Cast of Broadway’s “The Lion King” gathers together to help Shannon Tavarez

Jim Hill

14 years ago

The stage version of Disney’s “The Lion King” has been in the news a lot lately. What with Disney Theatrical making some trims to the New York production (Which is kind of ironic. Given that one of the songs that got cut – “The Morning Report” – was actually added to the “Lion King” film when the IMAX version was released to theaters back in December of 2002). Not to mention last Friday, when cast members from the Las Vegas company of “Lion King” made an appearance at The Grove in Los Angeles. Where Kissy Simmons, Buyi Zama and Jelani Remy performed numbers from this Tony Award-winner.

And I could go on to tell you about how “The Lion King” was prominently featured in the June 14^th edition of “The Bachelorette.” Where the seven bachelors who were wooing Ali Fedotowsky at that point got on stage at the Minskoff Theatre and then auditioned for this acclaimed stage show. All with the hope that Thomas Schumacher (i.e. the president and producer of Disney Theatrical Productions) would select them to make their Broadway debut with Ali in that night’s performance.

Thomas Schumacher (R) chats with Roberto and Ali Fedotowsky on the stage of the Minskoff Theatre.
Photo by Heidi Gutman. Copyright 2010 American Broadcasting Company, Inc. All rights reserved

Or I could talk about how the New York company replaced a lot of its principals recently. With Gareth Saxe joining this landmark Broadway musical event as the evil, power-hungry Scar, Alton Fitzgerald White as Mufasa, Cameron Pow as Zazu, Ben Jeffrey as Pumbaa, Fred Berman as Timon and Chaunteé Schuler as Nala. Which has really re-energized this show.

But instead of talking about those “Lion King” –related stories, I’d like to direct your attention to an event that’s being held at the Minskoff Theatre next Friday. Where the entire Broadway community is coming together to try and find a bone marrow donor for Shannon Tavarez.

“And who’s Shannon Tavarez?,” you ask. Shannon is a beautiful & talented 11 year-old girl who hails from Queens. Who — when she’s not attending fifth grade at Public Scholl 176 – plays Young Nala for four performances a week in Disney’s “The Lion King.”

Or at least that’s what TavArez used to do. But back in April, Shannon was diagnosed with Acute Leukemia. Nowadays , Shannon lives at Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children's Medical Center in Long Island where she receives daily chemotherapy treatments. And a bone marrow transplant from a stranger may be her only chance for survival.

And with the hope that they actually might be able to find this stranger that could save Tavarez’s life, the cast of “The Lion King” – along with Disney Theatrical, DKMS along with Shannon’s family & friends – are holding a bone marrow donor drive at the Minskoff Theatre on Friday, July 23^rd from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Mind you, if you’re not able to attend next Friday’s event, DKMAS America will be also be holding a bone marrow donor drive for Tavarez this Sunday at St. Malachy's – The Actors' Chapel in the Theater District from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

But if you’d like to actually meet the cast and crew of “The Lion King” as well as help a very worthy cause, please come on out to 200 West 45^th Street next Friday and sign up for the national bone marrow registry.

And if you can’t make it into the City for either of these events but would still like to help out, you can donate directly to DKMS America and help defray the cost of searching for a donor for Shannon Tavarez by clicking here.

Don’t worry. Tomorrow, JHM will get back to its usual assortment of stories. In fact, I’m already at work on a new Why For column for the site. But today, I was hoping I could direct your attention to this extremely worthwhile cause.

Your thoughts?