The Jungle Book was written by Rudyard Kipling who, in 1907, at the age of 42, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, making him the first English-language writer to receive the prize and its youngest recipient to date.

 

For over one hundred years, The Jungle Book has been regarded as a classic story, loved by children and adults alike.

 

 

In Kipling's jungle world, there is the hierarchy of the food chain. Different tribes have different ways of living and surviving.
Yet even the most powerful predator follows the rules of The Jungle Book.

A man cub was lost in the jungle, hunted as human, loved as a family member, accompanied as a friend, guarded and taught as a student.

Lost in the jungle. Where is he from? Where does he belong?

 

After a hundred years, we still find ourselves in the Jungle.

 

Living in the urban jungle, we look for fairness and integrity over the competition.

When life is at stake, voices speak up.

The strong one protects.

The wise one guides.

The lost one can find the red flower... fire and light.

 

Earlybirds produced The Jungle Book in 2017, a family show for those who live in the urban jungle of Shanghai.

 

 

Back by popular demand, The Culture and Art Center of Changning has invited The Jungle Book to perform in their theatre.

A bigger show on a bigger stage.

 

This season, The Jungle Book returns with a bigger cast, new songs and dance.

 

 

Director: Arran R Hawkins

Arran is an actor/director/artist from Cornwall in the UK. He has been heavily involved in the Shanghai Theatre and art scene since 2009.

 

He launched Theatre Anon with four other theatrical friends in 2013. Their first show was an adaptation of Harold Pinter’s Betrayal in Nov/Dec 2013. Early in 2015 he Wrote, Directed, Produced, Designed, Acted in and ran sound on OZ, a family show based on L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz.

 

He produced and starred in Dangerous Liaisons and his original creative team re-imagined and staged an updated version of The Snow Queen for Christmas 2015 and an abridged version of the show in March 2016 which travelled to The Edinburgh Fringe Festival for a 27 show run in August 2016 which garnered several 4 star reviews. He is currently working on an adaptation of The Little Prince which will open in May 2018.

 

 

Assistant Director/Tabaqui - A Jackal: Rich Bochniak

A San Diego born clown and physical comedian whose Shanghai acting resume includes Much Ado About Nothing, OZ and The Snow Queen.

 

He is a director and mainstage performer of the Zmack Comedy Improv troupe and works with Early Birds, developing and facilitating Creative Drama programs for local school campuses here in Shanghai. He spends his free time searching for those ‘banana peels’ to slip on in life.

 

 

Musical Director/Baloo - A Bear: OJ Ryan

OJ has been acting and playing music on stages across Shanghai, Dubai and Edinburgh over the past ten years.

 

He jumped at the chance to reprise the role of Baloo for the 2018 production of The Jungle Book, though this time also taking the on the role of musical director. Teaming up with long time song writing collaborator (and director of this production) Arran Hawkins, OJ says “it’s a thrill to use a little music to add to the magic of a show”.

 

 

Bagheera - A Panther: Dominique Siqueira Koo
Dominique Siqueira Koo is a performer and drama teacher who is taking on the role of Bagheera the panther. She has performed in Hong Kong and New York and is excited to bring Bagheera the protector to Shanghai for the second time.

 

 

Shere Khan - A Tiger: Awesta Zarif
Awesta Zarif is an actor, singer, director, and theatre educator based in Shanghai. She'll be playing the villainous and ferocious Shere Khan in this production of The Jungle Book. Though filled with vengeance, Shere Khan's hatred for young Mowgli comes from the suffering humans have caused the jungle animals in the past. It's a thrill to play this conflict and tap into an animalistic energy.

 

 

Akela - A wolf: Sebastian Martin
Sebastian is a social entrepreneur with an interest in coffee and acting. As Akela, he defends his family and the Law of the Jungle, and knows that “sometimes to lead, is to fight.”

 

 

Mother Wolf: Kelly Kirk
Kelly Kirk is thrilled to perform once again as Mother Wolf. She is a trained theater actress from Chicago, IL - performing in Shanghai since 2015. Her experience includes immersive and improvised theater, filmmaking and podcast production. Lastly, Kelly raises a puppy of her own and teaches children’s creative drama on the weekends.

 

 

Artistic Director: Kathryn Robbins

Kathryn Robbins is a body-painter, makeup artist and fine artist, from Birmingham, England. She graduated with a first degree from the University of Leeds in surface pattern design and she always desired to be part of the makeup and theatre world, so in 2012 she decided to follow her heart and dreams.

 

She has now specialized in makeup for fashion photography and has achieved a distinction in photographic and fashion makeup, theatre, body-painting, beauty and high fashion. She has been working as a freelance makeup artist for 4 years now in London and Shanghai.

 

Choreographer: Sophie Renier

Sophie learned ballet in France at the National Paris Opera House and then joined the National Superior Conservatory of Music and Dance of Paris (C.N.S.M.D.P.) where she obtained her Certificate of Dance Interpretation and her Superior Degree in history of dance, anatomy and music.

 

After graduating, she danced at the National Ballet of Nancy (C.C.N. of Lorraine), national center for contemporary dance and choreographic research.

 

She performed pieces from some of the most renowned choreographers such as Maliphant, Forsythe, Balanchine, Graham, Preljocaj, Armitage, and so on. After a while, she integrated the independent company C.C.F.M. as a soloist where she danced a large repertoire from ballet to contemporary. She eventually was invited to join as a soloist the Ballet de la Comunidad Victor Ullate and worked on a neo-classical and contemporary repertoire.

 

Stage Manager/Messua: Ildiko Kissimon

Ildiko Kissimon has always been passionate about theater. She started acting, dancing and singing when she was in primary school. She has been involved with many plays in Europe.

 

In Shanghai, she was stage manager for Bite my thumb and Fun Home produced and presented by East West Theater. She co-directed the childrens' plays Wizard of Oz and Sleeping Beauty. She has also recently joined the Zmack Improv team.She is very excited about this light-hearted and funny play with musical elements.