Park Avenue Drama Club brings The Jungle Book Kids to life

The Park Avenue Elementary School Drama Club transported audiences deep into the heart of the jungle with its fall musical, an enchanting production of  Disney's The Jungle Book KIDS!

Over three performances on Friday, November 21 and Saturday, November 22, the elementary school troupe and student crew members dazzled family, friends, faculty, and community members with their talents, energy, and teamwork. From the very first scene, the stage came alive with colorful sets, imaginative costumes, and the unmistakable strains of classic Disney songs. The young performers, clearly eager and enthused to share their hard work, told the story of Mowgli, Baloo, Bagheera, and Shere Khan.

_{See a gallery of pictures from the musical below this story!}

Adapted from the classic Disney animated film, Disney's The Jungle Book KIDS is a one-act musical featuring characters and songs you know and love from the movie. Human boy, Mowgli, and his panther friend, Bagheera, are on the run in the jungle, having been banished by the ferocious tiger, Shere Khan. On their journey, the two meet a sinister snake named Kaa, a herd of elephants and a giant bear named Baloo. They survive a harrowing encounter with a band of monkeys led by King Louie, and when Shere Khan returns, they must rally their fellow animals into battle and restore peace throughout the jungle!

Months of preparation went into the production, with students dedicating countless hours to rehearsing, both at home and at school. The actors memorized lines and practiced choreography, while crew members mapped out the stage, and set lighting and sound cues. Drama Club advisors were joined by faculty, staff and parent volunteers behind the scenes, who helped with everything from building sets and collecting props to making costumes and acting as chaperones. The collective effort of students and adults paid off, as each performance ran seamlessly and showcased a creative and collaborative spirit -- an example of our district's Portrait of a Graduate in action! 

All three shows drew big crowds to the Park Avenue auditorium, and audience members praised the students’ dedication and talent, both of which were obvious in the quality of the shows. The production also served as a reminder of the value of arts in education. By participating in Drama Club, students gain confidence, learned responsibility, and discover the joy of expressing themselves on stage. For many, it was their first time performing before a large audience!

Congratulations, to the cast and crew on their success! The Park Avenue Drama Club and its advisors also want to thank the Middle and High School students who helped make this production possible.

MUSICAL NUMBERS

• Jungle Prologue
• Trust In Me
• Colonel Hathi's March
• The Bare Necessities
• I Wan'na Be Like You
• I Wan'na Be Like You (Reprise)
• Shere Khan the Tiger
• Mowgli Runs
• That's What Friends Are For 
• The Bare Necessities (Finale)
• I Wan'na Be Like You (Bows)

CAST

4th Grade Cast Members

• Baloo: Tessa Mackey
• Shanti: Hope Stewart
• Mowgli: George Foy
• Bagheera: Evelyn Trass
• Shere Khan: Ava Spadaccini
• Kaa: Kate Ellsworth
• King Louie: June Spicehandler
• Colonel Hathi: Jacob Heim
• Coil 1: Sadie Corcoran
• Coil 2: Vivienne Flood
• Coil 3: Mila Hayek
• Coil 4: Macie Fisher
• Coil 5: Emilie Hasbrouck
• Coil 6: Riley Lipari
• Coil 7: Liliana LaConti
• Coil 8: Olivia Butler
• Silly Monkey: Emerson Hayes
• Sassy Monkey: Charlotte Brazier
• Grumpy Monkey: Teagan Crandall
• Old Monkey: Declan Green
• Monkey Mob: Sofia Gadea, David MacFarlane, Eva Rodriguez
• Baby Elephant: Arden Young
• Elephant Major: Lucas Somelofski
• Elephant Sargent 1: Christian Carrasquillo
• Elephant Sargent 2: Lucas Ramsey
• Elephant Mother: Lucy Butler
• Elephants: Vincenzo Amoresano, Samantha Brown, Lucy Carillo, Adeline Haggerty
• Jungle Thistle: Iliane Seid
• Jungle Banyan: Annaliese Garcia
• Jungle Lotus: Saorise Green
• Dizzy Vulture: Kali Smith
• Ziggy Vulture: JoeJoe Donnelly
• Wolf Father: Matteo Crisano
• Wolf Mother: Breanna O'Neill
• Wolf Baby: Stella Piascik
• Shantis Mother: Simone Goldstein
• Shantis Father: Kyrie Washington
• Shantis Brother: Carlin Gillen
• Butterflies: Sophia Ambrosia, Harper Burke, Mackenzie Correll, Josephine DiMaria, Penelope Scott

3rd Grade Cast Members

• Banana Bunch (Monkeys): Everly Gomez, Avery Haley, Charlotte O'Leary, Alessandra Rivera, Sloane Szpajzman, Chloe Theologis
• Warthog & Prey: Matthew Calisi, Brian Delgado, Jax Hernandez, Jedidiah Mensah, Daniel Vdovitsky
• Bees: Ivy Allen, Lily Horgan, Julia MacDonald, Quinn Mackey
• Flowers: Gabriella Batista, Julie Cohn, Isabel Fasano, Nyla Pico
• Birds: Carisa Habrahamshon, Aubrey Herrmann, Lillian Leet
• Vultures: Roman Carillo, Lexie Klausner, Ariella Machese, Hannah Nurse
• Ivy: Amaia Gonzalez, Madison Inglima, Khalia Sinnemaki
• Wolves: Chloe Butler, Keira Cullen
• Tree Frogs: Alivia Adams, Alexis Cruz

PRODUCTION CREDITS

• Director: Christy Brown
• Producer: Amy Buliung
• Costume/Art Director: Lisa Fasano
• Music Director: Carolyn Weller
• Acting Coach: Donna Berghahn
• Building Principal: Bill Biniaris
• Choreographers: Ashlyn Brown, Lyla Brown, Samantha Rado, Callie Romig, Fiona Sezack
• Student Vocal Directors: Madison Buliung, Hailey Foust, Isabelle Redling, Grace Stough, Jenny Walker
• Student Assistants: Adam Batista, Fiona Contino, Tyler Gordon, Jenna Grady, Carly Kunisch, Angie McKnight, Adelaide Ronne, Gia Spadaccini, Isaac Spicehandler
• Program: Amy Buliung, Christy Brown, Lisa Fasano
• Sound Technician: Corey Brown, Christy Brown
• Music: Cayden Brown
• Lighting Designer: Finn Buliung
• Lighting Technicians: Arthur Buliung, Brian Dunn
• Spotlight: Khloe Rodriguez
• Tickets: Amy Buliung, Linda Fasano
• Costumes: Lisa Fasano, Emily Montenaro, Charlotte Montenaro, Tanya Pfingst, Annabella Pfingst
• Costume Assistants: Lilyana Amoresano, Nicole Amoresano Livia Dembeck, Maggie Maiorana, Violetta Quezada
• Headshots: Narciscus A. Key Jr
• Videography: WVHS Communication Dept.
• Set Building: Lisa Fasano, Ryan O'Leary, Kevin Trass
• Painting: Lisa Fasano, Christie Calisi, Ashley LaConti, Maria Ronne\
• Face Paint: Lisa Fasano, Tyler Rader, Lisa Allen, Lily Amoresano, Nicole Amoresano, Grace Brown, Lisa Ellsworth, Sabina Fasano, Cheri Gomez, Kristen Hasbrouck
• Sets & Props: Lisa Fasano, Maria Ronne
• Weekly Chaperones: Lisa Allen, Andrea Batista, Bernadette Correll, Tara Cullen, Lisa Ellsworth, Samantha Hayek, Matt Spicehandler