Disney hit musicals The Lion KIng (above) and Beauty and the Beast (below left) attracted a total audience of almost 450,000 to the Manchester Palace Theatre. The Lion KIng - which sold 300,00 tickets - recently completed a 19-week run following last year's hugely successful season of Beauty and the Beast.
Sacha Lord, night time economy adviser for Greater Manchester said: "The theatre industry is a vital part of Greater Manchester's night time economy and drives inbound tourism to the city centre on a phenomenal scale.
"These figures are testament to the wonderful talent on stage and behind the scenes in our theatres, and the desire for audiences to enjoy live entertainment. The Lion King was a fantastic asset to Greater Manchester and I'm particularly proud to hear that the production's decision to come north have been rewarded in such huge numbers."
Sheona Southern, managing director of marketing manchester said “ A major international show of this calibre and popularity helps deliver positive benefits to our hotels, restaurants, and attractions. Greater Manchester's events continues to grow from strength to strength."
Robin Hawkes, theatre director at Manchester Palace said: “With the record-breaking run of The Lion King, there can be no doubt that theatre is firmly back in Manchester! Given the original dates in 2020 were postponed when venues closed for the pandemic at a very dark time for our sector, the joy of seeing the Palace sold out night after night after night is all the sweeter still."