'As much as I love 'The Lion King' myself, I am most looking forward to watching the expression of wonder and joy on my little one's face throughout the spectacular show. It's one of the most extraordinary theatrical experiences a child could have,' she said. I can't wait to share the magic of this production with my 8-year-old. They finalized her adoption a few years later. It's a special day for the family - 11 years ago is when Gutierrez's oldest daughter came to live with them. Megan Gutierrez, who runs a local Utah Theater Lovers group, is surprising her two kids, ages 21 and 8, later this month. That experience opened McCormick's children's eyes to the world of theater, and they have attended several other shows since. 'I have seen 'The Lion King' a few more times on Broadway since then, but the show when I brought my children was my favorite experience when I was able to see the excitement and awe in their eyes.' 'They were completely shocked and blown away on how close the animals were to our seats,' McCormick said.

*Spoiler alert – these are the perfect seats for children, as birds, giraffes and even a giant elephant came marching down the aisle toward the stage. McCormick, however, took a chance and bought tickets to sit right on the aisle in the orchestra section at the Capitol Theater. 'I asked them if they wanted to go and they didn't seem very excited about it, since they knew it had live actors and was not animated,' he said. Leo McCormick's children (ages 12 and 10 at the time) had never attended live theater.

The musical had just won six Tony Awards, including best musical. The show was a smash hit when it came through Salt Lake City on its first national tour in August of 2010. It's a spectacular theater experience for any age, but for many parents across the globe, 'The Lion King' has been the perfect show to introduce their children to Broadway.

The bellowed Disney classic has returned, on its North American tour, to the Eccles Theatre through Oct. With innovative costumes and puppets, and beloved music by Elton John and Tim Rice, 'The Lion King' is now one of the longest-running Broadway shows (it opened in 1997). SALT LAKE CITY - 'The Lion King' is roaring back into town.

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