JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Famed musical "The Lion King," an extension of Disney's award-winning animated film of the same name in 1994, will come to the South African stage in 2007 as part of its 10th anniversary celebrations.

The story follows the life and adventures of young Simba, a lion cub driven into exile after his father's death, his coming to terms with his responsibilities, and ultimately his return to his kingdom to overthrow his wicked uncle and take up his rightful role as king.

The South African production will feature a purely South African cast of 53 artists, the SAPA news agency reported on Wednesday. Countrywide casting is scheduled to begin in September and end early in 2007.

South African performers have been in every single production of "The Lion King," from the first show in New York to China, Britain, Canada, Japan, Australia, Germany, and Holland. It is soon to open in South Korea.

A song featured in the Lion King's film and stage version stirred a copyright war between Disney and a South African family two years ago.

Descendants of Solomon Linda, a Zulu musician who wrote the song "Mbube," which later became the pop hit "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" used in the Disney production, brought a lawsuit in 2004 in South Africa against the U.S. company for its use without paying royalties to them.

In February 2006, Linda's heirs reached a legal settlement with Disney with an undisclosed sum of money.

The musical will be performed in a 1,900-seater theater, the largest in South Africa, currently being built at a Johannesburg casino. Enditem