The Lion King to Welcome Four New Cubs as Young Simba and Nala

Four new cast members are about to step into the sun in Broadway’s The Lion King. From December 5, Ezekiel Kekuna and Albert Rhodes Jr. will share the role of Young Simba, while Annika Franklin and Nia Thompson share the role of Young Nala. All four new cast members are making their Broadway debuts.

Kekuna and Rhodes will replace Donovan Louis Bazemore and Davis Matthews, while Franklin and Thompson take over from Ava Hailey Harris and Jillian Page Platero. The outgoing cubs will roar their last roars on December 3.

The cast of The Lion King on Broadway features Vincent Jamal Hooper as Simba, Pearl Khwezi as Nala, Stephen Carlile as Scar, L. Steven Taylor as Mufasa, Tshidi Manye as Rafiki, Nick LaMedica as Zazu, Ben Jeffrey as Pumba, Fred Berman as Timon, James Brown-Orleans as Bonzai, Bonita J. Hamilton as Shenzi and Robb Sapp as Ed.

The Lion King celebrated its 26th year on Broadway on November 13.