The jungle is jumpin’ with jazz is this
exciting Disney classic! Join Mowgli,
Baloo, King Louie and the gang as they
swing their way through madcap
adventures and thwart the ferocious
tiger, Shere Khan. Specially adapted
from the beloved film, this musical
includes all your favorite Disney tunes,
like “The Bare Necessities,” and “I
Wan’na Be Like You.” With colorful
characters and that toe-tapping jungle
rhythm, The Jungle Book KIDS is sure to
be a crowd-pleaser for audiences of all
ages.
Director:
Jenifer Price
Vocal Director:
Luann Higgs
Pianist:
William Jones
Auditions:
Thursday, March 12 & Friday, March 13
from 4:30-7:00 pm
Call backs Saturday, March 14 from 10 am
- 1pm
Production
Schedule:
Read through and mandatory parent
meeting: Friday, March 20 from 5:15-7:00
pm
General Rehearsal Schedule:
Below is very general time frame in
which rehearsals may be scheduled.
Actors will not be called to all
rehearsals.
March 23 – May 29, Monday – Friday, 4:00
– 7:00
Saturday rehearsals: April 18, May 30
No rehearsals: April 6 – 10, April 27 –
April 30, May 25
Mandatory tech week and performance
dates:
Tech Week: June 1 – June 5, 4:00 – 7:00
Performances Dates:
Saturday, June 6 at 2:15 & 7:15
Sunday, June 7 at 2:15
Saturday, June 13, at 2:15 & 7:15
Sunday June 14 at 2:15
(no school performances)
Mandatory Strike:
Sunday, June 14, following afternoon
performance
STORYBOOK AUDITIONS: .
For this production, actors ages 7
through 17 (as of the first performance)
may participate. 18-year-old high
school students are also encouraged to
participate. No experience is required,
but selection is by audition. Storybook
auditions vary from typical YPT
auditions. Jungle Book auditions will
consist of group singing to the tune of
‘Bare Necessities.’ (
see
bottom of page.) We will also do
movement and dancing (so wear closed
shoes appropriate for movement), and
readings from the show. If you would
like to be considered for a lead part,
you will also be asked to sing sixteen
measures of a song you have practiced
(less than one minute of singing). You
will need to have memorized the lyrics &
bring the sheet music in the correct key
for the pianist to play.
The Jungle Book will be produced and run
very similarly to the typical YPT shows
regarding fees and actor/parent
commitments and responsibilities.
Please see information on Young
Performers page of the web site. (click
here for link)
Call backs will be done so that
auditioners being considered for
specific roles can sing and read from
the show.
This show is being produced in
conjunction with SENSE Theatre – A Stage
of Hope for Children with Autism. A
research study will be conducted during
the run of this show which will look at
how theater can positively impact
participants with autism. While actors
are encouraged to be a part of the
study, participation in the study will
not influence casting or actor
participation, but will be offered to
all interested participants.
For more
information, contact Dr. Blythe Corbett:
SENSEtheatre.com
CHARACTER
DESCRIPTIONS:
This Jungle Book show is
ensemble-oriented. Many songs include
the entire cast and most songs include a
large portion of the ensemble of Jungle
& Jungle Creatures. Cast will be 25-35
actors.
MOWGLI:
The man cub - playful and spunky, but a
bit stubborn, male 8-12
BAGHEERA:
The panther - responsible, proper,
parent-like, male/female 12+
BALOO:
The bear - fun-loving, big personality,
male/female 12+
SHANTI:
The village girl - playful & spunky,
but also polite, female 8-12
COLONEL HATHI:
Leader of the elephants,
self-important, bossy, male 12+
BABY ELEPHANT:
The Colonel's child - wide-eyed and
cute, male/female 7-9
ELEPHANT TROOPS (6-10):
Many have lines, male/female, all ages
JUNGLE & JUNGLE CREATURES:
They are Mowgli's friends and take care
of him – lines and pull-out singing
groups - male/female, all ages .
Sun/ Moon, Rocks (2-4), Flowers(2-3),
Plants (2-3), Bushes (2-3), Prickly
Pears (3-4), Vines (2-3), Wolves (4-6)
-Mowgli's family, Bees (3-4)
COCONUT TREES
(2-3): female, 10+
VULTURES
(4): English accents, jokesters, sing
in harmony, male/female 10+
KAA
(6): The snake who tries to hypnotize
Mowgli and eat him for a snack – head
(strong singer), coils, and tail,
male/female, all ages
KING LOUIE:
King of the monkeys, cool, a bit nutty-
gymnastic skills a plus, male/female 9+
MONKEYS
(4-8): The King's wily court of
pranksters - including dancers & Old
Monkey singer - male/female, all
ages
SHERE KHAN:
The tiger, devious and mean, who wants
to kill Mowgli, male/female 12+
SHANTI'S FAMILY
–mother, father, sibling
Synopsis:
(An asterisk de-marks that the entire
ensemble cast is on stage singing and
dancing)
Our tale begins deep in the heart of the
Jungle. A baby boy, lost and abandoned,
is raised by wolves and cared for by the
Jungle. He is called "Mowgli" ("Jungle
Prologue").*
Shere Kahn, the tiger, decides that
Mowgli is no longer welcome in the
Jungle. To keep him out of danger,
Bagheera, the panther, plans to guide
Mowgli to the safety of the man village,
but Mowgli doesn't want to leave his
home. The two settle down for the night
under the Coconut Trees, but their
peaceful night is interrupted by Kaa,
the Snake ("Kaa the Snake"). Bagheera
doesn't notice as Kaa, the snake lulls
Mowgli into a deep sleep ("Trust in
Me"). Bagheera wakes up to find Kaa
coiled around Mowgli, and chases the
snake away ("Night into Day").*
As they continue their journey, they
encounter a herd of elephants, led by
the dotty Colonel Hathi ("Colonel
Hathi's March").* As the elephants march
off, Bagheera commands Mowgli to follow
him without any more argument. Mowgli
sits and pouts on a large boulder only
to discover that it is the giant bear,
Baloo ("Baloo the Bear").
Baloo offers Mowgli his philosophy on
life, which is quite different from what
Bagheera has been teaching ("The Bare
Necessities").* While Baloo and the
Jungle are lost in that swingin' jungle
rhythm, a group of shifty-looking
monkeys tiptoes in and kidnaps Mowgli.
Caught off guard, Baloo calls to
Bagheera for help, while the Monkeys
carry Mowgli deep into the jungle,
laughing all the way ("Monkey
Business").
The Monkeys take Mowgli to the ancient
ruins, where their leader, the wiley
King Louie, is holding court with his
Monkeys. King Louie tells Mowgli that he
wants to learn how to be a man, while
Baloo and Bagheera sneak on and devise a
rescue plan. Baloo, disguised as a very
big monkey, and the Jungle will join in
the fun to distract King Louie, while
Bagheera spirits Mowgli away ("I Wan'na
Be Like You").*
Baloo can't get enough of that jumpin'
jazz, and insists on an encore. He
continues to swing until his disguise
falls off, blowing their cover, and
forcing them to run ("I Wan'na Be Like
You Reprise"). The Monkeys frantically
follow in pursuit, but are stopped dead
in their tracks when Shere Khan appears.
He sharpens his claws and the Monkeys
and Jungle Creatures scatter in terror
("Shere Khan the Tiger").
After their monkey attack, Baloo now
realizes the jungle is too dangerous for
Mowgli, and together with Bagheera, they
agree to get him out of the jungle.
Mowgli overhears, and not wanting to
leave his home, defiantly runs away.
Baloo and Bagheera rush off to find him,
hoping that Shere Khan doesn't find him
first ("Mowgli Runs").
Away from the safety of Baloo and
Baghera, Mowgli finds friendship with
the Vultures, the Jungle, and the other
Jungle Creatures, who promise to protect
him if Shere Khan should come around
("That's What Friends Are For").*
Shere Khan arrives, and prepares to
attack Mowgli. But before he can pounce,
Baloo appears, rallying the Jungle and
the other Jungle Creatures into battle
("The Battle").* The battles ends with
the Jungle victorious, and Shere Khan
cowering in the distance, humiliated and
defeated. Once again, the jungle is
safe.
Shanti, a beautiful young girl who has
been hiding in the jungle the whole
time, finally reveals herself. She
offers to take Mowgli to her village to
meet other people just like him. Mowgli
decides to explore the "man village"
with Shanti, but reminds his friends he
will return, for he will always consider
the Jungle his home ("The Bare
Necessities Reprise - Finale")*.
As the curtain falls, the Jungle and
Jungle Creatures celebrate that swingin'
jungle beat ("I Wan'na Be Like You
Reprise - Bows").*
Bare
Necessities Lyrics
Look for the Bare Necessities the simple
Bare Necessities
Forget about your worries and your
strife.
I mean the Bare Necessities or Mother
Nature’s recipes
That bring the Bare Necessities of life!
Wherever I wander, wherever I roam,
I couldn’t be fonder of my big home.
The bees are buzzin’ in the tree to make
some honey just for me.
You look under the rock and plants
and take a glance at the fancy ants,
then maybe try a few.
The Bare Necessities of life will come
to you.
They’ll come to you.
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