The Lion King cast reveal plans for Brisbane Christmas

Apart from Christmas Day, the stars will remain busy during the holiday period inhabiting the Pride Lands and delighting audiences.

We asked South African Josslynn Hlenti (Nala the lion), New Zealander Jamie McGregor (Timon the meerkat), and Victorian André Jewson (Ed the hyena) to talk about life as a stage performer, which often means spending special holidays on the road.

Have you enjoyed performing in Brisbane?

ANDRE: There's more lightning here than anywhere else I've worked! The storm a few weeks ago was something else. But really, I've loved performing in Brisbane. Audiences are generous and the staff at QPAC are fantastic.  Brisbane is a friendly place and so much more relaxed than Sydney – I really love that about it.

JAMIE: We are all loving Brisbane! It's such a beautiful place. South Bank is gorgeous.

JOSSLYNN: I have been enjoying the season in Brisbane not just because of the amazing audiences, but because of the sub-tropical weather. It's so similar to my hometown Durban and makes me feel right at home.

What have you been able to see/do around Brisbane and south-east Queensland while you've been here? Do you have any favourite local hangouts, or great tips for food?

JOSSLYNN: During our days off we frequent the Gold Coast and theme parks; relaxing in the sun and soaking up all its goodness. My favourite place to eat would have to be Punjabi Palace. Every Sunday, after the last show of our performing week, I head down to Punjabi Palace and treat myself to delicious Indian food.

JAMIE: My father visited from New Zealand recently. We stayed a couple of nights at Stradbroke Island. What a gem! Such beautiful nature. From a cast point of view, Lefty's on Caxton Street is a bit of a fave to visit at the end of the week for a couple of drinks. Only a couple of course.

ANDRE: It's been great to finally have the chance to explore Brisbane. We used to come here for holidays to visit extended family when I was a kid but I've never really had the chance to get to know the city and surrounds as an adult. Horseriding in the hinterland, spending the G20 in Noosa and trips to the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast have been the highlights. I really enjoyed seeing a film or two at the BAPFF and think GOMA is wonderful. We have all had a tipple or two at the Charming Squire Brewhouse across the road from QPAC, and Strauss and The Pantry are two of my favourite cafes. What I love about Brisbane is that no matter where you go, the staff are always friendly and not pretentious at all.  A big plus for me.

The Lion King runs across the Christmas/New Year period in Brisbane. Does that put you a long way from your family and friends?

JAMIE: Yes it does, but that isn't unusual in our line of work. Skype will work over-time. I'm lucky enough to have my fiancee here for the big day so that lessens the pain a little and also means I can wake up to a present or two.

ANDRE: It does, although I'm lucky in that this year my parents and my sister will be coming up to Brisbane from Geelong to be with me. We have extended family in and around Brisbane, so we will be spending much of the time with them. I think my family just wanted an excuse to come to Queensland, to be honest!

JOSSLYNN: Being here in Australia already puts me in a long way from my family and friends as I am from South Africa and moved here for the show. But running the show across this period means that I get to spend this special time with my new found family, whom I love to bits, my Lion King family. Not only this, but I get to share one of the greatest gifts one can give during the Christmas holidays: the gift of art, the gift of love. And this makes me happy.

How would you normally celebrate the festive season with them? Do you have favourite Christmas traditions?

JAMIE: Good food and wine is the only expectation.

JOSSLYNN: I would normally celebrate the festive season with my family over a huge Christmas lunch which is hosted by my grandmother. There we will exchange gifts and food.

ANDRE: My Mum's family are of German heritage, so some of those traditions have lingered into our family.  Christmas Eve is usually the time that we exchange gifts around the tree, usually with a glass of wine in hand. I grew up in a small country town near Geelong so my family is still friends with several families us kids grew up with. Most years a close-knit group of families will get together and have morning tea at a family's farmhouse on Christmas morning. I really love that. I also love listening to carols, the smell of pine needles in the house and the glow of candles at midnight services. Christmas in my family has always been about being close to family and friends and sharing time together.

How will you catch up with loved ones on your Christmas day off?

JAMIE: My fiancee Karen and I will have quiet morning together then we're hitting Skype! Karen's family live in South Africa and mine in NZ so that's a couple of hours there!

ANDRE: I'll have lunch with my Mum, Dad and sister and my uncle and aunt at their home in Oxley.

JOSSLYNN: I am flying my younger brother down to Australia for Christmas. So I plan on spending the day with him, continuing on the family tradition we have at home.

I imagine there will be a lot of your fellow cast members in a similar situation - will you celebrate in Brisbane with them? And what are you expecting for the big day?

JAMIE: It looks like there will be a few Lion King orphans this Xmas. So I'll make a yummy paella this year for my lady and then we will hit the pavement and visit the other s in the company. Over the years the orphan Christmas has been a lot of fun and you miss the family feuds!

ANDRE: Some members of the company have organised Kris Kringles and I'm a part of that.  It's great we can celebrate together – we all have to work together over the Christmas season, so we might as well enjoy it.

JOSSLYNN:  We plan to have Christmas lunch together at the Botanical Gardens where we will share gifts.

Do you have a dream Christmas present?

JOSSLYNN: All my dreams are coming true everyday. Just being in Australia performing in the greatest musical of all time is a dream come true.

ANDRE: I actually love the surprise of a present - I never know what anyone's going to get me and I kind of like it that way. But if I had to choose, I'd have to say a Hammond B-3 organ, or perhaps (more realistically), one of its modern, portable cousins. There's a Jimmy Smith in me just waiting to escape.

JAMIE: A pony.

What are your New Year's Resolutions, if any?

JOSSLYNN: I believe that change should be made every day, because every day is an opportunity for us to become better. So no, I don't have any.

ANDRE: Like many people, I always have good intentions with my New Year's resolutions but tend to lose track of them by, I don't know, mid-January. I tend not to focus much on resolutions, but I guess every day just try and live in a better way than I did the day before.

JAMIE: Haha, no. I gave up on those a few years ago.

The Lion King continues at the Lyric Theatre QPAC until January 25. Tickets between $50-$150 available online.