Disney’s The Jungle Book Will Premiere at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre

Tony winner Mary Zimmerman (Metamorphoses) will write and direct the premiere stage production of Disney’s The Jungle Book, according to The Chicago Tribune. Based on the classic 1967 animatd film, which itself is adapted from Rudyard Kipling's collection of stories, the musical will debut in Chicago as part of the Goodman Theatre's 2012-2013 season. No casting or other creative team has been announced at this time.

The Jungle Book tells the story of Mowgli, an orphan boy raised among animals in the wild jungles of India. The musical will follow the plot of the film with additional material that Zimmerman is adapting from Kipling’s original Mowgli stories.

The new Disney musical will include famous songs from the film (“The Bare Necessities,” “I Wanna Be Like You,” “That’s What Friends Are For”), music originally written for but later cut from the 1967 film, as well as brand new music with Indian roots.

For a taste of what to expect from the musical, relive the movie's catchy tune "I Wanna Be Like You," peformed by late music icon Louis Prima as King Louie.