FILMMAKERS IN FRANKLIN: “Bringing Hollywood to Downtown Franklin” - a new Film Event Series presents: Disney’s THE LION KING screening, Q n’ A, and Meet & Greet, with special guest, Director Roger Allers.
Saturday, August 23, 2025 at 11:00am. Produced and hosted by actress Leah Allers.
About the Filmmaker:
Roger Allers is an Oscar-nominated film director, writer, animator, storyboard artist, and Tony-nominated Broadway playwright. He is best known for directing Disney’s THE LION KING (1994), the highest-grossing traditionally animated film of all time, and for writing the Broadway musical, THE LION KING, the highest grossing musical of all time.
Allers also directed Sony Pictures’ first feature-length animated film, OPEN SEASON (2006), starring Ashton Kutcher, and wrote and directed the Disney short film, THE LITTLE MATCHGIRL (2006), which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short. He then went on to write and direct the award-winning and visionary indie animated film, THE PROPHET (2014), starring Liam Neeson.
Allers has been instrumental in shaping the story and dialogue for many beloved Disney animated classics in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, including THE LITTLE MERMAID (1989), OLIVER AND COMPANY (1988), RESCUERS DOWN UNDER (1990), PRINCE AND THE PAUPER (1990), ALADDIN (1992), EMPEROR’S NEW GROOVE (2000), and LILO & STITCH (2002). Roger Allers was Head of Story on BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991), which was the first animated movie to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.
Allers got his start in Animation in the mid-1970’s and went on to help develop the influential film that is widely recognized as “The Grandfather of CGI”- Disney’s TRON (1982). Allers did conceptual design and visual development on TRON, and created the design for the “Recognizers” in the cult-classic film. He also traveled to Tokyo, Japan to provide character design, animation, and story development for the anime feature, LITTLE NEMO: ADVENTURES IN SLUMBERLAND (1989), at Tokyo Movie Shinsha Studio.
Allers lives in Los Angeles, and is currently developing his original musical, THE GRASSHOPPER, for the Broadway stage.
About the host:
Leah Allers grew up in the world of film and animation- literally taking her first steps in an animation studio. She developed a passion for storytelling from her filmmaker father, Roger Allers (director of THE LION KING). After studying art, animation and filmmaking in college, and working in production for several years at Walt Disney Feature Animation, Leah pivoted to a performing arts career.
Leah went on to star as “Amneris” in national and international tours of Disney’s Broadway musical AIDA, and has performed at the Hollywood Bowl, Dorothy Chandler, and Carnegie Hall. TV credits include DAYS of OUR LIVES, CRIMINAL MINDS, ONCE UPON A TIME. Her Voice-Over work includes the animated movie, THE PROPHET, with Liam Neeson, dubbing on numerous Netflix series, audiobook narration for Harper Collins, commercials, promos, and video games.
Leah lives in Downtown Franklin, and spends her time working as a Voice Over artist, and private Voice coach, and is currently directing a documentary about the unsung artists of Disney Feature Animation in the 1980’s and 1990’s.
You may also like the following events from The Franklin Theatre:
- This Thursday, 21st August, 07:30 pm, The Franklin Theatre Songwriters Series Presents: Brandon Will, Josiah Siska, and Doug Johnson in Franklin
- This Saturday, 23rd August, 07:00 pm, Deborah Allen in Franklin
- Next Thursday, 28th August, 07:00 pm, Oddity Improv in Franklin
Also check out other
Entertainment events in Franklin,
Arts events in Franklin,
Performances in Franklin.
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