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HONK!
by San Diego Junior Theatre  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: Recently graduated Sean
Boyd gives his youth theater swan song as Ugly, delivering fantastic vocals
and a touching performance as the rejected “duckling” whose hope for finding
acceptance grows desperate and disappointing, but with teasing moments of hope.
His Different solo is poignant, as is
his parting with his duck-mother Ida. Paige
Pendarvis is tenderly motherly as Ida, singing a gorgeous Every
Tear a Mother Cries and helping cement a nice ending. For the dastardly Cat,
Emma Wineman’s voice, dance, and expressions all serve her well
while trying to serve up the duck in a darker alternative ending.
Meanwhile, the whole cast does a great job in various roles
of swans, geese, frogs, and a wide assortment of barnyard animals including lazy
dad Drake (Isaac Brieske) and his
hilarious new ducklings (Jesse Smith,
Avalon Robbins, Julia Dawson, and Chase Anichini) who are fantastic at being
vain about themselves (flicking their hair, hamming it up for the news camera)
and initially mean to their odd brother – sentiments all highlighted in the
cast’s big Look at Him number.
Director Ira Bauer-Spector makes sure
that what we’re looking at is entertaining and high quality including some
great sets by Cynthia Bloodgood and
fantastic costumes by David Pelton to
help fully transport us into this poultry tale of folks down on the farm. Performed June 29 - July 15, 2012 Photos by Ken Jacques Rob Hopper ~ Cast ~
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The
show features a flock of other colorful characters. Spencer
Whitney leads his intrepid geese into a Wild
Goose Chase with vigor and eccentricity. Bullfrog Pierre
Cozic enthusiastically lobbies for a world where you’ll be loved Warts and All. Shannon Barry
is a spoiled house cat while Madeleine
Williams is a hoot as her housemate hen friend Lowbutt. As widowed barnyard
royalty Grace, Jade Moujaes takes the
crispy and aromatic premature end to her husband with amusing ease. And Casey
Purlia Johnson is a sweet swan Penny who charmingly helps Ugly learn what
beauty is. 
Ugly: Sean Boyd