COURTESY PHOTO Mufasa, Simba and the rest of "Disney's the Lion King" characters will be here through Dec. 9.

‘Lion King’ extends run

The King of Beasts will be staying in Honolulu a little longer.

Due to "outstanding turnout and demand," the Blaisdell Concert Hall run of "Disney's the Lion King" has been extended through Dec. 9, Mayor Mufi Hannemann announced yesterday.

Individual tickets for the new shows go on sale at 9 a.m. June 16 at the Blaisdell Center box office and Ticketmaster outlets. (Group sales of 20 or more, and entertainment packages arranged through sponsor Outrigger Hotels and Resorts, can be purchased now. Call 591-2211.)

Prices are $30 to $150.

Jack Lucas, the show's tour promoter and president of WestCoast Entertainment, said that 85 percent of the tickets for the first six weeks of "Lion King's" original run have already been sold.

Dates for the extended run had been tentatively blocked out, so no other concerts were booked at the concert hall for that period, said Sidney Quintal, director of the City Department of Enterprise Services.

Lucas said the now-13 week run of "Lion King" could have a $40-million impact in Honolulu.