By Darlene Donloe
Contributing Writer
Talking to Gerald Ramsey is like talking to an old friend.
The hunky actor has a soothing voice and a calming personality that lends itself to a friendly conversation.
I recently caught up with Ramsey, 38, in Northern California, where he was in rehearsals for the upcoming four-week, long-awaited return of “The Lion King” to Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa.
“The Lion King” is considered the biggest musical to ever tour.
The show has more than 70 global theatrical awards, there are 200 puppets in the show, four 18-foot giraffe puppets used by stilt-walking actors, 700 lighting instruments used for the show’s lighting plot, there is an expanding Pride Rock which spans 8 to 18 feet, 49 cast members, five different indigenous African languages spoken in the show, and 134 people were tasked with the daily production of the tour.
I started the conversation with Ramsey, who has been playing the iconic role since 2015, by talking about how he came to play the popular Disney character.
On a dare, Ramsey went to a singer’s open call for the popular show.
“My friend dared me,” said the handsome actor who has played the iconic character Mufasa, in the show for the last eight years. “She said she’d buy me lunch.”
Growing up, he had seen the animated version, but that was it. He didn’t know what to expect.
“I didn’t know what a Broadway show or musical was,” he said taking a break from rehearsals. “I come from a working family. I was planning to teach. I could retire and have a pension and retirement fund.”
As luck would have it, Ramsey got a callback.
“It was a singer’s callback,” said Ramsey, a Polynesian dancer at the time. “I took my guitar to the audition. They wanted to hear soul and R&B. So, I sang Donnie Hathaway’s “For All We Know.”
It was a full year before he got a call saying there were no current openings. They said they would keep him in mind. Eventually, he was offered the role of Mufasa in the touring company.
“I wasn’t sure what being on tour meant,” said Ramsey, an imposing figure in life and on stage. “At the time, I was doing my master’s program. I was one year in. I’m still one year in. I haven’t been back — but I will.”
Ramsey agreed to answer more questions about “The Lion King” and his career.
DD: What is at the heart of “The Lion King?”
GR: Culture. It’s what sets it apart. Zulu, South African. It creates this spirit and heart that I think speaks to everybody. We all came from Africa. It’s in our bones. When Rafiki sings out in a language, you can still understand him.
DD: This show has been such a touchstone for so long. Why do you think it still impacts audiences?
GR: You can hear it when the show is going on. It speaks to you, depending on where you are in your life. Men relate more to Mufasa. As a woman, they relate to Nala. It has changed for me since I’ve been on the road. I think I was trying to imitate James Earl Jones. Through my South African co-stars, I’ve learned to accept who I am and be true to myself. I can bring my grandparents with me.
DD: How has your approach to the role changed over the years, or has it?
GR: Absolutely. Initially, I was a lot more unsure of myself. Even the way he walks. Now I’m secure. I used to yell to prove he was powerful. You don’t have to yell.
DD: What do you like about what you do?
GR: It feels unbelievable. I had to battle imposter syndrome. I feel like I don’t belong here. I sit and talk to the South Africans and they say the same thing. I watch them and I realize they are where they are supposed to be. I’d like to see more Pacific Islanders on stage.
DD: What is your strength as an actor?
GR: It’s a challenge. I try my best not to carry the emotional weight of the story when I leave the theater. Even though loved ones pass on, they live in you. The culture I come from, we embrace it.
DD: In what way?
GR: Death. It’s accepted. When you’re young, they don’t shield you. In Samoa, we stop by the graves and talk to them as if they are still alive. We talk in the present tense, not the past tense. We never stop talking about them. When you have a child, you name them after loved ones.
DD: What, if anything, have you learned about yourself since taking on the role?
GR: In Samoa, you’re not a grown man until you are married. I am a man. It wasn’t anyone telling me that, I was telling myself the same on stage. I had these self-doubts about the stage. The biggest thing is a fear of failure. It’s like death.
DD: What does acting do for you?
GR: I grew up stuttering and very shy. Acting allowed me to play a strong, confident character. Suddenly I walk and speak confidently. I’m glad I’m playing a beloved character.
DD: How do you prepare to be Mufasa each performance?
GR: Piece by piece. About 30 minutes before curtain, I’m in the makeup chair. You put on the costume and when they are all together, you can’t go back to being you. I’m Mufasa.
DD: What is it about theater?
GR: I wasn’t sure until everything shut down during the pandemic. Collectively, the whole world realized how important it is to connect face-to-face. We pass down our stories in singing and dancing and sharing around the dinner table. The theater is live storytelling. There’s no barrier, no filter.
DD: You were a Polynesian dancer in Hawaii back in the day. Polynesians are storytellers who sing and dance. How does that help you, if at all, with this show?
GR: Sharing our stories and preserving our history is part of our culture. It’s in our bones.
DD: How often are you touring? What do you like and not like about it?
GR: The hardest is being away from family. You miss milestones and events. We do eight shows a week. It’s taxing. We tour for 12 months. We have Mondays off and travel days between cities.
DD: Talk about balancing yourself between touring and your home life.
GR: Touring becomes your whole life. Every day I Face-time with my sisters, parents, nephews and nieces. I find things to do outside the show. I like eating and I like the gym.
DD: What would you attempt if you knew you couldn’t fail?
GR: It sounds wild but I would be a background singer for John Legend. I’d move to Europe and work in theater.
DD: What do you know for sure?
GR: Nothing lasts forever. Nothing good or bad lasts forever. When I’m having a hard time on the road, I realize that good times are coming. It makes me more brave. The Lion King isn’t going to last forever. I won’t be Mufasa forever.
“The Lion King” is being staged at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714-556-2787. Showtimes are Tuesdays through Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 1 and 6:30 p.m.
Darlene Donloe is a freelance reporter for Wave Newspapers who covers South Los Angeles. She can be reached at ddonloe@gmail.com.
