From the opening note of “The Circle of Life” by the character of Rafiki, the Broadway Across America group performing “The Lion King” awed the students and faculty of Seward County Community College. Twenty-nine students and humanities faculty attended the Broadway Across America show in Wichita on Saturday, Sept. 9. The group consisted of Drama Club, Concert Band, Mixed Chorus, and Crusader newspaper students, as well as their sponsors and Humanities Secretary, Terri Barnes. Although the group sat in the very back of the Century II Concert Hall, that didn’t stop anyone from enjoying the highest grossing Broadway show of all time, according to guardian.co.uk., and being amazed by the impressive show. The musical lasted around two and a half hours, which is one hour more than the original movie version of “The Lion King.” Even though the show was so much longer than a regular film, many of the viewers were so interested in the musical that time felt much faster. There was also one 15-minute intermission halfway through the show. “The Lion King” musical was spectacular, from the unique and authentic African costumes, classic music from Elton John and Tim Rice, to the striking sets and the precise lighting. The stage was constantly filled with talented singers, dancers and actors, making the characters come alive. Major characters were Mufasa, Scar, Simba, Nala, Timon and Pumbaa. Other characters were Young Simba, Young Nala, Rafiki, Zazu, Sarabi, and the hyenas Shenzi, Banzai and Ed. One unexpected, yet slightly useful additional character was a live bird that flew around the auditorium during the second act. It was not a planned part of the show, but it went well with the theme and feeling of the musical, and surprisingly flew around at nearly cued times. Not only did the group watch the amazing musical, but we were also able to meet, interview, and get autographs from major characters afterward. For being such professional and great actors, I presumed that they might be rude or not wanting to talk to us. All of them were completely opposite of that, talking, laughing, and taking time to get to know who we were and where we were from. Overall, “The Lion King” was an amazing musical, and left me wanting to see it every night. It was entertaining, stayed true to the storyline and was an impressive show.