Bright Life Players to present 'The Jungle Book'
Bright Life Players, a local community theater nonprofit, will present the play “The Jungle Book” over two upcoming weekends. Cast members pictured include London Aspiras, front left, Kristen Hofstetter and Gavin Geiser; middle row, Olivia Ramseyer and April Aspiras; and back row, James Barber and Robert Harter.
Bright Life Players, a local community theater nonprofit, will present “The Jungle Book” over two upcoming weekends.
There will be four evening shows — March 28 and 29 and April 4 and 5 at 7 p.m. — and one matinee April 6 at 2:30 p.m. at First Church of God, 1953 Akron Road, Wooster.
Tickets are $11 for adults, $8 for youth and $32 for a four-pack. Purchase tickets online at www.brightlifeplayers.org/box-office.
According to one of the show's directors, Kay Anderson, Bright Life looks for family-friendly shows with a good message and a cast that offers roles for a variety of ages. The current cast ranges in age from 8 to over 60 and includes one member who will be nearly 6 months old on opening night. All the actors are local to the area. Some are new to acting, and others have a range of experience.
The play “The Jungle Book,” written by Monica Flory, is based on Rudyard Kipling's poems. A review by Laurel Graeber, published in the New York Times, said, “Monica Flory's script is both scrupulously faithful to Rudyard Kipling and completely original in its approach. While Kipling's story is basically a grand adventure, this version takes its subtext — a boy's quest for identity — and makes it at the heart of the piece. It includes all the book's action and even some of its dialogue but increases the emotional resonance.”
Most of the characters in the play are animals.
“The cast has done an amazing job of becoming their animal counterparts,” Anderson said. “The actors have done a great job of capturing the essence of the story through their characters.”
Anderson said the age range of the cast allows for actors to learn from one another.
“Elementary-age actors alongside teens and adults all make up one jungle,” she said. “It is a great opportunity for our kids to learn about theater from the pros.”
For every show, the theater company chooses an area nonprofit, and 90% of the proceeds are donated. They also sell ads in the program to increase the amount donated.
“We try to loosely connect the show to the recipient of the proceeds,” Anderson said. “In this case we felt that 'Jungle Book' is about the animals accepting Mowgli and helping him to learn the ways of the jungle so that he can do more than survive. He can thrive.”
The group receiving proceeds for this show is the Orrville-based Open Arms, an organization that offers services to Latino immigrants in Wayne, Holmes and Stark counties. Its website at www.open-arms.us says, “For over 20 years, we have been welcoming, accompanying and partnering with Latino immigrants.”
Since 2016 Bright Life Players has donated over $15,000 to area organizations.
“Approximately 90% of the net proceeds from the show go to Open Arms,” Anderson said. “Bright Life Players uses the remaining 10% toward the expenses of the next show and general expenses.”
Volunteers are always needed for the shows, and donations are always welcome. For more information visit www.brightlifeplayers.org.