Welcome to the ISD 5th Grade Musical!

Calling all 5th Graders!

Let's end elementary school by swinging into Jungle Book Kids at ISD!

Performances on June 9/10^thin ISD Gym

Directed by: Cindy Busani for Open Arts Alliance

Produced by 5th Grade Parents & ISD PTA

Show Synopsis	Registration Form
Character Breakdown	Rehearsal Schedule
Parent Volunteer Form	F.A.Q.
Audition Sides	About Open Arts Alliance
Backdrop Art Submissions	Cast
Rehearsal Resources

Participation Fee: $175

Includes over 30 hours of theater education including dance, singing, acting, costume design & set design and a show t-shirt.

Scholarships available for students who qualify for Free/Reduced Lunch. Please contact Mrs. Ricci.

Important Information:

The purpose of this production is to teach our students the theater arts and build community. We want our 5th graders to have fun and enjoy creating this show together.
Every student who registers will be cast in the show.
Casting will be done by our director and is entirely at their discretion. No parents or students will be involved in the casting process.
All rehearsal conflicts must be listed in the registration form. If a student misses too many rehearsals, it is at the discretion of the director to recast that student to a smaller role.
Both parent and student must read and sign the show agreement on the registration form.
It is at the director's discretion to recast a part if a student is not meeting the good behavior standards they have agreed upon in their show agreement.

Questions?

Contact the team at:

5thmusical@isdpta.org

JUNGLE BOOK INFORMATIONAL ZOOM MEETING

Click here to view meeting recording

Meet our cast:

Abhi	Neelavalli	Sassy Monkey, Jungle 2
Andrew	Miller	Elephant, Jungle 2
Ava	Kampf	Coil 3, Jungle 1
Blake	Rodriguez	Old Monkey, Jungle 1
Chloe	Kim	Kaa, Jungle 2
Coco	Liu	Shanti
Conor	O'Brien	King Louie, Jungle 1
Conrad	Gillis	Grumpy Monkey, Jungle 2
Donato	Impellizzeri	Monkey, Jungle 1
Eliana	Orlosky	Coil 4, Jungle 2
Eric	Murphey	Wolves, Jungle 2
Julia	Guico	Wolves, Jungle 1
Kai	Yamasaki Fisher	Elephant, Jungle 2
Kaitlyn	Joseph	Baloo, Jungle 2
Leah	Ahsan	Coil 5, Jungle 2
Leo	Foell	Dizzy Vulture, Jungle 2
Lynna-Marie	Venema	Monkey, Jungle 2
Luigi	Carratelli	Hathi, Jungle 1
Mia	Young	Wolves, Jungle 2
Michael	O'Donnell	Elephant, Jungle 2
Molly	Moy	Ziggy Vulture, Jungle 1
Nicholas	Sabeti	Shere Khan
Paul	Boguslaski	Elephant, Jungle 1 (Thistle)
Rose	McLean	Bagheera, Jungle 1
Ryan	Shea	Silly Monkey, Jungle 1
Tia	Connell	Coil 1, Jungle 1 (Banyan)
Vyoma	Bhatt	Coil 2, Jungle 1
William	Chen	Mowgli

Production set Schedule

Auditions:

Video Submission due April 25th
Acting Audition on April 28th

Rehearsals (times subject to change):

May 2nd to May 24th: Tuesdays and Thursday from 3:15- 5:00pm
May 26th to June 8th: Monday-Friday 3:15- 5:30/6:00pm

Performances (times subject to change):

June 9th: 2pm and 7:00pm
June 10th: 2pm and 7:00pm

View production schedule Google Calendar.

Please keep checking this page for updates.

Show Synopsis

Our tale begins deep in the heart of the Jungle. A baby boy, lost and abandoned, is raised by wolves. 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 a coconut tree, but their peaceful night is interrupted by Kaa, the Snake ("Kaa the Snake"). Bagheera doesn't notice as Kaa 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 is 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. 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, 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 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 in 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 other jungle creatures into battle ("The Battle"). The battle ends with the jungle creatures 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 inhabitants return once more to celebrate that swingin' jungle beat ("I Wan'na Be Like You – Reprise/Bows").

Character Breakdown

Character Breakdown

Mowgli

Mowgli is a boy who gets along with everyone and who is very likable. He has a joyful and curious nature, and a twinkle in his eye. The child you cast should have a spark that can captivate the audience and should be a bit feisty. Choose a boy with a natural talent for acting and singing.

Bagheera

The role of Bagheera, the panther, is not gender-specific. You might consider casting a female to play this role to help balance the male-to-female ratio of the leading characters. Consider casting a child who might easily portray the physical attributes of a feline. Your Bagheera should be physically agile and uninhibited with good command of his or her body. The actor should also possess a natural talent for acting, singing and leading a story. Bagheera should act like an older brother or sister to Mowgli.

Baloo

Baloo, the bear, should be cast by someone who is exuberant with a great natural talent for singing and acting. Baloo provides much of the comedic relief in the story, so the actor must possess a natural sense of comedy. Consider casting a child who might easily have the physical traits of a big bear and who is not afraid to be wild and crazy and physically uninhibited. The actor should not be self-conscious and should enjoy the spotlight. Baloo's part in "I Wan'na Be Like You" demands a singer with a strong sense of rhythm.

Kaa

Kaa, the snake, supplies threat and danger to Mowgli's journey out of the jungle. Cast someone with flair and good vocal and movement skills to be the lead Kaa (the head of the snake). Cast five others as the body. Each of the actors in the scene has solo lines that are spoken and sung, so you will want to cast children with some natural acting and singing ability who can also dance.

Shere Khan

Shere Khan, the tiger, is King of the Jungle. Consider casting someone who could be physically threatening, either in size, attitude, or both. It's better to cast a stronger actor than a singer for this role. He is the villain and the story depends on a good villain.

Colonel Hathi

Colonel Hathi, the elephant, is in charge of the elephant brigade. but is also a little forgetful. He is good at giving commands but doesn't really understand what's going on around him. Cast someone who can sing well and act like a drill sergeant but also be a bit forgetful. This is a good role to feature someone who has talent but may not be ready for the leading role just yet.

Elephant Troupe

The Elephant Troupe can have as many or as few children as you like, but cast enough to make it look like a brigade - at least eight. They don't need to be strong singers, but should be good movers/dancers so they can physicalize the behavior of elephants and march in and out of formation.

Baby Elephant

The Baby Elephant can be cast with the smallest or youngest child. There is a solo line in the song as well as marching, so the child should have a sense of music and movement.

King Louie

King Louie is King of the Monkeys. Cast an actor with strong comedic timing and good singing ability. Choose a child with flair that isn't afraid to act like a monkey.

Old Monkey

Cast the Old Monkey with a strong actor over a singer. He or she should not be afraid to assume the physical traits of a monkey.

Monkeys

Monkeys should be strong dancers. "I Wan'na Be Like You" offers the chance to do great musical choreography. Consult your choreographer, if available, when casting your monkey troupe so that you have at least eight dancers. If necessary, cast additional monkeys so that the vocal performance is solid as well.

Jungle Chorus

The Jungle Chorus is your ensemble of singers, actors and dancers. These roles offer great opportunities to use your students' varied skills. Make sure each group of prickly pears, vultures, wolves, etc., has a few natural leaders the other actors will follow. Read through the script a few times to learn which of these roles require singing or acting solos so you can cast according to your students' strengths. The great thing about the Jungle ensemble is its flexibility: you can make is as large as necessary to include everyone. Do not feel pressure to cast the solo parts during auditions. Have a few rehearsals first to get a clearer sense of your company before you decide.

Coconut Tree / Shanti

Shanti is the girl who takes Mowgli to the village at the end of the story. She is hiding in the jungle the entire time disguised as a Coconut Tree. She should exude sweetness and kindness and have a natural ability for acting and singing. She has a couple of solos as the Coconut Tree.

Shanti's Family

Shanti's Family is not seen, but represented by offstage voices. For fun, you might want to have a couple favorite teachers or the principal say these lines from offstage or from the back of the performance space. These should be the only "grown-up" voices in the show.

Auditions

Singing Audition Video Submission

Cast members should submit a singing audition video by April 25th.
Students should sing a song they are comfortable with. Please keep videos to less than 60 seconds.
The video should be submitted on this form: https://forms.gle/NBRRzYEJP7LP69Zk8
If you have any difficulties uploading, please contact webmaster@isdpta.org.

Audition Sides

The director will assign each child one or more sides to read at auditions on.

Rehearsal Resources

Audio Tracks

Use the guide vocals to learn the songs and the performance tracks to try your hand at singing without the vocals.

Guide Vocals

Performance Tracks

Choreography

Use these videos to learn your choreography.

Choreography Videos

Have your artwork be the backdrop for Jungle Book KIDS!

We will be looking for three original drawings from the 5^thgrade class to use as the three backdrop scenes for the show.

We are looking for:

Jungle ground level
Jungle canopy level
Jungle at night

These images are just ideas to start off. Feel free to look online for other images for inspiration!

We are looking for full color drawings that we scan and have printed as the backdrops. If your drawing is chosen you will be listed as set artist on the playbill and your work will be seen by the entire school!

Please bring your drawings to a rehearsal by May 10^thor drop them off at the office.

F.A.Q.

When are auditions?

Auditions will be in two parts. The singing audition will be in the form of a video submission. The acting audition will be on April 28th. Casting will be done entirely by the director. No students or parents will be involved in casting. Students should submit a video of themselves singing a song. It can be any song they know (Happy Birthday, Star Spangled Banner, etc.), they do not need to sign a song from the show. Details on how to send in the submission will be sent after registration.

My child has several conflicts with rehearsal dates, but wants to participate, should I still sign them up?

We want this to be a very inclusive opportunity for all of the 5th grade, so we would encourage him or her to register if they want to be part of the production and can make a majority of rehearsals. All rehearsal conflicts need to be listed on the registration form. Any conflicts with these rehearsals need to be discussed with the director. Please be aware that students who have many conflicts will be cast in smaller roles.

My child wants to be involved but does not want to be on stage. Are there any opportunities to just work behind the scenes?

We want every student to learn the show, play a part, and take their bow at the end of the performance to get the full theater education experience. We will not have purely behind the scenes roles and instead have cast members be involved in the whole process. The ensemble is a great option for kids who don't want to be center stage. If your child would prefer a smaller ensemble role, they can let Mrs. Busani know their preference at auditions.

How is the PTA funding the show?

Producing a show is an expensive undertaking. Your program fee plus ticket sales will go towards licensing fees and show materials, fees for our director and music instructors, set, costumes, sound and lights, programs and more. We will also supplement with extra t-shirts sales, program ads and concessions as needed. While the 5th Grade Musical is a PTA sponsored event, it is self-funding.

When will tickets go on sale?

Tickets will be sold in May. Tickets will be general admission.

How can parents help?

We need lots of volunteers to help make costumes, supervise rehearsals, help make set pieces and help on show day with makeup, costumes, tickets and more. We will have rehearsal and performance volunteer opportunities listed soon. If you would like to be actively involved in the planning committee, email Jackie Moy at moyboy1@gmail.com.

About Open Arts Alliance

Open Arts Alliance (OAA) is a 501c3 non-profit social service organization that uses the performing arts to bridge the gap between the youngest and eldest members of our community. Through our educational programs for children and senior citizens, OAA is dedicated to bringing literacy and art to Greenwich and the surrounding community. Our educational programs use theatre to speak to students of all ages about personal wellness, bullying and making positive life choices. Learn more at OpenArtsAlliance.com.

Rocco Natale (left): Executive Director, Open Arts Alliance

Newington-Cropsey Fellowship recipient for dramatic writing and research, Rocco is a playwright and director. His plays have been performed internationally and stateside he has had the pleasure of working at The Cherry Lane Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop's 4th Street Theatre and Arena Stage. Rocco's adaptations of GREAT EXPECTATIONS and K.C.@BAT (a musical commission for the National Boys & Girls Club of America) are published by YOUTHPlays. His play SMOKE SIGNALS holds the distinction of receiving the Siff Grant for educational performance and was developed to tour with Hospital Audiences, Inc. A semi-finalist in the Eugene O’Neill National Playwright’s Conference and Premiere Stages, Rocco has had the pleasure of working with Signature Theatre Company, Arena Stage, Urban Stages, Inside Broadway, Mirror Repertory Company, The University of Connecticut and Shakespeare on the Sound. BMI Musical Theatre Workshop. MA: New York University; BA: New York University, CAS: The University of Bridgeport. www.RoccoNatale.com

Contact Rocco at OAA: rocco@openartsalliance.com

Jake Lloyd (right): Director of Education, Open Arts Alliance

Contact Jake at OAA: jake@openartsalliance.com

Cindy Busani: Teaching Artist

Contact Cindy: cindybusani@gmail.com

Having been a part of the ISD family for 12 years (with her three children), Cindy is happy to be back at again with Open Arts Alliance.

Her past work includes being the PTA coordinator for the ISD musicals, The Sound of Music and Peter Pan, as well as directing the first ISD Talent Show. She was also the instructor for the ISD Afters Intro to Musical Theatre classes. Most recently she directed 101 Dalmatians Kids for Open Arts Alliance. Cindy is also a past Board Member of the St. Catherine’s Players, as well as a performer with them.

She enjoys bringing her love of musical theatre to children and helping to give them the confidence needed to be creative and comfortable on stage and beyond.