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Wynot One Act features a jungle full of characters

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WYNOT — From monkeys, tigers, bears and panthers, to vultures and even a two-headed snake, animals will far out-number humans on stage for Wynot’s one-act play.

In her 10th year as Wynot’s one-act director, Heather Heimes is undertaking the school’s first one-act play with animal characters in “The Jungle Book” by Monica Flory.

The classic adventure story presents the boy Mowgli who grows up believing he’s as fierce a wolf as any of the members of his pack. Whe he learns he is actually a human, he must discover how to reconcile these very different identities, and decide whether to remain with the pack, or return to the human world from which he was born.

Zoey Wieseler and Carissa Kuchta are assisting with the play.

Of the 40 actors, there’s only one who plays a human, Heimes said.

“We’ve never tackled a play with animals in it - animals with a humanesque feel,” she said. “They have to understand how to move like an animal, and the sounds they make.”

As a result of their challenging roles, students have been giving the play their all since practice began in early September, she said, and she hopes their effort is noticed by audiences.

“This is probably one of the hardest working groups I’ve been a part of and it has been really fun,” said Junior Colin Wieseler who plays a jackal named Tabiqui. “We have some really good coaches that push us to be our best.”

Heimes said the best part about being involved in the one-act play each year is seeing the vision come to life on stage.

“This is probably one of the hardest working groups I’ve been a part of and it has been really fun,” said Junior Colin Wieseler who plays a jackal named Tabiqui. “We have some really good coaches that push us to be our best.”

Heimes said the best part about being involved in the oneact play each year is seeing the vision come to life on stage.

“I was nervous graduating 12 seniors from last year’s production but the leadership from this group hasn’t faltered,” she said. “The students have really stepped up this year to lead group practices and (uphold) expectations.”

Senior Jack Kuchta, who plays Father Wolf in the play, said the cast and crew have improved a lot over the past two months and he’s excited for the audience to experience the play which overall sets a serious tone but with many comical parts.

“I think if we keep improving in practice at the rate we are improving right now we have a great shot at winning in competition and making it to state,” he said. “It’s great to see where we started and then where we finish at the end of the year.”

Colin Wieseler encourages everyone to see the production.

“We have some public performances coming up in the next couple weeks and I’m hoping the community will come and enjoy it,” he said.

The public can enjoy these scheduled public performances:

- 9 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 13, as part of the Wynot festival

- 2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 14, Wynot public performance

- 1:45 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 16, conference at Wynot

- 1 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 24, 1 p.m., Wynot student performance

- 12:30 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 30, district competition at Randolph

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