Lead photo: Cheetah and Giraffes with the sun in the background | Photo by Joan Marcus and courtesy of Disney

Since its debut in 1997, more than 114 million people have experienced the awe-inspiring artistry of Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway. The musical has won six Tony Awards, is Broadway’s third-longest running show in history, and is the highest-grossing Broadway production of all time. From the iconic first notes of “Circle of Life,” to the song’s reprise at the end of the final act, every element of the show — moving sets, puppets, dancers, actors, and the crew behind the scenes — must work together with precision.

To celebrate The Lion King’s latest North American Tour, Entertainment Engineering spoke with Head Carpenter Kyle Techentin at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre about what goes into running this iconic and beloved show, and the technology that helps make it happen. 

Managing 23 Axes of Motion

As the Head Carpenter, Kyle Techentin manages the setup, takedown, and ongoing maintenance of the show. “We start with a blank canvas,” he said. “The stage, lighting, hardware — all of it is ours.” The show never stops, so the production owns duplicate sets: one for the current city, and one that travels to the next location on the tour. “If something breaks,” Techentin explained, “we send it to the upcoming city to be maintenanced, so that it’s ready for the next stop.” This strategy helps keep the tour running continuously without unforeseen breaks. 

The Lion King musical has gone on multiple tours since its inception, with slightly different set configurations evolving over time to suit the needs of the locations it visits. The show is currently touring North America on their Rafiki Tour; the tour is open-ended, with cities currently announced through the end of September 2026. “There was actually more automation in the Gazelle Tour,” Techentin said, referring to the previous tour. “We cut the set down by about four feet to be able to fit it into smaller theaters.” This resulted in more manual set pieces and fewer electronically-operated elements — but there are still plenty of ways that technology fits into the show. 

The production itself has 23 axes of motion. “Anything that moves is considered its own axis,” Techentin explained. Pride Rock — a motorized staircase that travels across the stage on a track circuit system — is considered one axis of motion. The grasses — props with wooden bases that also move across the stage on the track — are another. The diaphanous fabric sun is its own axis, too. 

“There can be up to thirty-six actors onstage at a time, and many of the costumes greatly hinder the actor’s ability to see,” Techentin said, emphasizing the importance that everything runs according to plan. All axes must move with precision and reliability to ensure a safe environment for the actors and crew — and an unforgettable experience for the audience. 

Motion Control

Pride Rock is perhaps the most iconic and recognizable part of the set, traveling out from the wings and turning in slow circles while the actors move through a scene. Its path is operated by a circuit track system in the stage that incorporates pneumatic switching units and eleven magnetic sensors. Inside Pride Rock, there’s a battery powered friction drive that controls its speed and timing as it moves along the track. A top-down camera allows a stage manager to monitor its progress in relation to the actors onstage. 

Entertainment Engineering also got an inside look at the mechanical wildebeest “herd” that is used to indicate the fateful stampede scene toward the end of Act I. As Simba runs from the stampede of wildebeest, there are three visual elements used to create a sense of depth onstage. 

First, in the background, a piece of fabric painted with tiny wildebeest rotates on a wheel to give the illusion of the herd running toward the audience from a distance. Then, in the middle ground, is a motor driven “herd,” which consists of multiple wooden wildebeests mounted on rotating arms. If there’s an error, the crew can flip a switch to “kill the beast” and operate it manually. Finally, in the foreground, actors in large wildebeest masks crowd the stage. It’s an intense moment in Simba’s journey — but it’s also an intense part of the musical for the crew due to the various set axes happening simultaneously. 

This combination of set design, motorized components, and actors all add to the grand scope of one of the most pivotal and emotional scenes in the musical. 

How it All Comes Together

It takes about 120 people — including actors and behind-the-scenes crew — with a minimum of three stage managers (there are five on staff) to run the show on any given night. Techentin manages many of the moving parts at his onsite automation desk that incorporates a Blackmagic Design control system and software used to monitor all of the set axes. The backstage support crew stays in touch using a professional-grade, multi-channel intercom system from ClearCom, known for their complete connectivity and effortless scaleability. Techentin relies primarily on Hudson Scenic for much of the motion control and automation components, including custom jobs when required. “They get us whatever we need,” Techentin said. 

When watching Disney’s The Lion King Musical, it’s easy to get swept away in the incredible set designs, puppets, costumes, and superb acting. The technology might be subtle, but the seamlessness is intentional. From friction drive motors, to all-LED lighting, to CO2 “geysers,” and more, all the components — and the crewmembers who operate those components — are an essential part of the magic. 

The result? A truly unforgettable experience. 

For more information: 

Disney’s The Lion King Musical

Seattle Theatre Group / Broadway at the Paramount Theatre

Blackmagic

Clear-Com

Hudson Scenic Studio