THE JUNGLE BOOK Adds Second 'Community Day' Performance at Goodman Theatre, 8/13

On the heels of its successful July 23 "Community Day" event, Goodman Theatre adds a second dedicated "Community Day" performance of The Jungle Book on August 13 at 7:30pm to which all guests are invited free of charge.

Between the two performances, the Goodman makes more than 1,700 tickets valued at approximately $125,000 available to nearly 20 Chicago community partners. Organizations invited to attend the August 13 "Community Day" event include Apna Ghar, Inc.; Austin Coming Together; Centro Romero; Children's Home & Aid; High Jump; the military personnel and families of the United Service Organization of Illinois (USO); the 100 Club of Chicago (families of firefighters and police killed in the line of duty) and more. July 23 event attendees included After School Matters; Chicago Public Library; Chinese American Service League; Golden Apple Foundation; Hamdard Center; Fourth Presbyterian Church; Chicago Park District; The Primo Center for Women and Children; and St. Dorothy School. Guests were treated to festive pre-show music and drumming from the Kalapriya Center for Indian Performing Arts, followed by the performance, and left with a bag of The Jungle Book swag. Named the summer's hot ticket by USA Today, The Jungle Book, adapted and directed by Mary Zimmerman, has been playing at 99% of capacity and is poised to become the best selling musical in Goodman Theatre history.

"'Community Day' is a special way to share the joy and magic of live theater with many of Chicago's family audiences," said Ruth Ann Gillis Ruth Ann Gillis Ruth Ann Gillis, Goodman Theatre Chairman. "The Jungle Book is a once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. We are thrilled to make more tickets available through these additional performances so that more Chicago viewers can experience this show."

The July 23 event marked many young attendees' first visit to the Goodman-and their first live theater experience. Elizabeth McChesney, Director, Children and Young A Elizabeth McChesney dult Services for Chicago Public Library (which partners with the Goodman on "Jungle Book Days," part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's STEAM "Summer of Learning"), noted that many children from the various branches arrived at the theater with library copies of The Jungle Book in hand.

The Goodman is grateful to its generous "Community Day" supporters, without whom the events would not be possible. Leadership Sponsor for all education and community engagement programming around The Jungle Book is the Efroymson Family Fund. Sponsors for the July 23 event include Contributing Sponsor Marsh Private Client Services; Event Sponsors AAR Corp. and the Miriyala Family Fund of The DuPage Community Foundation; Community Day Partner Deborah A. Bricker; and Community Day Supporters Harry and Marcy Harczak. PepsiCo is the Lead Community Day Sponsor for the August 13 event.

Photo Credit: Liz Lauren

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