Aaron Nelson Will Roar into The Lion King as Broadway’s New Simba

Newcomer Aaron Nelson just can’t wait to be king. Nelson makes his Broadway debut on August 27 as Simba in Disney’s Tony-winning hit The Lion King. Previous star, Andile Gumbi played his final performance as the playful prince on August 25. The Lion King continues to play at Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre.

A native of Chicago, Nelson’s regional credits include columbinus 2.0, Rent and Dreamgirls. He made his television debut as Kyle in NBC's Chicago Fire. He is the first Simba since Jason Raize created the role in 1997 to join the Broadway production without having previously appeared in another Lion King company.

Based on the popular Disney film, The Lion King opened on Broadway on November 13, 1997, and won six 1998 Tony Awards in 1998, including Best Musical. The show has spawned 19 productions worldwide and has been translated into seven different languages. The Lion King reigns supreme as the fifth longest-running show and the highest grossing show in Broadway history.

Nelson joins current cast members Alton Fitzgerald White as Mufasa, Chantel Riley as Nala, Gareth Saxe as Scar, Buyi Zama as Rafiki, Jeff Binder as Zazu, Ben Jeffrey as Pumbaa and Fred Berman as Timon.