for a successful transition from the pop world is Elton John, whose repurposed music for "The Lion King" film has helped make the stage version a global phenomenon.
Abdul Karim Khalaf, an Interior Ministry spokesman, said Wednesday that Lion's Roar was a preliminary security plan that set the stage for this week's Operation Mother of Two Springs.
"I think the authenticity and the raw African-ness of 'The Lion King' is a bigger selling point than any other product that has ever been on Broadway or on stage, done with a world-class quality approach, " says Lebo, who is determined to keep the show's feel authentically African by making sure that all international productions feature South African performing in them.