If You Go
What: Disney’s The Lion King
Where: Chrysler Hall, Norfolk
When: Apr 30 – May 17 2026
Cost: $53-$166
Details: Seven Venues
David D’Lancy Wilson rolled into Norfolk at 2:00 a.m. earlier this week, and it was an arrival that has long been anticipated by local fans of Disney’s “The Lion King.” The actor who plays Mufasa in the Broadway in Norfolk production is equal parts father, husband and, for the time being, reigning King of the Pride Lands.
In a recent chat with VisitNorfolk, Wilson recalled his journey from aspiring actor to holder of one of Broadway’s most coveted roles.
The Call of Destiny
Wilson’s journey to The Lion King reads something like a script itself. The two-year odyssey began in his hometown of Toronto while he was performing in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. But his journey to the stage at Chrysler Hall experienced a few bumps along the way.
Wilson recalls a specific audition callback where the pressure of the situation caused him to falter. “I was stuttering, I was messing up,” he says. After a moment of grace from the directors, he called his wife, Shannon, who was then pregnant with their son. “I told her, ‘I’m messing up.’ But she’s always been my staunchest supporter. You have to be, to travel the U.S. with two kids while Dad is at work screaming at a lion.”
He went back in, knocked it out of the park, and the “Circle of Life” truly began: technical rehearsals began the same week his son was born. Which is to say, he got two big jobs at the same time.
Life Imitating Art
On stage, Wilson’s role is part king, part wise parent, mirroring his real life. This realism is what gives his performance its heart and soul. He recalls a moment in Chicago when he had to explain the death of a family friend to his three-year-old.
“Why is Mommy crying?” his son had asked.
“I had to explain safely… even if they’re gone, they’ll always be with you,” Wilson says. “It’s a question of does life imitate art or just art imitate life? What I do know is that when these moments happen, it can truly unlock something beautiful.”
The Power of the Mask
One of the most fascinating insights Wilson shared was the technical mastery of the Mufasa mask. The audience sees stunning puppetry, but behind the mask, Wilson sees an extension of his own soul.
“The mask acts as a spotlight,” he explains. “Anywhere I look, I’m casting power or casting light on that area.”
The mask is also a tool for psychological storytelling. Wilson notes that while the mask drops into a “battle mode” like a football visor during fights, it stays up during the emotional rescue of Simba from the hyenas.
“It’s a gesture,” Wilson observes. “Your bark has to be more intimidating than your bite.”
In his role of Mufasa, he sees his role as a fierce protector who always puts being a father first.
After 20 months on the road, it would be easy to be desensitized by the performance, but Wilson still finds himself moved to tears by the moment Simba finally steps into his destiny.
“All of a sudden, it goes from darkness to a starry night to a flash of light, and the ensemble is singing and dancing. It chokes me up every time, including now.”
Disney’s “The Lion King” opens at Chrysler Hall April 30 and runs through May 17.
