Jeffrey Kuhn Is The Lion King’s Latest Zazu; Tshidi Manye Returns as Rafiki

Disney’s Broadway blockbuster The Lion King is welcoming two stars: Jeffrey Kuhn makes his Pride Rock debut as the hornbilled bird Zazu, the advisor to the King, and Broadway’s longest-running Rafiki, Tshidi Manye, returns to the New York production after performing in the show's North American tour. The Lion King continues its run at the Minksoff Theatre.

Kuhn most recently appeared off-Broadway in Atlantic Theater Company’s 3 Kinds of Exile. His Broadway credits include The 39 Steps, Spamalot, Wicked, Assassins and Ragtime. Manye made her Broadway debut in The Lion King in 2004 and played Rafiki in the Toronto production and the North American tour. Her other stage credits include Sarafina, Daughter of Nebo and The Stick.

Based on the popular Disney film, The Lion King opened on Broadway on November 13, 1997, and won six 1998 Tony Awards, 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.