Respect Life: "The Circle of Life"

One spring morning in 1998, my wife and I got up early and went down to 42nd St. and bought standing room to see this show, just a few weeks after it opened on Broadway.  We wanted to see what all the fuss was about.   Was it really that good?

Well, yeah. And then some.

The music began, the animals entered, and my jaw just dropped open.  I didn’t stop grinning for the next five minutes.   There was a grandfather with his family standing next to us, and he was in tears.   You could barely hear the music, because it seemed like everyone in the theater was screaming and applauding and cheering during the entire opening number.  It was something I’ll never forget.

So, for Respect Life Sunday, here is a thrilling celebration of life, imagination, and ingenious storytelling: “The Circle of Life” from Disney’s “The Lion King” on the 1998 Tony Awards.