April 10, 2002
Contact: Tower Theatre Box Office at 509-963-1774
ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Now this is the Law of the Jungle as old and as true as the sky. And the Wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the Wolf that shall break it must die.
— The Jungle Book, Rudyard Kipling
The jungle of India will come to life in McConnell Auditorium April 18-21 when Central Washington University’s theatre arts department presents “Jungalbook,” by Edward Mast.
It’s not a misspelling. Mast chose Jungalbook to distance his play from the Disney animated classic. Masts adaptation is more faithful to Rudyard Kipling’s 1894 classic Jungle Books, the adventure tales of Mowgli, the human child raised by wolves under the guidance of Baloo the bear. Sherakhan, the tiger who killed Mowgli’s parents, wants the boy’s flesh too, but Bagheera, the lone panther, protects him. Mowgli grows up wild and unconcerned, believing he’s a wolf, but finally must choose whether to defy the Jungle Law or leave the jungle forever.
The spectacular set begins with a canvas ground cloth painted in earth tones with a traditional Indian border. Atop the ground cloth sits an elaborate series of platforms, slides, ropes and swings, which provide the perfect playing space for this fast-paced, highly physical show. The border print of the set is complemented by vibrant costumes of Indian silk and intricate beadwork. In this jungle, the animals are clad in lavish, traditional Indian styles, while the few humans are gray-tone automatons. Vibrant masks, intricate makeup and larger-than-life puppets make this show a visual feast.
As in Kipling’s original stories, death is a natural part of life in the jungle. The play is recommended for grades 4 and up and might be upsetting to younger audiences.
The performance, which features a 10-member troupe, runs approximately 60 minutes. The Tower box office is open noon to 6 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. The box office will also be open in McConnell Auditorium one hour prior to each performance.
Tickets are $5 per seat or three tickets for $10. Show times are 7 p.m. April 18-20 and 1 p.m. April 21. For tickets and information, contact the box office at (509) 963-1774, or (for the hearing impaired) TDD (509) 963-3323.
