The cast of Disney's The Jungle Book. (Courtesy photo)

Superstar Productions, a local kids’ theater group founded by parent Kate Hoch, presents Disney’s The Jungle Book KIDS at the Harvard Elementary School cafeteria on Nov. 14 and 15. It is the latest in a string of successful shows for Superstar Productions, which put on Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr. this past summer at the Cronin Auditorium.

The beauty of this fall’s The Jungle Book lies in its inclusion in the Spectrum after-school program’s palette of activities. There were no auditions and no hectic timetables. Kids simply signed up for a fun introduction to theater in the company of friends and siblings.

Deborah Sauve is the mother of a Superstar alumnus and a key organizer for the parent-run group. She said that part of the excitement for director Kate Hoch, choreographer Edie Hettinger, organizer Debbie Ferguson, and herself comes from working creatively with young actors. For The Jungle Book they evaluated their roster of kids in traditional areas such as diction and tone but also tried to identify unique talents that might be drawn out by the right role. Sauve said even the shyest children come out of their shells once they go on stage, and they grow more confident with repeated exposure. She also spoke of the good habits of discipline, teamwork, and cooperation that are imparted by the process of putting on a play. At a recent rehearsal this was illustrated by the “snake coils.” This is an ensemble of children who make up the body of Kaa, the villainous serpent from The Jungle Book, represented here by a giant stuffed prop. The actors cleverly undulate the prop, creating an impression much like a dragon in a Chinese New Year’s festival. Sauve said that she and her cohorts stress to the kids that even if their parts feel like background roles, they are key to the big picture; should they falter, others will falter as well.

Hoch began Superstar Productions years ago to give her own children a theatrical outlet at a young age. Today, she creates elaborate and beautiful costumes (including the snake prop) and directs the play. As a recent rehearsal kicked off, she led the kids in an invigorating “Peter Piper picked a peck” warm up and had a cheerful energy about her. She encouraged the kids to listen, enunciate more clearly, and use their body language differently, all while keeping the energy high and the mood positive. Hettinger provided subtle choreographic cues to the actors by modeling the timing and rhythm of the dance moves. Sauve and Ferguson helped out in innumerable ways: cheering the kids on, contributing snacks, moving props to and fro, and making sure that all of the little pieces fell into place. Over the course of the play preparation, many other parents contribute as well: a cast of many parents gave up a weekend day to create the elaborate backdrop for The Jungle Book, using a paint-by-number scheme. Another parent will often capture the entire play on a video camera.

Sauve described the rich community spirit and family connections that exist within a Superstar Productions play. Many younger children, such as Marley Ferguson and Jack Klem, have watched their older siblings appear in several different productions; their own enthusiasm is whetted and their passion for theater increases year by year until they are raring to go. These older siblings in turn undergo invaluable training for more serious and intense productions in middle school and high school. In fact, the cast of characters for The Jungle Book is riddled with siblings: two Klems, two Mitchells, two Cronins, and two Delaneys are in the mix.

The Jungle Book cast is creative and ambitious. Carlisle Ferguson will appear in her first Superstar Production, as Shere Khan, the tiger. This is nothing new to her: she is an old hand at theater, claiming nonchalantly, “I play a villain a lot,” in Annie as well as The Lion King. Ben Neville told the Press he has carefully studied the movie version of Jungle Book to get cantankerous Colonel Hathi’s mannerisms and affect just right. Has he perfected the colonel’s famous roar of “Compannnnyyy!!! Halt!”? Not quite, but he’s getting there.

Sauve said the atmosphere on the night of the big event is electric. When the last show is over, the group will often plead for “one more night” to take the stage. When it’s all over, kids relive the experience by watching their play over and over on video, singing along with their parts and savoring every bit of stardom.

Disney’s The Jungle Book KIDS will be presented on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 15 at 2 p.m. at the elementary school. Admission is free. For more information call 978-456-6933 or e-mail superstars@charter.net.