The longest-running Rafiki in Broadway historical past takes her closing bow after 2 many years

For over 20 years, Tshidi Manye stood on the stage as Rafiki, workers in hand, voice hovering by way of the rafters as she welcomed the viewers into the world of The Lion King.

On Sunday night time, after over 9,000 performances, the longest-running Rafiki in Broadway historical past took her closing bow. 

The Broadway manufacturing of The Lion King, based mostly on Disney’s 1994 animated movie, tells the story of Simba — a younger lion who should come to phrases with loss, id and management to reclaim his place as king. Now the third longest-running present in Broadway historical past, the stage model dazzles with almost 200 puppets, 51 performers and a cascade of elaborate costumes. 

But amid the spectacle, it is Rafiki — portrayed by Manye — who connects straight with the viewers. She opens the present with the highly effective Circle of Life, saying Simba’s delivery to the animal kingdom. While the unique movie featured a male Rafiki, director Julie Taymor reworked the function right into a feminine shaman for the stage. 

For Manye, now in her early 60s, taking part in Rafiki was greater than a job — it was a calling. She infused every efficiency with objective and handled each present as an immersive expertise for the viewers. 

“It was something that I told myself when I first took over the role of Rafiki, that I wasn’t gonna see the audience as the audience,” Manye advised As It Happens host Nil Köksal. “I was gonna see the audience as the community in this whole Pride Land, them coming to celebrate the king with us.”

Becoming Rafiki 

Manye’s path to The Lion King stage was removed from easy. Raised in Johannesburg by her father after her mother and father divorced, she was the youngest of 9 siblings and grew up surrounded by gospel, jazz and reggae music. In her late teenagers, she moved to Durban, South Africa, to reside along with her mom, a playwright — an expertise that might subtly form her creative future. 

Her first two auditions for The Lion King in Johannesburg throughout the Nineties resulted in rejection, and she or he wasn’t forged both time. The third time, she did not even plan to go, however destiny had different plans. 

At 7 a.m., a colleague knocked on her door — to not invite her to a brand new audition, however to the callback for one she hadn’t even attended. Discouraged by earlier rejections, she had skipped the preliminary spherical. The callback was scheduled for 10 a.m.

Begrudgingly, she went — and this time made it by way of a number of rounds of auditions. Still, it could be over a 12 months earlier than she heard again. 

When she did, it was by way of her mom, who referred to as to inform her any person was in search of her. The name turned out to be life-changing: Manye had been forged within the Toronto manufacturing of The Lion King. 

“I jumped,” mentioned Manye. “It was like this dark veil that was covering my face has just been lifted.” 

Initially employed for the ensemble, Manye by no means imagined she’d really make it on stage in a number one function. Then in the future, the stage supervisor advised her the lead Rafiki was out and the primary and second understudies had been unavailable. 

“So, you’re gonna be on for Rafiki today,” Manye recalled the stage supervisor telling her.

She was instantly thrown into rehearsal.

“Oh my God, all the kind of butterflies you can get, good and bad ones, were just rushing all over my body,” she mentioned.

Despite considering the viewers could be “booing” her from nerves, Manye delivered a efficiency that modified her profession trajectory. She was promoted to first understudy and by no means seemed again.

Lasting legacy 

Since then, Manye has carried out for over 20 years as Rafiki on Broadway. Over the years, she grew to become the present’s religious anchor, infusing her performances with cultural satisfaction and ancestral reverence.

She says she drew inspiration from three of her kin who’re Sangomas — conventional Southern African healers who function religious guides and join the residing to their ancestors.

“They all have different ways of channeling their ancestors, and when I do my role as Rafiki, I pick one of them and figure out which one do I want to be today,” mentioned Manye.

She additionally introduced linguistic authenticity to the present, performing in English, Zulu, Sotho, Xhosa, Pedi, Tswana, Ndebele, and a few Shangaan. 

Manye says the present additionally gave her a lot in return — monetary stability, psychological peace and a constant life rhythm. She’s been capable of ship cash house and assist put her nieces and nephews by way of faculty. 

But after a few years on stage, she started feeling the toll of arthritis in her knees — a mild signal, she mentioned, that it was time to step away and deal with her well being. 

“I’m so grateful,” Manye mentioned. “Words cannot even express what Lion King has done to me.”