The subway is probably the last place you'd expect to find lions, baboons and hyenas, even though in New York, anything is possible. However, unsuspecting subway riders were recently transported to the African savannah. Well, sort of.
When cast members from Broadway's "The Lion King" boarded a subway car in between shows on June 28, 2014, they treated riders to an impromptu version of the musical's opening number, "Circle of Life." In the tradition of a flash mob, cast members dressed as regular commuters, not in their awe-inspiring costumes from the production. They did as regular New Yorkers do on the subway: read a book, listen to music, try to avoid eye contact with everyone at all cost. And then the music came.
The actress taking on the role of wise baboon Rafiki burst into that always-jolting opening note for "Circle of Life" (you know the one), which basically scared everyone on the subway to death and took them out of their trance of boredom. The rest of the ensemble joined in with their lovely harmonies to give a very memorable performance of the beloved Disney tune.
Unfortunately, it didn't really seem like the subway riders appreciated the gesture. Most of the people on the train were not amused and continued to stare at their phones, read the newspaper or stare off into space. You have to try a lot harder than that to faze New Yorkers, "Lion King." Oh well. At least this little gem will live on forever on YouTube.
Public transportation is always a popular venue for people to wreak havoc on commuters or brighten their day, depending on how you look at it. Hundreds of dancers performed "The Sound of Music"'s "Do Re Mi" in a train station in Antwerp back in 2009. The Copenhagen Philharmonic brought its symphonic stylings to the Danish city's metro in 2012. Most recently, Improv Everywhere, a group that has played tons of pranks on cities since 2001, turned the 34th Street station into a spa, inspired by its sauna-like temperature.
Whether you love them or hate them, with their unexpected yet entertaining nature, flash mobs remind us all to have an "Hakuna matata" attitude toward life.
