By: George Stiles & Anthony Drewe
Directed by:
Renee Lovett & Paula McLemore
Music Directed by:
Tony Moore
Audition Dates:
Tuesday, Sept 28th at 6:30pm
and
Wednesday, Sept 29th at 6:30pm
Performance Dates:
Dec 3-5 and 10-12
Seeking:
Males and Females ages 5 - 19
Synopsis: is the classic Hans Christian Anderson tale of The Ugly
Duckling, transformed into a moving, funny and highly entertaining musical. HONKjr! tells the story of Ugly, whose odd, gawky looks instantly incite prejudice from his family and neighbors. Separated from the farm and pursued by a hungry Cat, Ugly must find his way, while his loving mother, Ida, searches for him. Along his journey he not only discovers his true beauty and glorious destiny, but he also finds love and acceptance.”
Characters:
Ugly: An ugly duckling and the main character of the play. He
is innocent, easily confused and very impressionable. Ugly does not see
why it is wrong to be different. During the play, he matures from an ugly
duckling to a beautiful swan; from a gullible child to a strong, mature adult
filled with self esteem. Strong solo singing required.
Ida: She is Ugly’s mother. She is extremely protective of all her
children, but especially of Ugly. She is the only one in the barnyard who
accepts and loves him unconditionally. She is a sweet, feisty character who
knows how to handle her husband, Drake. Ida sings several solos in
soprano range. Strong singing is required.
Drake: This is Ida’s husband. Drake is a sarcastic, devil-may-care,
comic character. Drake is repulsed by Ugly’s appearance and is not afraid to
say so. Strong solo singing required.
Beaky, Fluff, Billy and Downy:
These are Ida and Drake’s four other ducklings. They sing in a group.
Maureen: She is a moorhen and is Ida’s best friend. She genuinely loves
Ida, but she can’t resist a bit of gossip. To the ducklings she is the typical
annoying and overly affectionate aunt. She sings “The Joy of Motherhood”
with Ida, so will need a strong singing voice.
Cat: He is the sly, cunning villain of the show. All of the other
animals are deathly afraid of him. He is manipulative, cunning, witty and
always on the prowl for food. The Cat pretends to be Ugly’s friend so he
can eat him. It is a very outgoing role. The actor playing this role can be
male or female and must be comfortable moving. This role also requires
solo singing.
Greylag: He is a somewhat pompous goose. He is a washed-up military
type who tends to glorify mundane activities to the level of a military
operation. He sings a solo in “Wild Goose Chase.”
Dot: She is Greylag’s wife. She is a motherly type who is genuinely
concerned with helping Ugly find his mother. She also sings a solo in “Wild
Goose Chase.”
Barnacles, Snowy, Pinkfoot: Three geese in the larger flock who
have a line or two apiece. They sing in the chorus of “Wild Goose Chase”.
Bullfrog: This is a laid back, self confident frog whom Ugly meets in the
second half of the show. This is an optimistic, funny character who plays a
bit of the stand-up comedian. The Bullfrog has solo singing in the
inspirational song, “Warts and All.” The role can be played by a male or
female.
Penny: She is a young, beautiful swan. Ugly saves Penny from a
tangled fishing net. She is able to see beyond his looks and loves him for
who he is. She does not sing a solo.
Father Swan, Mother Swan, & Bewick:
They are members of Penny’s family. They do not sing solos.
Grace: She is “the most distinguished duck on the lake”. She is very
aristocratic and is considered the queen of the duck yard. All the other
animals look up to Grace and respect her. She is well aware of this and is
quite haughty. She sings one solo line in the opening song.
Turkey: He is the headmaster of the ducklings’ school. He is a bit
snobbish and joins in the fun of teasing Ugly. He does not sing a solo.
Henrietta: She is a hen who is another of Ida’s friends. She and Maureen
gossip about the goings on in the duck yard. She takes great pleasure in
making fun of Ugly. She does not sing a solo, but does sing in a pair with
Maureen in the opening song.
Jay Bird: He is an investigative reporter. He is a very ‘in your face’ bird
who only cares about getting the story. This character can be played by
either a male or female. Singing is not required.
The Farmer, Boy and Girl: These are the only humans in the
show. They are never seen by the audience. Only their voices are heard.
These characters will be drawn from the ensemble, so that those who say
these lines will also have onstage time in ensemble numbers.
Ensemble: The ensemble/chorus in this show will have many fun
singing/dancing numbers to perform. They will take on the roles of: barnyard animals, geese, froglets, and part of the blizzard scene.
