The Jungle Book
What you’re about to watch is a full on broadway style stage musical adaptation of Disney’s version of “The Jungle Book” that had its world premiere at the Goodman Theater in Chicago and was created by Tony award winning playwright and director, Mary Zimmerman on July 1, 2013.
I never got to actually see this show in Chicago since, well, I was busy with college at that time (and in a different state), but from the previews/trailers I’d seen at the time on YouTube, it did genuinely look promising.
Some years later, someone had actually managed to upload a recording of the musical in its entirety on YouTube, only for it to be taken down because YouTube is a little prick sometimes, though I thankfully did manage to see the recording at the time a year or so ago before it got taken down.
All I can say, without actually giving spoilers? It’s quite possibly one of the BEST stage musical adaptations of a Disney movie in a long time, right alongside the adaptations of “Beauty and The Beast” and “The Lion King”.
Yeah, no joke, it’s that genuinely GOOD.
The costumes and the set takes heavy inspiration from Indian culture, with the music combining both jazz instruments AND Indian instruments, oh and of course they collaborated with one of the Sherman Brothers to create a couple of new songs for the stage play to go with the ones from the movie. Also, love the puppetry, especially the way they handled Kaa in this, they managed to nail the movements of a snake perfectly. :D
But more importantly?
It manages to be faithful to the spirit of the Disney movie, but while also being willing to take more risks by being DARK at times, adding more elements from the original book that Kipling wrote probably helped in that regard (and you probably already know I’m highly familiar with the original book by now, if not some of my past reblogs and such may clue ya in, lol).
But for whatever reason, it was never allowed to go to broadway, which is a real shame because it had the makings of it, maybe it’ll be revived some day. :)
Thankfully though, tonight? I discovered that the clip that I once thought had long since been deleted is now back on YouTube.
So now, I present to you all, Mary Zimmerman’s adaptation of “The Jungle Book”.
Enjoy, and I hope to hear your thoughts on this underrated gem. :)
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