Youth show ‘Honk’ opens next weekend

Everyone remembers Hans Christian Andersen’s folk tale about the ugly duckling. Next weekend, the Laguna Playhouse will be putting its own spin on the children’s classic.

“Honk,” the musical version of Anderson’s story, opens next Friday for two weekends in a fully staged production at the playhouse. The story focuses on Ugly, a fowl of uncertain parentage whose odd, gawky looks instantly incite prejudice from his family and neighbors. Separated from his farm and pursued by a hungry cat, Ugly must find his way home ? and discover his true beauty at the end of the journey.

The musical adaptation of Anderson’s fairy tale was created by Anthony Drewe (book and lyrics) and George Stiles (composer), a team that has won several awards including the Best Musical of 2000 Olivier Award for “Honk.”

Directing “Honk” for Laguna will be Donna Inglima in her first assignment as the playhouse’s director of youth theater, education and outreach. She has been involved in youth theater since 1979 when she founded Animal Crackers Unlimited in upstate New York, directing over 50 original adult and youth productions. She joined the Laguna Playhouse staff in 1998 as director of touring programs and education.

Performing in the Laguna show will be Christian Marriner, Silvie Zamora, Terry Christopher, David Cramer, Meredith Hubbard, Claire Day, Lauren Brody-Stewart, Beth Chapman, Christopher Spencer, Cecily Gish, Nicolas Leighton, Sophia Tupy and Karina Parker (all of Laguna Beach).

Other cast members are Ryan Morris, Symphony Barth, Jeremy Canter, Marissa Van Malderen, Taylor Hickok, Vikky Hogan, Marissa Lowry and Jasmin Van Malderen.

A veteran team of professional designers has been lined up for the production, including Wally Huntoon (settings), Lonnie Alcaraz (lighting), Dwight Richard Odle (costumes) and David Edwards (sound).

“Honk” is the latest offering for young audiences in a program launched at the playhouse in the 1980s, when the Laguna Playhouse Youth Theater was born, and operated for many years under the direction of the recently retired Joe Lauderdale.

The current program offers a two-play subscription series primarily aimed at children of elementary and middle school age. The program focuses on existing plays or musicals based on well-known, popular books or stories, but occasionally includes new stage adaptations of such source material commissioned by the playhouse.

“What makes the Laguna Playhouse Youth Theater season unique in the region,” Inglima noted, is that “the plays are directed and designed by theater professionals and are fully mounted with the playhouse’s technical resources.”