It was time to cash in the Christmas gift my sister and I had purchased for my parents.  Tickets to see “The Lion King” musical!  It was performed at the Bushnell Memorial Theater in Hartford.  The game plan was simple:  1.)  Grab dinner locally 2.)  1 hr drive to the show  3.)  Have a good time.  We decided to grab a bite to eat a the Longhorn Steakhouse, in Shelton.  It was my first time there, and it wasn’t too bad if I do say so myself.  My filet was OK, but what I really remember was the bread.  Yum!  It was warm whole grain honey wheat bread and it was damn good.   The restaurant itself exuded the type of ambiance you might expect from a traditional steakhouse.  It was a solid place.  Everyone seemed content after dinner, so that’s always a good sign.

We actually hit some traffic on the way to Hartford, and I must admit there was a moment when I thought we’d be late.  Fortunately, we arrived just on time.  Thank goodness for valet parking!  From parking attendant to our seats up in the balcony, it took maybe 10 minutes.  I don’t know how comfortable the seats were on the lower levels, but they were extremely cramped and awkward where we were.  I think all of our backs were sore by the time the intermission came around.  What did I think of the show itself? 

Here’s a review I stumbled upon that I think is on the money for me: 

This is show is what Broadway is all about. The acting, music and costumes are first rate. The first ten minutes sent chills up and down my spine.  My family was in awe from start to finish. It is a show we will never forget.

 As far as family outings go, this was a pretty good one.  Dinner, banter and a great show.  Not a bad way to spend a Friday night. 

Below are some photos from the evening:

View from our seats in the Balconey:

Smile for the camera:

Now, I didn’t take this photo…But Rafiki was my favorite character.  Amazing voice and musicality: