Edward Mast's 
JUNGALBOOK

August 2006

The opening production of the JungalBook was adapted from Rudyard Kipling’s landmark novel, the Jungle Book. This innovative retelling maintained the family-friendly quality of the original, while making the story accessible to a contemporary and urban audience. The Indian jungle of the classic tale was replaced with an urban schoolyard and the animals took on human roles and characteristics. The play was an appropriate start to Youth on Target.

Director’s Note

Rules. They guide us, protect us and give us a clear sense of right and wrong…but what happens when the rules don't apply? What if there is no right or wrong? Who sets the rules to begin with?

From our very earliest moments we are taught to control our behavior. As babies often it's a matter of survival. Don't touch the stove; it's hot! Don't poke your brother's eye; he'll hit back. The basics.

It's at school that rules really become procedure. We are taught to stand in line, not talk in the hallways, raise our hands to speak and above all else obey the teacher. Then of course we start to grow up. Adolescence gives us a new perspective on the rules that we may have blindly followed as children. Sometimes we rebel against the rules or we try to alter them to suit our individual needs…and sometimes we ignore them all together.

JungalBook strives to explore this juncture- When the rules that we have always known begin to hurt instead of help and we see our own potential stretch past them. However, Mowgli shows us that when you abandon the rules, the future becomes much more uncertain.

Meet the Cast:

Caitlin Heibach (Director) is a graduate of New York University's program in Educational Theater.  She recently finished her first year as a drama teacher at Public School 28 in the Bronx and is looking forward to new beginnings at Brooklyn's PS 27 in the fall.  Education and theater have always been a strong focus in her work personally and professionally and the opportunity to lead such a talented cast in this project has been a dream fulfilled.  She would like to thank her roommates for their constant harassment and she sends her love and gratitude to her mother, brother and her audience in the clouds.

Sarah Bellantoni (Akela) just finished her first year of teaching drama at The Chapin School in New York City. She received her B.S. from New York University’s Program in Educational Theatre. She is thrilled to be working with such a talented and dedicated ensemble. She would like to thank her family and friends for their love and support.

Leah Carroll  (Grey/Kaa) has been treading the boards since she was four, and wouldn't have it any other way.  Some of her favorite past projects include: Getting Near to Baby, The Colonel’s Holiday, Jonestown the Musical, Sideman, Bye Bye Birdie, Brigadoon, and 110 in the Shade. She has recently been cast in the independent thriller Affinity in the lead role of Alex which shoots at the end of this year. Currently, she attends NYU as a graduate student and earned her Bachelor’s degree at Ithaca College.

David Futernick  (Grab/Hathi) is a recent graduate of Marymount Manhattan's BFA in Acting Program. He recently appeared in a reading at Emerging Artists Theater and can be seen in an upcoming Commercial for ESPN.

Heather Heels (Baloo) is a recent graduate of the Program in Educational Theatre at New York University. This year she has been actively involved with the NYU's Shakespeare Initiative, serving as the Company Manager for the Shakespeare Youth Ensemble, a performer in the touring performance group, Shakespeare to Go, and he producer for this summer's Looking for Shakespeare program. Other recent credits include This is Not a Pipe Dream (PSM), Look Back in Anger (Director), Richard II (PSM), A Midsummer's Night Dream, Hamlet, transfigured (Dramaturg), The Caucasian Chalk Circle, and 5 x Wilder. Heather is a teaching artist for SecondStage Theatre.

Chris Maddox (Mowgli) is a very recent graduate from the B.F.A Program at Marymount Manhattan College and is very proud to be working with such a talented ensemble while getting to play with her inner child.

Anthony Mendez (Bagheera) considers himself "an actor with a focus in voice-overs." An artist since birth, he entered Architecture school with a portfolio of original comic book characters. He always felt that his parents preferred saying, "My son's an architect" to "My son's an artist." He decided to focus on voice-overs which led him to MTB Studio for scene study and the Upright Citizens Brigade for improv. He feels very fortunate to have been given the opportunity by Youth on Target to step out of the vocal booth and makes his stage debut here in JungalBook. Although, he's still trying to figure out how to transfer his Architecture credits to Drama.

Robyn Schall (Perchy/Chil/Hyena) is a graduate of the University of Connecticut, where she received her BFA.  Her recent credits include Callie in Stop Kiss, Leah Fondakowskil in the Laramie Project, and Polly in Gut Girls.  Robyn would like to thank her family for their support and Joe for taking her to rehearsal everyday!

Isabel Steuble-Johnson (Sherakhan) is a not so recent graduate of New York University. She just finished playing both the Mother and Georgette in the Paddywack Player’s production of This is Not a Pipe Dream. Her other credits include work at New York University, in London and Off-Off.