PLAY GUIDE peppercorntheatre.org - Adapted by John Bowhers From the books by Rudyard Kipling - Kaleideum Downtown
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presents...
Adapted by John Bowhers
From the books by Rudyard Kipling
PLAY GUIDE
peppercorntheatre.org
BEFORE THE SHOW
About this Play
This adaptation of The Jungle Book is different from film or television
adaptations that you may have seen. The playwright has reimagined the story
of The Jungle Book with animals that are native to North Carolina. All of the
characters are played by four actors. The actors play multiple roles and they
may not be dressed in the kinds of “animal costumes” that you expect!
Questions for Before the Show
• What do you know about Jungle Book?
• What animals do you expect to see in this play?
• How do you play with your friends?
• Do you ever act out movies or books with your friends?
• Have you ever been camping?
• What might it be like to sleep outside or in a tent?
• How might that be different from sleeping inside or in a bed?
• How is a jungle different from a forest?
• What wild animals live in North Carolina?
• Who are your animal neighbors?
2
BEFORE THE SHOW
Jungle vs. Forest Soundscapes
What is a setting? A setting is where or when a story takes place.
We are going to explore setting through our sense of hearing.
Listen to this room.
What do you hear?
What else?
What is making that noise?
Even in a quiet room, there are many sounds that give us details about where we are.
Let’s imagine what sounds we might hear if we were in a different places.
Encourage participants to think about the sounds they might hear in a jungle.
You might brainstorm things/creatures that might be in the jungle by writing ideas
on a board or piece of paper. Encourage creativity, but be accurate about which
animals live in the jungle.
Pick one thing that would be in the location– for example, “trees.” What sounds a
tree could make (wind in the leaves, the branches creaking, etc.). One by one, ask
participants to add to the scene, until an entire location is created with multiple
sounds.
Repeat this activity with the sounds we might hear in a forest in North Carolina. How
is a forest different from a jungle?
Connection to the play: The version of The Jungle Book that you are going to see is
not set in a tropical rainforest jungle, but in Winston-Salem, and is inspired by the
forests of North Carolina.
Extend the Adventure: Think about these places as the setting of a story or play.
Setting in stories inspires different moods or feelings. Divide into groups and create
a forest or jungle soundscape that also conveys a feeling or mood. Share the new
soundscapes.
*For an added challenge, you might make these moods secret, and challenge other
participants to guess which mood or feeling those participants were trying to convey.
3
BEFORE THE SHOW
Wolf Communication: Vocal
Wolves make sounds to communicate. Their vocal communication can be
separated into four categories: barking, whimpering, growling, and howling.
Sounds created by the wolf may actually be a combination of sounds such as a
bark-howl or growl-bark. Each combination holds a different meaning.
Try making each of these sounds. Before you reveal the meaning of each sound,
guess what a wolf might be trying to communicate by making each vocalization.
Barking is used as a warning. A mother may bark to her pups when she senses
danger, or a bark or bark-howl may be used to show aggression in defense of
the pack or territory.
Whimpering may be used by a mother to indicate her willingness to nurse her
young. It is also used by a wolf in a submissive position to indicate “I give up” if
another wolf is dominating them.
Growling is also warning. A wolf may growl at intruding wolves or predators, or
to indicate dominance.
Howling is the one form of communication used by wolves for long distance.
A defensive howl is used to keep the pack together and strangers away, to
stand ground and protect young pups who cannot yet travel from danger, and
to protect kill sites. A social howl is used to locate the rest of the pack, to rally
together, and sometimes might just be used for fun.
4
BEFORE THE SHOW
Wolf Communication: Physical
Wolves also use their bodies and physical posture to communicate. This chart shows
what various wolf postures mean. Look at each wolf individually. Before you reveal
the meaning of the image, guess what a wolf might be trying to communicate with
each posture.
1. Dominant
2. Threat
3. Trying to impress (tail wags from side to side)
4. Unconcerned attitude
5. Uncertain threat
6. Eating
7. Subordinate attitude
8. Defensive
9, 10, 11. Subordinate attitudes in the presence of a wolf of superior rank
5
AFTER THE SHOW
In the play, the wolves wear bandanas that show they are in the Piedmont Pack
together. Costume designer Clare Parker was inspired by the markings on red wolves’
coats, making each bandana slightly different.
Compare the bandanas from the show to these images of red wolves.
6
AFTER THE SHOW
If you were to design a bandana for a group of animals to make your own club, what
would your bandana look like? How would you represent the patterns/colors of that
animal?
7
AFTER THE SHOW
Costume Design & Object Transformation
The costume designer Clare Parker used her imagination to make clothing items in
the play transform the actors into different animals. Object transformation is an
important part of symbolic play. Symbols use one thing to represent something else,
and are important for for language development because words are symbols, too.
Practice object transformation and basic costume design by turning a scarf into an
animal costume!
Begin by talking about the costumes in the show. You might ask:
• What do you remember about the costumes?
• How did we know when Kayla was Shere Khan, or when BG was Bagheera?
Explain that the costumes were designed to transform, and that the audience has to
use their imaginations along with the actors.
Hold up a scarf (or piece of fabric). Start by modeling. Say, “This is a not a scarf, it’s
bunny ears. Put the scarf on your head with two corners up to make ears. You might
twitch your nose or click your teeth like a bunny. Pass the scarf to someone new and
challenge them to make it into an animal costume. Ask them to repeat the phrase,
“This is not a scarf, it’s a _______________.” Encourage them to use facial expression,
sounds, and movements to bring that animal to life!
VARIATION: You might try this as a guessing game by not identifying the item first.
Have the performer act out the character and costume, and ask the rest of the class
to guess the animal and which part of the animal the scarf has become.
8
AFTER THE SHOW
Leading & Following
Wolves live in groups called packs. They move together and communicate with their
bodies, often taking cues from a leader called the Alpha. They communicate without
words. Let’s explore how we might move together as a group, taking turns as leaders.
Stand in a group, all facing the same direction, with enough room to move without
touching one another. The person at the front of the group becomes the Alpha,
leading everyone in synchronized movement. The leader should model this first.
“I am going to move slowly and invite you to follow, or mirror, my movement as
accurately as possible. I’m going to move in a way that allows everyone to move with
me.”
The group should follow, mirroring the Alpha. If the Alpha changes direction and
shifts out of the group’s line of vision, a new Alpha at the front of the group emerges
and leads until their movement shifts focus to another leader. The object of the
activity is for the group to look like they are moving as one. The Alpha’s movement
should be improvised. You might play music for this activity. Remind participants to
make sure everyone can follow the movement by moving slowly and deliberately.
After you’ve played a few rounds, reflect on the experience. Ask your group:
• What did you notice about being the Alpha of the group?
• What were some of the characteristics of being a good leader?
• What did you notice about being a follower?
• What were some of the skills you had to use to be a good follower?
• How did we work together as a group during this activity?
• Why is it important to be a good leader and a good follower?
• How do we take these skills and characteristics of leading and following and
apply them to the way we work together?
Connection to the play: Ask your group
about how this activity reminds
them of The Jungle Book.
• Who were the leaders?
• Who were the followers?
• Did this change throughout the play?
9
AFTER THE SHOW
Wolf Hunt
The characters in The Jungle Book play a game called ‘Wolf Hunt’. This physical game
is inspired by the classic swimming pool game ‘Sharks & Minnows’.
You can play it, too!
Identify one person to be the ‘Lone Wolf’, either a player or the group leader.
Everyone else will be in the ‘Wolf Pack’. The goal of the game is for the Lone Wolf to
get all the wolves in the Wolf Pack to join a new pack.
The Lone Wolf stands on one side of the play space and the Wolf Pack stands on the
other side. When the Lone Wolf howls, the Wolf Pack slowly walk towards the other
side. The Wolf Pack’s goal is to get to the other side without being tagged by the
Lone Wolf. Any members of the Wolf Pack who get tagged join the new pack with the
Lone Wolf.
Once all wolves have reached the opposite side, repeat until all the wolves are in the
new pack.
Questions for After the Show
• Why didn’t Kayla want her friends to know she was skipping a grade? Why do you
think she asked Emmy to keep it a secret?
• What do you think about secrets? How is a secret different from a surprise?
• What do you think might happen after the play ends? Will Kayla, Lou, and BG keep
playing The Jungle Book?
10AFTER THE SHOW
Arts-Integration: Scientific Sketching
Explore the world around you like the characters in The Jungle Book. Combine art
with science through Scientific Sketching. Practice careful observation skills as you
identify differences between organisms and communicate visual information clearly.
In scientific sketching, recording what you see is different from drawing what
you imagine. By focusing on what you observe about an object rather than the
generalized idea of it, you can move beyond the idea in your head to representing a
real specimen. This starts with looking and observing.
Begin by gathering materials. You might invite young people to gather interesting
leaves or flowers from a yard, park, or playground. Be sure to take care of our
environment - don’t pick too many leaves from one plant or remove any animals
from their homes. It’s helpful to have many materials that are all the same type, like
leaves, flowers, or grasses. That way, you can compare and contrast between similar
items. Each participant should have one item.
Once you have your materials, look all the specimens together. Ask:
• What do you see?
• What colors do you see?
• How are the items similar?
• How are they different?
Ask each young person to pick one specimen. What makes this [leaf or flower, etc.]
different from the others? What could you share with other scientists to help them
identify this specimen in the wild?
11AFTER THE SHOW
Arts-Integration: Scientific Sketching (continued)
Share the ABCDE’s of Scientific Sketching (from The California Academy of Sciences):
ACCURATE, BIG, COLORFUL, DETAILED, EXPLAINED
An ACCURATE sketch describes the true nature of an object – size, shape, texture, etc.
The sketch should be BIG so that we can see details, rather than squished in one
corner of the page.
When possible, communicate more information by making your sketch accurately
COLORFUL.
Use words and drawings to make your sketch as DETAILED as possible. All the little
details are what make the specimen you are studying distinguishable from others
like it.
Add labels, questions, and conjectures about what you see. These words make your
sketch EXPLAINED.
Gather materials: paper, pencils, coloring tools (markers, crayons, coloring pencils,
chalk or paint). Start by placing your item on the paper. Rather than tracing the
shape of the it, place little dots at the ends of each point, to get a general outline
of its shape. Remove the specimen from the page. Keep looking at the specimen as
you fill in the rest of the details. When you’re ready to add more details, choose an
area of the specimen where you notice something unusual. You might add a ‘zoom
bubble’ where you draw that area bigger than it really is. Remember to include words
in your sketch. Labels can indicate size, texture, and details, and might include
questions and wonders about this specimen. Finally, add color to complete the
image.
Once you’ve completed your sketch, share it with a neighbor. See if they can go out
in the park, yard, or playground and find that same type of item as your specimen.
In a classroom, you might shuffle the sketches and trade specimens to see if
participants can match the items to their corresponding scientific sketches.
12AFTER THE SHOW
Compare & Contrast: Animals & Characters
The actors in The Jungle Book play different characters. They each play a character
from Winston-Salem and a character from The Jungle Book story. Use this chart
to compare and contrast what you know about the character with their animal
counterpart:
BAGHEERA THE BOBCAT
BG
BALOO THE BLACK BEAR
LOU
SHERE KHAN THE COUGAR
KAYLA
13ANIMALS IN THE JUNGLE BOOK
“Shere Khan”
In the book, Shere Khan is a In the play, Shere Khan is a
Bengal Tiger Cougar
Group Name: a Streak or an Ambush Group Name: There is no name for a
group of cougars because they do not
Diet: Carnivore
form groups in the wild
Habitat: Tropical rainforests
Diet: Carnivore
Strengths: Muscular limbs, whiskers
Habitat: Tropical forests, swamps,
that help guide in the dark
grasslands, mountain conifer forests,
Population Estimate: 3,890 desert scrub
Fun Fact: Bengal Tiger stripes are Strengths: Agility, powerful legs, ability
unique to each individual and act just to jump up to 40 ft
like human fingerprints.
Population Estimate: 30,000
Fun Fact: The cougar holds the
BIG DIFFERENCE: The Bengal Tiger Guinness Book record for the animal
is the second largest of the big cats with the most names, with more than
(Siberian Tigers are the largest). 40 English variations, including —
Cougars, however, are not big cats cougar, catamount, painter, panther,
— they are the largest of the small ghost cat, puma, shadow cat,
cats. There is a difference in the mountain lion.
structure of the voice box or the
larynx between the big cats and the small cats. Because of this cougars can’t roar,
they produce a high pitched scream. This shrill scream has earned them a place in
American folklore as “Mountain Screamers.” 14ANIMALS IN THE JUNGLE BOOK
“Bagheera”
In the book, Bagheera is a In the play, Bagheera is a
Panther Bobcat
Group Name: There is no name for a Group Name: a Clutter or a Clowder
group of panthers because they do not Diet: Carnivore
form groups in the wild
Habitat: Forests, swamps, deserts
Diet: Carnivore
Strengths: Nocturnal, adaptable to
Habitat: Jungles, forests environments
Strengths: Climbing, balancing, Population Estimate: 1 million+
swimming
Fun Fact: Bobcat kittens can remain
Population Estimate: 250,000 with mother for 9-12 months
Fun Fact: Panther is a general term for
dark colored leopard.
15ANIMALS IN THE JUNGLE BOOK
“Baloo”
In the book, Baloo is a In the play, Baloo is a
Sloth Bear Black Bear
Group Name: a Sleuth or Sloth Group Name: a Sleuth or Sloth
Diet: Myrmecophagous or Diet: Omnivore
Insectivorous (Eats ants and insects) Habitat: Forests, mountains, swamps
Habitat: Forest, grasslands Strengths: Climbing
Strengths: Nocturnal, strong back legs, Population Estimate: 300,000
teeth and claws
Fun Facts: Male black bears wander 15-
Population Estimate: 7,000- 10,000 80 square miles away from their home.
Fun Facts: Sleep-wake cycles adjust
according to their habitat and threat
of predators.
16ANIMALS IN THE JUNGLE BOOK Other Animals In the book, there are Gibbons In the play, there are Squirrels Group Name: Family Group Name: a Dray or Scurry Diet: Omnivores Habitat: Rainforest Diet: Omnivores Habitat: Forests, Strengths: Long arms for swinging swamps, deserts Population Estimate: 80,000 Strengths: Highly adaptable to Fun Facts: In their descent from a tree, different habitats gibbons throw their arms into the air, Fun Fact: There are over 250 species of giving them the ability to land on two squirrel. feet. In the book, there are Vultures In the play, there are Blue Jays Group: a Venue or a Kettle (when they Group: a Swarm, a Cast, a Party, or a swarm) Diet: Carnivores Scold Habitat: Deserts, savannas, grasslands Diet: Vegetarian and Insectivorous Strengths: Eyesight, sense of smell, Habitat: Forests sharp beak Strengths: Imitation of other sounds Population Estimate: 80 million and bird calls Fun Facts: Black vultures do not have Population Estimate: 13 million a voice box, but they do have a raspy Fun Facts: Blue Jays harvest acorns and hiss/grunt when their beaks are store them in the ground. closed. 17
SPOTLIGHT: Imagination & Play
This regional retelling of The Jungle Book features a group of kids who bring their favorite story
to life in their backyard through imaginative play. Creative and imaginative play is important to
learning and development. When we look through young eyes, the world around us transforms;
the floor turns into lava, vines hang from the ceiling, and your bedroom becomes a secret fortress.
When a single experience can spark a child’s imagination in a myriad of ways, it is important to
develop the spaces in which this discovery occurs.
BRINGING STORIES TO LIFE
A major source of creative energy can be reading books and stories. With a book, a child can travel
the world and explore unknown territories. Characters and places in stories can translate into the
real world, and become jumping-off points for play. When you read stories with the young people
in your life, you might use questions to deepen their creative experience. Ask them first what they
remember from the story, and then what they imagine the characters might be doing before the
story begins or after it concludes. After talking about the story, try bringing it to life in your home
or classroom. How might you use legos to build the setting of the story, or Play-Doh to recreate the
characters?
TOOLS FOR CREATIVITY
Creating safe spaces for imagination to flourish is helpful for emerging learners. You can spark
creativity with open-ended materials that can be used in a variety of ways, like sand, water, blocks,
play dough, natural materials, and paint. Empty boxes, plastic silverware, pots and pans are all
household items that might be turned into rocket ships, fairy wands, and musical instruments.
Allow time for young learners to simply explore with open-ended materials. After having time to
explore, engage with their experience by asking questions or posing a challenge. You might ask,
“How tall can you make that tower?” or “What do you think might happen if you mix the red paint
and the blue?” If a learner doesn’t take on a challenge this time, they may try it independently on a
different day. Because there are endless ways that open-ended materials can be manipulated and
used, children practice critical thinking as they experiment and create.
OBSERVATION & CREATIVE MOVEMENT
Imagination creates opportunities for developing the skill of observation. Imitating or pretending
to be animals is a great place to begin practicing observation. Pretending to be an animal by
moving or walking like one also helps develop body awareness and gross motor skills, and can
help with self-regulation (the ability to manage feelings, behavior, and energy levels). You might
begin by observing how an animal moves through watching videos or looking at pictures. Ask
what your young learner sees, and if they can name the parts of that creature’s body. Ask them
to identify these body parts on their own body. How are they different or alike? Challenge them
to move like that animal. Do they walk or crawl? Remember that there is no “correct” way to
pretend to be this animal - encourage creative choices as learners apply their observations to their
movement.
Peppercorn Theatre at Kaleideum’s The Jungle Book encourages audience members to pursue
imaginative play. We hope that our audiences are inspired to make their own stories into valuable
spaces for creativity and imagination.
18Recommended Reading
If you enjoyed Peppercorn Theatre at Kaleideum’s The Jungle Book, you might also
enjoy these books about animals, adventure, and nature:
• A Boy and A Jaguar by Alan Rabinowitz
• National Parks of the USA by Kate Siber
• A Walk in the Forest by Maria Dek
The characters in our production of The Jungle Book use their imaginations to bring
their favorite story to life. These wordless books are designed to spark imagination
and inspire storytelling:
• Another by Christian Robinson
• Flashlight by Lizi Boyd
• Shadow by Suzy Lee
• Aaron Becker’s Wordless Trilogy:
Journey by Aaron Becker
Quest by Aaron Becker
Return by Aaron Becker
Older audience members might enjoy reading The Jungle Book for themselves.
Remember, like BG warns Emmy, the book can be intense for young readers and as
Emmy points out, there are some challenging vocabulary words:
• The Jungle Book (Illustrated with Interactive Elements) written by Rudyard Kipling
and illustrated by Minalima Ltd.
• The Jungle Book: The Graphic Novel by Rudyard Kipling adapted by Dan Johnson
19About Kaleideum
Inspiring wonder, curiosity, and lifelong learning in our children and community through
interactive play and discovery. We achieve this through the overlapping
lenses of literacy, the arts, and STEM.
Kaleideum is committed to developing exhibits and programming that fuse STEM (science,
technology, engineering, and math), literacy, and arts education into an integrated approach to
learning. We want to help prepare early learners for school and spark all children’s imaginations
and their desire to learn more.
Peppercorn Theatre is Kaleideum’s professional theatre for young
audiences and their caregivers. We produce original theatre works in
order to inspire wonder, curiosity, and lifelong learning in children
and our community.
Upcoming performances can be found at peppercorntheatre.org
PLAY GUIDE CREDITS
VP of Education & Facilities - Marcus Harshaw
Director of Theatre & Performing Arts - Becca Drew Ramsey
Director of Learning & Engagement - Christine Simonson
Director of Design & Theatre Production - John Bowhers
Theatre Manager - Corinne Bass
Teaching Artist - Acy Jackson
Teaching Artist - Calleah Solomon
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