Julie Taymor’s The Lion King boasts the most spectacular, most joyous opening scene in musical theater history – and the rest of the show is just as good.

The Lion King plays through Sunday, Nov. 8, at San Diego Civic Theatre.

Based on the Disney film – but much better – this is the familiar story of young lion Simba (played on opening night by Chaz Marcus Fleming) and his preparation to assume leadership of the pride (in due time), helped by dad Mufasa (Dionne Randolph) and mom Sarabi (LaShanda Reese-Fletcher).

It’s a visual extravaganza surpassing even a Vegas show, boasting the cleverest and most imaginative use of costumes and puppets ever seen onstage.

Civic Theatre has created two aisles on orchestra level for the opening “Circle of Life” processional, giving the audience a close-up look at the eye-popping creature costumes and puppets manipulated by a superb group of actors and dancers. Where else would you see an orange leopard with red and blue spots – a sort of enormous strap-on number with everything forward of the haunches manipulated by the actor via wires? Or an antelope bike, or the incredible four-man elephant and seemingly sky-high giraffes?

But all is not fun and games in the jungle. Young Simba's uncle Scar (Timothy Carter), jealous of his brother Mufasa's crown, has gone over to the dark side, hatching a Hamlet-like plot to kill his brother and take over the pride. He's enlisted a trio of hyenas - Shenzi (Andrea Jones), Banzai (Omari Tau) and Ed (Ben Roseberry) to help

Convinced by Scar that he is responsible, Simba banishes himself to the forest (while Scar takes over the throne), to return later in triumph to reclaim the crown.

While costumes and special effects are terrific, The Lion King also has a lot of heart and a great assortment of charming characters. Scar is the most fun because he is so deliciously wicked. And though no one could ever do Scar’s voice quite like Jeremy Irons, Carter is good in his own right.

Buddies Timon the meerkat (Tyler Murree) and Pumbaa the warthog (Bob Amaral) romp through the show, singing “Hakuna Matata” and otherwise lightening the dramatic weight. Also on board is smartass spoonbill Zazu (Tony Freeman).

Scar’s partners in crime, the hyena trio Shenzi Jones, Tau and Roseberry are suitably homely and mean as Scar's partners in crime, the hyena trio.

Fleming is adorable as the young Simba, though not quite up to the vocal demands of the part. Randolph and Reese-Fletcher are convincing as Mufasa and Sarabi.

There’s a reason this show is now in its second sold-out decade in New York. To quote an old commercial, nobody doesn’t love The Lion King. If you’ve never seen it, get a ticket: The Lion King is an event everyone should experience once.

The Lion King plays through Sunday, Nov. 8, at San Diego Civic Theatre. Shows Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 p.m.; Thursday at 7:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sunday at 6:30 p.m.; matinees Saturday at 2 and Sunday at 1 p.m.; special matinee on November 5 at 1 p.m. For tickets, call 619-570-1100 or Ticketmaster (619) 982-2787, or visit www.broadwaysd.com.

Long Story Short covers a romance and 50-year marriage in 98 minutes and 17 songs.

That’s quite a feat in itself – but it’s not half so impressive as the way it makes this old story seem fresh and new.

Valerie Vigoda and Brendan Milburn, two-thirds of the folk-pop-rock trio Groovelily, workshopped the show last year; it has been updated and reworked for this delightful production, which plays through Sunday, Nov. 1, at San Diego Repertory Theatre. Kent Nicholson directs.

Twentysomethings Charles (Robert Brewer) and Hope (Melody Butiu) return to Charles’ apartment after a rocky first dinner date and “a little too much wine, a little too much garlic.” Both are awkward and nervous (and Hope is a little sick), and conversation does not go well.

Charles knows immediately that she’s the one – and sings his thought, rather endearingly: “I wish we could skip all the in-between stuff and get right to grandkids.”

But the ambitious Hope is less impressed with this charming but clueless guy (“I want someone who doesn’t in the least resemble this nice nerd,” she sings).

He does his best to appear debonair, but laments that “I keep telling myself to be mysterious and aloof, but every time I look at you, I just turn into me.”

Still, there’s a tiny spark of interest that pushes her to try another date, and the rest of the story follows this bicultural pair (he’s Jewish; she’s Asian American) through their roller-coaster courtship and typically bumpy marriage (and brief separation), and into old age. Brewer and Butiu, well matched vocally and dramatically, are absolutely convincing as well as wonderful to listen to.

Based on David Schulner’s play An Infinite Ache, the plot of Long Story Short is reminiscent of another favorite musical about relationships, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.

The show sports a live five-piece band (strings and piano) and an eclectic mix of music by Milburn, generally of the folk-rock type, enhanced by Vigoda’s clever lyrics.

It’s an old story, told (and sung) engagingly by a talented pair of convincing actors and fine singers. Will you learn anything new? No. Will you be reaffirmed in your humanity? Oh, yes.

Long Story Short plays through Sunday, Nov. 1, at San Diego Repertory Theatre. Shows Wednesday and Sunday at 7 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m.; matinee Saturday, Oct. 17 at 2 p.m. For tickets, call 619-544-1000 or visit www.sdrep.org.