I've only seen the sets and some of the costume work. The set design is certainly on the scale of a Broadway show. As I've said before I was really blown away by them.
Is anyone going to the (I'd love a report!):
BEHIND THE SCENES: THE JUNGLE BOOK Thursday, May 16 | 6 – 7pm The Art Institute of Chicago, Fullerton Hall FREE with purchase of admission to museum BEHIND THE SCENES: THE JUNGLE BOOK link
I'm hoping for a Fall 2014 Broadway debut for this show. Would love it sooner, but Disney won't open two shows in the same season.
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
That's true of Ostling's set, too, which he describes as "layers of graphics" with an "almost psychedelic sense to the whole thing."
"The film is very graphic, really bright, with very saturated colors. ... We created a very graphic sort of 2-D world," Ostling said. "Those sort of things loosely connect to the book, and to the film, and yet it's completely new and unexpected. I think that's going to be exciting for people, it's going to be sort of familiar to them, with touchstones, and yet it will be a completely different experience than the film and their experience of the film."
This does a WAY better job describing the beautiful work he's done. The stage is literally layers upon layers of a paisley-like flowery hand-drawn design. Only very massive in scale. I guess you could say psychedelic but the whole is just beautiful. 'Jungle Book' Musical Born From Chicago-Bred Creative Dream Team
^^Yeah, it says, "I saw this amazing painting in New Delhi of someone slaying a demon dressed in an orange-and-red-striped skirt, just like a tiger. That’s pretty much the costume for [tiger] Shere Khan (7) [who will be played by Larry Yando]. The whole show is set in the jungle. Well, almost. There are a few surprises.”
Well I'll be a spoiler.... I believe there is part of the show that is set in a Victorian-era. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be Kipling, but elements of the Jungle set transform back-and-forth. Not sure if that convention is still in the piece.
I LOVE the article where Mary talks about racism and misogyny. "Look, if you wanted to eliminate every masterpiece or painting created by someone who had moronic ideas about status and race, you’d have to empty the museums. You’d have to tear down the Taj Mahal. That was built by slaves you know. People are so layered—no one is all good or bad. There are parts of them that are better than the other parts. Sometimes I feel like righteous indignation is everybody’s favorite emotion these days." How Mary Zimmerman Handled Kipling’s Racism and Misogyny in a New The Jungle Book Musical
Hmmmm so "It's a Small World After All" is featured?
"Goodman artistic director Robert Falls introduced musical director Doug Peck, who presented a set of seven songs from the production, including his new arrangement of "It's a Small World After All." "This is one of the most famous, most mocked songs. Richard Sherman wrote this during the Cuban Missile Crisis and has always preferred the ballad version, but Disney needed it more up-tempo for its amusement ride," Peck said." Goodman gala brings 'Jungle Book' to life
"It's A Small World After All"? Cutting "I Wanna Be Like You"? Yeah, Disney may run with the design, and maybe even with the former, but the latter is never gonna fly.
Actor playing Bagheera looks awesome! The eyebrows, the stare and the bald head (though probably covered in the show with a hat or headpiece) really shows a severe impression/stare! Love it!
I guess in spirit it resembles the feeling of the set design, but there is a radical difference. The sets are almost sketchy in a way, also I did not see one solid color or line.
Excited to see this – I genuinely have no idea what to expect and I love that.
Not, however, excited for Usman Ally as Bagheera. I have seen him in two things in Chicago and not been impressed by his work in either (in one of the shows, his performance was actually distractingly bad for me). Hoping that this is the show that proves me wrong about him!
I agree Gilmore with the "no idea what to expect". As I mentioned awhile back, I didn't think much of this project. But after seeing the set design, this is a MUST SEE for me. There is something really special going on here. Here is Usman's reel.
As much as I love Bob Crowley's work, Tarzan's set was an abomination to theatre. Tarzan had an incredible 1 minute opening sequence but it stopped there.
It will be interesting to see what Zimmerman has going on...
I really don't like the promotional artwork. It really looks like something for a children's theatre performance of a children's book. Like something you'd see for the daytime performances at the Shakes.
I sense another Tarzan coming. The first 15 minutes will be eye popping fun and then nothing.
Why? Because they are both set in the jungle?
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian