Welcome To The Jungle

Have you ever been friends with someone who got pretty famous, and then it all changed? That's the premise of The Jungle Fun Room, a funny, thoughtful play that runs in new York City August 15-August 29 as part of the amazing, annual FringeNYC festival of new plays. Directed by filmmaker Sam Zalutsky (You Belong to Me) and written by Brian Hampton, The Jungle Fun Room takes place "backstage" from a kiddie's birthday jungle "safari" that's put on by a bunch of has-been, never-were, probably-won't-be actors. But one of them, an ambition-denying dude named Screg, was good college friends with Hillary Parker, who's gone on to become a big Oscar-winning celebrity...and now Hillary's shown up with her whole entourage for her daughter's birthday party! Mere accident, or carefully calculated reunion? And, if the latter, what does Hillary want?

That's the mystery at the heart of The Jungle Fun Room, which is full of both campy cracks about brassy Broadway wannabes and thoughtful insights into fame, its costs, and why some people make it and others don't. It's not overtly gay, but when you have some annoying queen breaking out into showtunes and dance steps at regular intervals, not to mention dueling divas-in-their-own-minds fighting over who gets to play "Captain Mammal," you know it'll be full of good, sassy fun.

For more info on The Jungle Fun Room, head here.

-- TIM MURPHY

Previously > Slave to Grace Jones' Rhythm