Andile Gumbi Takes the Throne as The Lion King’s New Simba

Broadway’s blockbuster musical The Lion King will welcome Andile Gumbi as the newest Simba on August 28. Though Gumbi is making his Broadway debut, he has played the role of Simba in four different countries and has been the face of The Lion King in advertisements throughout the world. The Lion King continues to play the Minskoff Theatre.

Gumbi has performed the role of Simba in London, Sydney, Melbourne, Shanghai and South Africa. A South African native, his other theatrical credits include Dance Through Me, Nkonyeni High and Ntsikana. His screen credits include Australian’s Good Friday Appeal and Carols By Candlelight.

Based on the popular Disney film, The Lion King opened on Broadway on November 13, 1997 at the New Amsterdam Theater, before transferring to the Minskoff in 2006. Now in its 15th year, the show has spawned 19 productions around the world and has been translated into seven different languages. The Lion King is the fifth longest-running show in Broadway history and won six Tony Awards in 1998 including Best Musical. Director Julie Taymor became the first woman in history to win the Tony for Best Direction of a Musical. 

The Lion King currently stars Alton Fitzgerald White as Mufasa, Patrick R. Brown as Scar, Tshidi Manye as Rafiki, Jeff Binder as Zazu, Ben Jeffrey as Pumbaa, Fred Berman as Timon and Syndee Winters as Nala.