Disney's Jungle Book opens at Goodman Theatre in Chicago

Disney's Jungle Book directed by Mary Zimmerman starts previews today June 21 at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. Opening night is Monday July 1 so reviews will be available July 2. I will post as they come in. I am seeing the show this Sunday, June 23 and will report back.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/179339-The-Jungle-Book-Musical-Directed-by-Mary-Zimmerman-Begins-Goodman-Theatre-Run-June-21

Updated On: 7/2/13 at 07:23 AM

Not bad!

I really want to see the set.

Are there any discount codes? I will be in Chicago this summer and want to see it

Go, Andre!

---

I have not seen the show yet (seeing it tomorrow) but Mogli is played by a live actor beginning at some point in the show.

Another thought was that Act 1 was like a play with music. Act 2 was a musical. That being said - I preferred Act 1. It seemed more organic.

---

Tgra thanks sov much. Mind sharing a song list?

Also how were the elephants and snakes done? Ive seen the set pieces but am very curious.

Andre DeShields previously played an ape in the infamous Broadway flop, "Prymate".

Larry Yando, who plays Shere Khan the tiger, previously played Scar in the Chicago company of The Lion King.

Type casting?

Larry Yando has also played Scrooge and Roy Cohn. He is a spectacular actor.

There was no song list in the Playbill or insert in the Playbill on Friday. Sorry.

---

Updated On: 6/22/13 at 10:53 PM

Do they use a standard Playbill? Would anyone - who has one - be willing to scan the cover?

saw it last night. it's a very enjoyable show. i agree with what other people said, it's very much a lookingglass show, than a disney show. love the indian flavor in set design even though its mostly flats but very colorful and interesting. costumes are quite good too. first act , i think needs a little bit of tweeking , as what someone said here it need to up the silliness. i am sure they will find more of that as they go along with the run. choreography was really good in the king louie song which ended act one in rousing number. andrew de shields really milked the audience applause for that one and deservingly so. there is still no song list in the playbill. maybe they are planning to add more songs (i feel the opening need a big song; maybe not, since the opening is really very magical in a quiet, mysterious way). they did add a few songs ( some are rap ) to what was already in the movie version. i watched the disney movie for the first time last night too after watching the musical to compare it, and found out that a lot of the lines are directly lifted from it. the one big change is the end. zimmerman added a very indian spiritual angle to it. i am not going to spoil it though. and there's also a cool and touching surprise at the very end. i love how the whole show is a lot more indian in design and music than the disney movie. oh and there's a really good curtain call number! i hope to see it again at the end of the run to see how much it's improved.

Updated On: 6/24/13 at 02:26 PM