By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
April 20, 2003
Unlike most of the local theater scene, Derek Hasenstab had no clue “The Lion King” was casting in Chicago when he got a call to audition for the extravaganza. Actually, he didn’t know what the musical was about, much less the plot of the animated Disney film that inspired the production.
“Yup, I’m ‘The Lion King’ expert around here,” said Hasenstab, 32, laughing. “Got a question about it? Ask me.”
Hasenstab plays Zazu, a chatty hornbill who’s a trusted adviser to the lion king, Mufasa.
“The casting director came to Chicago two weeks before rehearsals were supposed to start,” said Hasenstab, an Andersonville resident. “She saw me in another production, called me up and asked if I wanted to audition. The first thing I did was rent the film.”
And like the other performers in the show–including 13 Chicagoans–he was told to forget what he had seen.
“I have kids so I saw the movie before,” said Jonathan Weir, 43, who is the standby for Mufasa’s duplicitous brother Scar, as well as the loyal warthog Pumbaa. “I stole from the past and threw in a little of Jeremy Irons [who voiced Scar in the film] in there. I listened to the Broadway cast’s recording of the show to get an idea of what they were looking for.
“I was surprised when I was told to lose it all. They wanted to know what we could bring to our roles rather than having us imitate our predecessors. It was one of the most refreshing things to hear.”
Weir, an Oak Park resident, wasn’t intimidated at his audition. Rather, he thought, “‘Why shouldn’t I be in this?’
“Honestly, I didn’t know if I’d get a role, so all I really wanted to do was get an audition,” he said. “I talked to my agent, and it was all good after that. From a musical theater standpoint, when you have shows like ‘Ragtime,’ ‘Showboat,’ ‘Aida’ and ‘The Lion King,’ it’s a huge deal.”
For South Sider Kelli David-Low, 29, getting a part in “The Lion King” was her introduction to theater.
“I’ve been onstage before doing concert dance roles, but nothing like this,” said David-Low, who plays one of the ensemble cheetahs. “It’s very exciting, and it’s very nice to be home. My husband is very happy that I won’t be on the road for a while.”
Fellow dancer Semhar Ghebremichael, 19, is a New Yorker whose sister prepped her for the Chicago experience.
“She was in ‘Aida’ when it was in Chicago, so I came here to see her,” Ghebremichael said. “She told me all the best places to go shopping. We have a lot of relatives in Lincolnwood, who are really excited about coming to the show.”
Getting to know their fellow cast members, like 11-year-old Chicagoan Maestro Harrell–who plays one of the young Simbas–is a good time for all, although Weir has a “complaint.”
“He has a bigger dressing room than me!” Weir said. Laughing, he added, “He deserves it. That kid is so talented.”
ROARING INTO TOWN
Here’s a who’s who of the Chicago performers in “The Lion King”:
Who: Melvin Abston
Role: Banzai
Who: Alexander V. Bass
Role: Young Simba
Who: Kelli David-Low
Role: Ensemble dancer
Who: Dejah Gomez
Role: Ensemble/Understudy for Nala
Who: Maestro Harrell
Role: Young Simba
Who: Kehinde B. Hart
Role: Ensemble/Understudy for Simba
Who: Derek Hasenstab
Role: Zazu
Who: Kenny Ingram
Role: Ensemble/Understudy for Banzai and Ed
Who: Ray Mercer
Role: Ensemble
Who: Kendra Moore
Role: Ensemble
Who: Geoff Myers
Role: Ensemble
Who: Jonathan Weir
Role: Standby for Scar and Pumbaa
Who: Larry Yando
Role: Scar
