The Show:  

It ain’t easy being different. Or ugly, to which the Ugly Duckling can attest. But it is easy to enjoy this musical version of Hans Christian Andersen’s poultry tale that beat out The Lion King for a Best Musical Laurence Olivier award (book and lyrics by Anthony Drewe, music by George Stiles). It’s a show filled with loads of humor for the youngest kids and oldest adults, set to a classic story and stuffed with great tunes all while imparting an important message. It’s a story that begins when one of Ida’s eggs is not like the other. Her first four normal eggs hatch out your normal Beatrix Potter ducklings, but the huge oddball egg begets a great, big, Ugly Duckling whose only friend might be a conniving, hungry Cat. 

The Production: 

Brenda Goodenberger directs Creative Stages Youth Theatre’s entertaining production of the junior version of the show, while also designing the set featuring great painting by Paul Wilson that helps bring to life the local barnyard. Courtney Greger doing the make-up and costumes and Jean Tanton on the hair help transform the human actors into the barnyard animals with some nice, clever creations and touches. And the actors take the transformations from there. 

Thirteen-year-old Marshall Scott is our Ugly Duckling, gaining our sympathy with his good, melancholy vocals while gaining our laughter with his great expressions and nerdiness. Ashley Sneddon is his devoted duck mother Ida delivering both lovely and sensitively delivered vocals. And Ugly’s going to need mommy’s devotion with the Cat perusing a book titled “To Serve Duck.” Yes, sci-fi fans, it’s a cookbook (cue Twilight Zone theme)! Kira Kadel is charmingly evil and feline with her movements as said Cat who can play with her food before she eats it. And she leaves Ugly, Ida, and the sweet swan Penny (Sydnie Greger) with amusing looks on their faces when Cat goes crazy.  

Meanwhile, back on the farm, Steven Meythaler is Ida’s hammy husband Drake who isn’t too excited about the kids but starts to come through as a husband near the end, nine-year-old Jazmin Moehring is a stately Grace, Meg Monteith is Ugly’s amusing Aunt Maureen, and his initially bratty siblings enthusiastically give Ugly some major heck in Look at Him. Off the farm, we’re treated to a highly enjoyable Wild Goose Chase led by the Napoleonic and hilariously quirky Graylag (Thomas Graca) and his kind and somewhat embarrassed wife (Amber Grossenbacher), Savannah Wilson leads her froglets in the catchy and comforting Warts and All, the family of swans are a surprisingly amusing group of beautiful birds in this production, and the ensemble led by some narrating sunflowers keep things fun and, in the end, very touching as Ugly learns it’s okay to be different.  

Unfortunately, too many people disagree. In CSYT’s program, they include a link to a site with resources to help people deal with bullying: http://www.stopbullying.gov/

Performed September 9 - 25, 2011

Rob Hopper
rob@nationalyouththeatre.com
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National Youth Arts

~ Cast ~ 

Ugly:

~ Rooster and Henrietta's Chicks ~