Honk if you’re happy -- or ugly

Were Hans Christian Andersen able to look down from his celestial perch and see what has been done with his children’s fable “The Ugly Duckling” at the Laguna Playhouse, he perhaps would feel much like his own creation at the end of the story.

The playhouse’s Youth Theater, under its new director Donna Inglima, has mounted a wonderfully moving and highly colorful ? both in hue and interpretation ? production of the musical adaptation of Andersen’s story, simply entitled “Honk!”

This tale of an oversized and physically different “duckling,” who escapes ridiculing friends and a ravenous enemy to find his true calling as a magnificent swan, is beautifully presented in a fully staged and elaborately costumed production that deserves much more stage time than its scant two weekends.

Youngsters may absorb its message of accepting oneself and others as they are, but they’ll more than likely be captivated by the more comedic aspects of the production, which are considerable. A huge cast of various avian and aquatic creatures, along with a pair of felines, combines to elevate this children’s classic to a lofty plateau of entertainment.

Scenic designer Wally Huntoon has created a barnyard filled with hugely oversized backdrops, the better to dwarf the performers playing ducks, geese, and chickens (the only humans present are heard as offstage voices).

Musical director Diane King Vann heads up a five-piece orchestra that provides splendid accompaniment for composer George Stiles’ imaginative score and Anthony Drew’s incisive book and lyrics.

The central character, an oversized hatchling known as “Ugly,” is given a wide-eyed and heartfelt interpretation by Christian Marriner, who injects an optimistic tone into the most pessimistic of conditions. Silvie Zamora delivers a beautiful account of his grief-stricken mother, combing the woods and fields for her missing chick.

Effectively stealing the show is the mercenary cat, played with whisker-licking glee by Terry Christopher, who emphasizes the role’s comical aspects over its overt villainy. David Cramer archly enacts the preening father of the duckling brood, who’s never about when needed.

The opening segment of the second act spotlights a seductive kitty (Lauren Brody Stewart) and her frumpy chicken friend (Meredith Hubbard) in an extended episode calculated to bring down the house. Cecily Gish contributes a cute cameo as a TV news-hen known as Jay Bird.

Christopher Spencer excels as three different characters ? a pilgrim-hatted turkey, an elegant swan and, most notably, a jumpy frog spouting cornball humor who imparts a rib-tickling message of acceptance in the musical number “Warts and All.”

Beth Chapman’s sweet young swan ingenue predictably melts our hero’s heart, even before he’s aware of his heritage. The show’s costumes, designed by Dwight Richard Odle, are a delight, both captivating and colorful representations of various forms of bird and animal life.

Choreographer Ellen Prince moves the young performers well around the expansive stage.

“Honk!” is among those rare children’s shows that can be thoroughly enjoyed by adults as well, since it’s targeted for both, often simultaneously. So don’t send your kids to this show ? bring them.cpt.07-titus-CPhotoInfoB21PMA7A20060407ix9xbgnc(LA)Christopher Spencer as Bullfrog and Christian Marriner as Ugly in The Laguna Playhouse production of ‘Honk!’ dpt-titus-CPhotoInfoB21PMDFG20060407h3hei2kf(LA)