In contrast, puppeteers wore cheetah puppets around their waists. The performers showcased the wild cat’s quick and careful nature. The cheetahs took a different shape: slender and horizontal. Through blacklight puppetry, viewers saw how wild cats hunted.
Early on, Mufasa said that every creature played an important role. In spotlights, viewers saw a cheetah chase after its prey. The large cat cautiously stepped to stay hidden. The prey did not see the cat until it pounced. The musical repeated the same motif later. Pumbaa and Timon face a hungry lion. On a sheet, warthog and meerkat puppets ran from a lion. A second lion enters the picture and fights off the first. Through puppetry, the show taught vital lessons.
The meerkat sarcastically asked if he should do the Charleston. Slowly, he marched onto the prairie. In the blink of an eye, Timon wore the 1920s feather hat and a pink sparkly dress. With a funny jig, he encouraged the lions to eat him. Puppets contributed to serious moments as well.
A stampede of wildebeests trampled Mufasa. In the backdrop, shaded lines represented hills. Animal silhouettes on strings depicted the charge. The audience saw endless creatures running down.
After, young Simba lay beside Mufasa. Repeatedly, he asks “Dad?” The large, wooden sun beat down. It cast an intense, amber glow on the heartbreaking scene. Through blacklight puppets, the production conveyed the ecosystem’s importance.