Pictured: The Wolf Pack (Chris Holz, Gina Rivera, Michael Gill, Brittany Morgan) and Mowgli (Kane Prestenback) Welcome Fellow Producers and TYA Enthusiasts!Thank you for taking a moment to consider adding our new adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's THE JUNGLE BOOK to your season.  Production History
Living in the shadow of Walt Disney World has always posed a challenge when it comes to selecting play titles. Though we know that Disney titles would attract a big audience we are well aware that we can't compete with the multimillion dollar productions in our backyard. So when an audience survey came back unanimously encouraging us to produce The Jungle Book, we knew we would have to be clever. We commissioned April-Dawn Gladu, a veteran Walt Disney World playwright, to write the version she always wished she could. Ms. Gladu's response is a fun, exciting production that jumps from wacky silliness to edge of your seat drama. And though all of our sold-out weekday student matinee audience members love the production, many adults are leaving the theater feeling as if they experienced a Jungle Book version penned just for them. Production MusicAll music in the production is composed and arranged by Daniel Levy, a Richard Rogers Award Winning Composer. The sound is authentically Indian, relying heavily on sitars, tabla and drums. A complete show CD is available for all contracted producers. Cast of CharactersThere are 20 roles in this play. The play was designed and originally performed with a cast of eight (4 women, 4 men), however, it can be produced with as few as 6 actors or as many as 20 actors. - Mowgli - an eleven-year-old boy raised by wolves
- Messua - Mowgli's human mother
- Mother Wolf
- Sister Wolf
- Father Wolf
 Brother Wolf- Bagheera
- Baloo
- Bandar King
- Monkey One
- Monkey Two
- Chil
- Kaa
- Shere Kahn
- 6 Villagers
- Baby Mowgli (swaddled doll with baby cries)
Synopsis
In a 19th century Indian village, the annual
Festival of Lights, Diwali, is being celebrated with song and dance.
Suddenly Shere Kahn the tiger bounds into the dancers’ midst and singles out
a woman named Messua and her baby Nathoo, who are the “easiest prey.” Though
the villagers try to protect her, Messua soon finds herself alone in the
jungle. She hides her baby and defeats Shere Kahn by burning his paw with a
torch. To her great grief, she realizes that while she was battling the
tiger, a Mother Wolf had heard the baby’s cries and carried him away for
protection. A wounded Shere Kahn follows the baby’s scent to Mother Wolf’s
cave and demands the child as retribution for his burnt paw. Mother Wolf
refuses and calls on the pack to frighten Shere Kahn. He leaves, but vows
revenge.
Ten years later the boy, renamed Mowgli, is a healthy child who is much
loved by his adopted wolf family. One day, after a raucous lesson about
Jungle Law with Baloo and Bagheera, a band of monkeys called the Bandar Log
kidnap him. Baloo and Bagheera ask Kaa the Python for help. Kaa hypnotizes
the Bandars and leads them away from Mowgli. Now free, Mowgli learns that
Shere Kahn tricked Mother Wolf into a man-trap and is demanding that Mowgli
fight him alone at the rock. On Baloo’s council, Mowgli goes to the
man-village to get fire.
Mowgli enters the village during the Festival of Diwali, and surprises the
villagers in the middle of the celebration. His mother, Messua, instantly
recognizes him. They find a way to communicate and she gives him a flame
from her Diwali candle.
Defeated by the fire, Shere Kahn is put on trial. He is banished and Mowgli
resolves to travel the world to warn all creatures of his evil heart.
Click here to download a study guide
in pdf format containing information and background for students and teachers. Four scenes in PDf format 3Click here to download a script sample
in pdf format containing cuts from four scenes of the production. MusicClick here to download a music score sample
in pdf format of one of the songs from the show, Here I Go. Below are two downloadable, fully orchestrated excerpts from the show in mp3 format. For more informationIf you are interested in receiving a complete cast recording CD and script for production consideration, please call 407-247-5066 or email
adgladu@gmail.com
Additional scripts available include THE SECRET GARDEN
(small cast non-musical) and THE PHARAOH'S NEW ROBES (small cast musical). 
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