Jungle Book Kids

SBS fifth and sixth graders started their theatre journey with their very own musical, Disney’s Jungle Book Kids! Students took ownership of every single piece of their performance, from set creation to the acting itself. A springboard into the theatre world at SBS, the musical was designed to be an introduction to the performance and production process.

Once again, SBS students show grit and determination despite obstacles. “Losing six days of rehearsals due to the winter storm, the students stepped up, pulled together, and worked extremely hard to put on a great show,” says Director Sam Brown. “The audience reaction was extremely positive - and loud!” 

The students were eager to share about their positive experience. Caroline McKinney ‘27 loved playing Baloo the bear. “It was the perfect character for me! Baloo is so carefree and fun to play; I barely felt nervous. The musical was so much fun to perform, and I was able to form relationships with the fifth graders as well! Theatre feels just right for me, I am so glad to have an outlet like this.” 

Elijah Parish ‘28 said he learned a lot about acting and theatre and had a lot of fun. Bennett Lane ‘27 also learned valuable lessons through the theatre experience, saying, “It was good for time management. This experience helped me to use my time wisely during school to finish my homework. It definitely was difficult, but the hard things have the best rewards.” Directors agree that there is no better way to understand and perfect life skills such as time management and collaboration than by participating in theatre.

Beyond the performance itself, the set was decorated by members of the Performance Craft classes. They cut out, decorated, glued and strung together almost 500 individual green and yellow leaves to create the jungle. Sam Brown says, “I wanted these students, some who were in the musical and some who were not, to understand the production process and directly support their fellow students.” He continues, “Additionally, the few virtual students in the class sourced and created a jungle soundscape to play while the audience entered.” 

Fifth grader Abby Berkman, who played an elephant, said, “My favorite part was watching the show come together from beginning to end.” Learning what putting on a show is all about, the fifth and sixth graders collaborated and created together as a group. Sam Brown praises their efforts, saying, “I’m extremely proud of all of them. They gave of their time and used their gifts to the fullest, glorifying God in all that they did.”