The Lion King’s Forest VanDyke: Bringing the Mischief of Banzai to Life at the Hippodrome Theater

By Frankie Kujawa
Roaring back into Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theater through Sunday, March 2nd, Disney’s The Lion King captivates audiences once again. Forest VanDyke, who brings the mischievous hyena Banzai to life, recently sat down to discuss his role, the excitement of the upcoming production, and the personal insights he's gained while traveling with the national tour.

Frankie Kujawa: What do you hope audiences take away from the performance of The Lion King?
Forest VanDyke: I hope they’re inspired to look within themselves. It’s basically the hero’s journey. So, Simba leaves, he finds out who he is and he proclaims who that is. So, I hope [audiences] find inner strength. Actually, I hope that they’re inspired to create something. There are so many amazing puppets, dance moves and songs. So, I hope [audiences] are inspired to go and create. I hope they’re inspired to support each other, as well. Simba couldn’t do what he does without the help of his friends. So those are three things that I hope audiences leave with after the show. 

Frankie Kujawa: Can you tell readers a little about your role as Banzai?
Forest VanDyke: Banzai (laughs) is a wild character – as are all the hyenas.  If Shenzi is ‘the smarts,’ and Ed is ‘the comic relief,’ then Banzai is ‘the muscle.’ So, he makes sure that things get done.  He’s obsessed with food. He loves a good joke. He loves to just go crazy.  I just love playing him because I can kind of get away with whatever I want to do on stage and do things that I wouldn’t normally be able to do in regular everyday life. It’s the most physical role that I have ever had to do. It’s the most vocally demanding, but it’s the most fun I’ve ever had before. 

Photo by: Joan Marcus

Frankie Kujawa: How did you prepare for this role?
Forest VanDyke: The rehearsal process was about a month long.  That involved stage work and book work with our Resident Director Keith Bennett. [Bennett] actually played Banzai for twenty years. It was invaluable to have him in the room to encourage me to make Banzai my own. It also involved me getting a personal trainer (laughs) a month before because I heard how physically demanding the role was going to be.  So, strengthening my core and making sure that I brushed up on my voice lessons, as well.  I wanted to make sure I had proper support because we’re bent over for 100% of the show.  But I also was looking at the animated feature to get inspiration from the original film. I also examined videos from National Geographic to see how hyenas look and move. Looking at how hyenas call each other and what their different calls mean.  I also watched how hyenas act in a pack.  So, putting all of that into a ‘soup’ so I could create my own version of Banzai. That’s what that process for me looked like. 

Photo by: Matthew Murphy

Frankie Kujawa: Why do you think The Lion King is such a beloved Disney favorite?
Forest VanDyke: I think the themes are timeless.  It speaks to remembering who you are, your connection to your loved ones – whether they be familial or not.  It is a journey that everyone goes on – whether they’re conscious of it or not.  Having to realize who we are in order to make it through those things and to really own that [realization] and reclaim who we are.  I feel like I have made that journey, and I continue to do so. I’m much more aware of it now.  But, also, coming back to see the show and to be reminded of the times you saw it the first time in theater. People getting choked up during ‘The Circle of Life’ or people bringing their nieces and nephews and having them watch as they go through the same process of being inspired. I think that’s why people keep coming back because there’s always something to see and learn. There’s always something new each time you see it. 

Frankie Kujawa: What is something that would surprise audiences about this production?
Forest VanDyke: If you’ve seen the animated feature then you know it’s very beloved.  But the way that the puppets and costumes become very immersive, the audience will find that they will be pulled into the performance in way that they didn’t expect. Even me describing it doesn’t do it great justice.  Audiences are swept up into a world that [Costume Designer] Julie Taymor created that is like no other. It is magical, fantastical, huge and immense. It is also very intimate, as well.  So, [audiences] are drawn in and get the best of both worlds – the hugeness of the spectacle and immense heart. 

​Frankie Kujawa: What is one thing that you have learned about yourself while on this tour?
Forest VanDyke: What a great question!  I have learned to care for ‘Forest’ better. Asking myself, ‘What does Forest actually need?’ and ‘What does Forest actually enjoy?’ or ‘What does stability look like for Forest?’  So, it’s caused me to care for myself in very specific ways. So, because we have a show every night, or maybe two shows in a day, I put together my ‘Forest-time’ which is non-negotiable for me every day.  Which, for me, is getting up and writing in my journal, going to the gym, meditating, reading my book, going to a coffee shop which I call ‘my office.’  It’s a time to re-center myself. I have learned how to love myself better, and I will also say that I have made some of the best friends that I’ve ever had before on this tour. So, I’ve also learned what friendship really means and what it can be.

For more information, please visit:   baltimore.broadway.com/shows/disneys-the-lion-king/