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| Media Article for Honk (the musical of The Ugly Duckling) |
| As published by The Tuscaloosa News on September 18, 2003 written by Mark Hughes Cobb |
By Mark Hughes Cobb
Staff Writer
September 18, 2003
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Ducklings in the Tuscaloosa Children?s Theatre production of ?Honk" are from left Sarah Stuart, Mary Katherine Lake, Kevin Wu, Lincoln Eason.
staff photo | michael e. palmer
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Because all of us go through clumsy phases ' some lasting longer than others ' the story of the Ugly Duckling resonates throughout our lives.
When the talented British composing team of George Stiles and Anthony Drew modernized the duck tale with hip music for ?Honk! The Musical," the theme needed no tweaking.
?Clearly, the message is: Just because you?re different doesn?t mean you should be treated differently," said Brent Jones, who is directing the Tuscaloosa Children?s Theatre production of ?Honk!" that opensg for public performances this weekend.
The kids in the cast aren?t too cool or jaded to get it. Many cry during rehearsals, feeling sympathy for or empathy with the awkward Ugly, who gets teased by the cooler ducks for his nerdiness.
But ?Honk!" isn?t just a sweet little morality tale for the tenderhearted. There?s snap and dazzle in the script to keep the older folks in their seats, too.
?It?s kind of along the lines of --Shrek? ' although not as suggestive ' in that the kids will like it for the brightness and likeable characters, but there?s witty and clever dialogue for adults to appreciate," Jones said.
?Honk!" won the 2000 Olivier Award (the British version of our Tonys) for best new musical, beating ?The Lion King."
?So if the show?s not good, it?s our fault," he said, laughing. ?It?s not the material."
Pivotal parts are played by TCT veterans, including sibling acts and one University of Alabama student returning to his training grounds.
Vincent Shakir performed more than half-a-dozen TCT shows before moving on to UA, where he?s been a standout in works such as ?The Grapes of Wrath" (as a strolling musician) and ?West Side Story" (as Riff).
He?ll be seen again soon in ?Pippin" at UA and in the holiday production of ?The Nutcracker," but squeezed in time for TCT.
?I love working with Brent and Mr. Benny (Russell, the longtime music director) and the kids. I?ve always loved the kids," said Shakir, a 21-year-old senior theater major. He plays Tom Cat in ?Honk!"
Tom Cat is hungry, so the sly feline picks on the lonely Ugly, trying to get him off alone and into the frying pan.
Shakir also plays the role of role model for the child actors, who look up to the young man.
?Some of the younger kids get a little overexcited when we get into the Bama (Theatre)," he said. ?I do too, but I try to control it. I try to look out for the younger kids."
On a recent rehearsal, one of the younger cast members gushed over Shakir?s performance of a song, ?You Can Play With Your Food."
?I had to smile, knowing I was kind of off," he said. ?But I know how it feels to be on the other side now. I remember being that kid watching the adults."
It?s not just about paying something back for Shakir.
?I want to do something with children?s theater later in life, maybe open my own company," he said. ?It?s so much fun, performing for children. Hopefully you?re reaching them at a young age, giving them an appreciation for art."
Harrison and Samantha Chambers (sophomore and senior at Tuscaloosa Academy, respectively) who have played in numerous TCT, Theatre Tuscaloosa and school shows, are Ugly and Ugly?s mom Ida.
?They?re both wonderful, instinctive, natural actors," Jones said. ?They really drive the show."
Driving the music, as he has for more than a decade and a couple dozen TCT shows, is Russell.
?If you looked up TCT in the dictionary, there?d be a picture of Benny there," Jones said. ?He?s always so calm and so pleasant. I wish I could be more like Benny."
Before Jones picked the show, Russell hadn?t heard of it.
?But it?s turned out to be a very good musical," Russell said.
?The lines in it are great. The music just keeps running over and over in your head."
Because Rebecca Tingle, the usual TCT choreographer, is tied up with early ?Nutcracker" and other work, there?s a guest lining up the dancers, Melissa Bailey from Birmingham?s Centre Stage Productions. Costumes are being designed by Linda Garcia with a set by Wheeler Kincaid.
To learn more about ?Honk!," you can visit www.stilesanddrewe.co.uk/homeframset.htm. To learn more about TCT visit www.tuscaloosachildrenstheatre.com.
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