I’m guessing Mandalay Bay and MGM/Mirage aren’t exactly singing “Hakuna Matata” with regard to the opening The Lion King. Surely worries abound that the long-awaited opening of the Broadway musical adaptation of Disney’s 1994 animated megahit won’t attract the needed bodies and dollars to justify the investment. But if there was ever a four-quadrant-demographic production for the Strip, one best primed to endure an atmosphere financial uncertainty, this is it, and the bonus is that it’s really good.

I’m no theater critic — you’ll have to read the May 21 edition of CityLife to get writer David McKee’s professional take on the musical — nor am I an expert on Broadway or even the business of Strip production shows. But it would seem to me The Lion King is a near slam-dunk for Mandalay Bay and Las Vegas. From a marketing perspective, it’s a natural for parents who want to take their kids to a show. Younger adults might flock to it due to their familiarity with either the Tony-winning stage production and/or the movie. And women, who drive much of the show ticket sales — if the multi-year successes of Mamma Mia (the show previously staged in the theater now hosting The Lion King) and Menopause: The Musical are any indication — might prefer its more recognizable emotional resonance to, say, the otherwise entertaining The Jersey Boys or more whimsical Cirque du Soliel oeuvre.

But, aesthetically speaking, The Lion King has no equal on The Strip. It’s gorgeous, bright, ambitiously staged, artfully realized and wholly transporting. It has a compelling, fluid narrative unobstructed by subplots, unafraid of its darker elements and hampered only during a couple of stretched-out segments. Rarely is a groaner line uttered, and the wit and inside jokes weren’t bad, either. (Maybe trim a fart joke or two, though.) The acting is solid, even flat-out brilliant with regards to Thom Sesma, who vamps it up as villain Scar, and Buyi Zama, the ebullient force behind sage/witch doctor Rafiki. Barring a few underwritten, production-only numbers that serve merely as musical exposition, the songs and instrumentation are well done. And, best of all, the use of puppets, marionettes and stilts is as skilled as their conceptualization is inspired. I’m tough to impress when it comes to Strip shows, and The Lion King isn’t flawless, but I was nonetheless impressed.

It more than ably replaces its predecessor. Mamma Mia was artless, overly sentimental tripe plagued by atrocious dialogue, unlikable characters and a story that, frankly, wasn’t really advanced by the ABBA songs (the show’s main conceit and marketing tool). That said, it appealed to a huge audience. And it set a benchmark for stage shows here. If Broadway expects to thrive in Las Vegas — and we all know that survival has been tenuous at best, given its spotty track record (Hairspray, Avenue Q) over the past 10 years — The Lion King needs to overcome the shadow of Mamma Mia, and stick around for a few years. For the sake of having more tasteful, creatively pleasing entertainment on the Strip, let’s hope visitors and locals take a chance on it.