Cornerstone Youth Theatre is set to stage their next production, Honk!, an award-winning, fresh twist on Hans Christian Andersen’s story of The Ugly Duckling.
Performances run Feb. 26th-27th and March 4th-5th at New Life Fellowship Church (20 Kelloway Close). Evening performances run at 7 p.m. with matinees on Feb. 27th and March 5th at 3 p.m.
Since it first hatched in 1993 Stiles & Drewe’s musical Honk! has winged its way around the world. Winner of multiple awards, including the 2000 Oliver Award for Best Musical, this heart-warming celebration of being different is sure to delight audiences of all ages with its sparkling wit and memorable score.
Ugly looks quite a bit different from his darling suckling brothers and sisters. The other animals on the farm are quick to notice and point this out, despite his mother’s protective flapping. The little fowl finds himself on adventure of self-discovery all the while unknowingly outwitting a very hungry cat.
Along the way Ugly meets a whole flock of unique characters and finds out being different is not a bad thing to be.
“It is just such a fun musical. The music is extremely well-written and clever and the kids are having a great time performing it – it moves really quickly and it has a lot of really fun characters who are finding their muses in 1950s television stars,” said Stephanie Orr, artistic director with Cornerstone Youth Theatre. “The young man who is playing the cat is playing it very much like James Dean. It’s really fun to watch them – it’s like I Love Lucy meets Green Acres.”
A total of 58 cast members are a part of the upcoming show, and Orr said organizers have it down to a science in terms of getting the most out of rehearsals and time with the kids.
“There are a lot of moving parts and in this show, which is just cute as all get out, there are a lot of little kids that have feature parts – they are so cute and so talented,” said Orr. “Our cast ranges in age from eight to 18 in this show so there is a lot of mentoring that goes on – the older kids helping the younger kids with their parts. As our kids do more and more theatre, the process gets easier and easier because everybody really helps everyone else as a team. It’s pretty fantastic to be able to see that happen.”
As for including Honk! in this year’s line up for Cornerstone Youth Theatre, Orr said it’s about giving the students an opportunity to learn and grow.
“It’s important for us to give the students an opportunity to try new things,” she said. “With well-known titles like Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid, we know there will be a good attendance at those shows. You hope that you build up enough of a reputation that it’s a really fun event that you can bring your children and grandchildren to and buy popcorn and souvenirs at. When we introduce a title that is less known or unknown, I hope we have a reputation of being entertaining and the community will support that.”
Tickets can be purchased online at www.CornerstoneYouthTheatre.org or by calling 403-986-2981.
efawcett@reddeerexpress.com
