Review: HONK! at DreamWrights Center For Community Arts

Honk! might be one of the cutest shows I've seen in a while. It is a musical version by Anthony Drewe and George Stiles of the much-loved story The Ugly Duckling. Honk! first found its way to the stage in 1993 in England and won the Olivier Award for Best Musical in 2000. It has become a favorite for community theatres and schools because of its message of anti-bullying and acceptance of difference. It is the perfect show for DreamWrights Center for Community Arts, where you can see it now through April 14th.

Overall, this production of Honk! is charming and enjoyable. The cast at DreamWrights consists mainly of children and teens, and it is a joy to see them on stage. It's easy to forgive songs that don't quite come together or choreography that isn't perfectly in step when the cast has such great enthusiasm, does such a great job of staying in character, and is so obviously invested in the production. Those who worked on the set deserve a round of applause, as the set for this production was well put together and adorable. It made the audience feel like they were inside a children's story. Additionally, the costumes were well thought out and designed. I personally prefer musicals performed with a live pit orchestra, so it was a delight to find that Honk! would be performed to live music. The instrumental musicians, under the direction of Joe and Nicole Reed, sounded wonderful. There were some unfortunate issues with pitch throughout the show, which I would attribute to opening night jitters, because overall the voices were lovely.

The ensemble, comprised of Leela Kahler, Ava Perkins, Mackenzie Reams, Sarah Urand, Sydney Urand, and Claire Wills have wonderful energy that lights up the stage. They particularly shine as the frogs in the song "Warts and All". The featured dancers, Tabitha Duncan, Chloe Lanteigne-Marrow, and Elise Lanteigne-Marrow, are beautiful and add an element of grace and elegance to the entire production. Their performances in "Hold Your Head Up High", "Now I've Seen You", and "The Blizzard" are enchanting. Chloe and Elise also take the stage as Turkey and Henrietta, respectively. Their bird noises are spot-on, and they approach their roles with just the right blend of good-natured humor and sarcasm.

Paula Rineer takes on the role of Grace, the most revered bird in the lake. She is regal and poised and relates to the other birds with a gentle wisdom. Ugly's siblings Beaky, Fluff, Downy, and Billy are played by Kayla Gorman, Lilliana Flickinger, Addy Blevins, and Kenna Harper. Their hatching scene is adorable, and they do a great job of walking like baby ducks. I also love the scene with their father where they show their "teenager attitude." Kayla, Lilliana, and Addy also appear as Barnacles, Pinkfoot, and Snowy, members of the goose squadron. The number "The Wild Goose Chase" is one of my favorite parts of the show. Kenna Harper also doubles as Lowbutt, the domestic chicken. Her interactions with the other characters in that scene are hysterical and filled with great comedic timing.

Mackenzie Harr and Grayce Wanner light up the stage as Greylag and Dot in the Goose scene. They have fantastic voices that carry off "The Wild Goose Chase" wonderfully, and their acting in that scene is superb. Mackenzie handles the role of Jaybird the reporter with similar zeal, emulating the raucous nature of a jay as well as the zealous nature of a reporter chasing a story. Grayce also appears as Queenie, the housecat. This is one of my favorite characters in the show because Grayce plays the role with the perfect level of snootiness and primness for a pampered domestic cat who expects everyone to do her bidding. Her songs "It Takes All Sorts" with Lowbutt and "Together" with Cat and Lowbutt are well-performed. It's not always easy to stay in character during a song, but Grayce does a great job with her character development.

Daniel O'Rourke is delightful as Drake, especially in the scene when Drake is left in charge of the children. His harried expression and slumped shoulders show how weary and frustrated he feels in his new and unexpected role of house-dad. But where Daniel really shows his acting chops is in his role as the Bullfrog. The Bullfrog is chill and optimistic, and his performance in "Warts and All" is lively and enjoyable to watch and listen to. Makaela Cooper's acting is wonderful for the role of Ida, the mother duck. The scene where she teaches Ugly how to swim is fun and light-hearted, and later, as she searches for Ugly, the audience can feel her anxiety, fear, and concern for her child.

The roles of Maureen and Mom Swan are portrayed by Larissa Melbert. She has the perfect grace and poise for the role of Mom Swan, and she plays Maureen with the perfect blend of practicality and straightforwardness. Larissa has a beautiful, clear voice that I wish had more solo work in this production. Olivia Rill plays Penny, the daughter swan. She also appears as the Floor Manager with the reporter Jaybird. Olivia approaches the role of Penny with sophistication and authenticity, especially as she tries to encourage and reassure Ugly when they meet for the first time.

Hannah Kuhn truly embodies the role of Cat. She has clearly worked on her movements, expressions, and voice to put the audience in mind of an intelligent, crafty tomcat. She keeps her catlike character going through "Play With Your Food", which makes it one of the best musical numbers in this production.

Quinn Starrett takes on the star role of Ugly. Her posture, gestures, and facial expressions help the audience to really feel Ugly's range of emotions-from the joy of swimming to the hurt feelings of being picked on to the devastation when learning about the cat's duplicity to the fear of never seeing her mother again to the determination to find her way home. Quinn's singing voice is strong and clear and delightful to listen to, particularly in her solo songs "Different", "Lost", and "Now I've Seen You".

The cast and crew at DreamWrights developed an endearing production of Honk! that can be enjoyed by audience members of all ages. Get your tickets today at www.dreamwrights.org.

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