Book & Lyrics by Karen Zacarías Music by Deborah Wicks La Puma
Synopsis
Jane is an ordinary suburban girl, complete with a really nice mom and a bratty little brother. But Jane is on the verge of some big changes. Middle school is looming, and that’s both exciting and a little scary. And yet nothing compares with the jolt she gets when she wakes up one morning to discover she has acquired spots, furry ears and a tail! Not only that, but her neighborhood seems to be turning into a jungle! This delightfully inventive new musical takes a wild and wonderful approach to everything kids have to go through before they’re truly “grown up.”
History
Renée Brna, Derek Manson, Elia Saldana and Eymard Cabling at South Coast Repertory
Jane of the Jungle was commissioned and premiered at South Coast Repertory Theatre, Costa Mesa, CA in 2012 under the director of Juliette Carrillo. It received its youth cast premiere in 2013 at Palos Verdes Intermediate School in Palos Verdes, California, produced by Chauntelle O’Loughlin.
Jamey Hood and Erika Whalen at South Coast Repertory.
Audio demo features the voice talents of the original cast: Eymard Cabling (Milo), Jamey Hood (Mom/Joanne/Samantha), Renée Brna (Jane), Derek Manson (Steve), Ella North (Kayla), and Erika Whalen Schindele (Pat/Kelly/Nicolette).
The Theatre School at DePaul University
Production Elements
Eymard Cabling, Jamey Hood, Renée Brna and Erika Whalen at South Coast Repertory
Cast: 4 women, 2 men (Youth Cast version expandable up to 8 women, 3 men and Chorus)
Female: JANE – A girl about to start middle school (Alto) KAYLA – JANE’s best friend. (Mezzo with Belt) MOM – JANE’s Mother. Also plays JOANNE and SAMANTHA (Alto) PAT- Also plays KELLY and NICOLETTE MILLER, the most popular girl (Mezzo)
Male: MILO – JANE’s younger brother (Tenor) STEVE COLLINS – The cute boy. Also plays KAYLA’S DAD (Bari-Tenor)
The Theatre School at DePaul University
Music: Pop musical theatre score with “world music” influences. Accompaniment tracks available. Musical Difficulty: Moderate Technical Requirements: Minimal Set, some special “jungle” effects suggested Suggested Audience: Upper Elementary School/Families
Authors
KAREN ZACARÍAS (Book & Lyrics) was recently hailed by American Theatre magazine as one of the most produced playwrights in the United States. Her plays include Destiny of Desire, Native Gardens, Mariela in the Desert, Legacy of Light, The Book Club Play and The Sins of Sor Juana; adaptations include Into the Beautiful North, Just Like Us and How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent. Zacarías has written 10 TYA musicals with composer Debbie Wicks La Puma including Oliverio: A Brazilian Twist, Ella Enchanted: The Musical, Chasing George Washington: A White House Adventure, Einstein Is a Dummy, Looking for Roberto Clemente, Frida Libre, Jane of the Jungle, Cinderella Eats Rice and Beans, Ferdinand the Bull and The Magical Piñata. She collaborated on the libretto for Sleepy Hollow and Hemingway: The Sun Also Rises for the Washington Ballet at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Her plays have been produced at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Goodman Theatre, South Coast Repertory, the Guthrie Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Round House Theatre, GALA Hispanic Theatre, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Dallas Theater Center and many more. Zacarías is a core founder of the Latino Theater Commons, a national network that strives to update the American narrative to including the stories of Latinos. She is the founder of Young Playwrights’ Theater, an award-winning theatre company that teaches playwriting in local public schools in Washington, D.C., and she is proud to be Arena Stage’s first resident playwright. Zacarías lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and three children. www.karenzacarias.com.