‘Jungle Book’ headed to Thibodaux stage

Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” is best known to baby boomers from the 1967 Walt Disney musical animated version, which featured the voice of New Orleanian Louis Prima in the role of the orangutan King Louie.

The film, which was subsequently re-released to movie theatres several times in typical Disney fashion, was only loosely based on Kipling’s 1894 collection of fables, however.

The Thibodaux Playhouse, as part of its Children’s Summer Workshop, is staging a more faithful adaptation of Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” Thursday, June 21, through Sunday, June 24, at the Jean Lafitte Wetlands Cultural Center Theatre (314 St. Mary St.) in Thibodaux.

Show times are at 7 p.m. nightly, except Sunday. Matinees are at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Tickets cost $5. No telephone reservations will be taken.

“People are encouraged to buy tickets early,” said Dr. Stanley Coleman, who’s directing his first play for the Thibodaux Playhouse. The Playhouse has produced four or five Children’s Summer Workshop shows in the past several years, and “there are usually no seats left” for the productions, Coleman said.

The Thibodaux Playhouse musical “is not at all the Disney version of the book,” he said.

“It’s a straightforward adaptation” of “The Jungle Book,” with original music, he said. Consequently for parents, don’t expect to hear “Bare Necessities.”

This “Jungle Book” has music by Gerald Castle and lyrics by Michael Vigilante. Vera Morris adapted the play.

“It’s been widely presented by professional and community theatres around the country,” said Coleman, who is an assistant professor of speech and theatre at Nicholls State University.

“We have 45-50 kids in the show,” he said. “Their age range is from eight to 16. Most are from the Thibodaux area, but a few are from Houma, Cut Off, and Raceland. We have some members of the Nicholls Players (the university’s student theatre troupe) doing backstage jobs,” he said.

Coleman said many of the actors will be wearing elaborate face painting and, hence, the show will place less emphasis on costuming.

“A number of the kids are playing animals,” Coleman said. “There are bears, monkeys, and a fierce tiger-Shere Khan-in the show. We’ve been working up ideas on face painting. We’re making the show more attractive using face painting.

“We have people playing villagers as well,” he said.

Coleman directed “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” last year, and “To Kill a Mockingbird” this past semester at Nicholls State using child actors. “So, I do have some experience using kids in productions,” he said.

The Nicholls Players participated in the children’s theatre productions.

Before coming to Nicholls State, Coleman taught speech and theatre at Eunice High School in Eunice, La., and at Louisiana State University-Eunice.

“I did some children’s theatre in Eunice,” he said.

The play’s assistant director, Bill Winkley, is a rehabilitation-counseling instructor at Western New Mexico University in Silver City, who does much of his teaching online.

“He’s in town to direct the show,” Coleman said. “He’s involved with theatre productions at Nicholls.”

The Thibodaux Playhouse received funds from the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism, and from the Houma Regional Arts Council to stage the production.

Tickets for the show will be on sale at the Jean Lafitte Wetlands Cultural Center Theatre’s Thibodaux Playhouse ticket booth from noon until 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 12; Thursday, June 14; Monday, June 18; and Tuesday, June 19.

A show bill for the production states, “If seating is still available, tickets will be on sale one hour prior to each performance. All ticket holders will be expected to be seated five minutes before show time or their seating space may no longer be available.”

Call (985) 446-1896 for more information.