Festival Place presents a musical most fowl

Sherwood Park’s Festival Players are hatching a new show that promises to be egg-zactly purr-fect for the Family Day weekend.

They are producing Honk! Jr., a musical that has winged itself around the world and played to sold out houses including at St. Albert Children’s Theatre.

It is a delightful remake of Hans Christian Andersen’s 1843 fable of The Ugly Duckling. In this musical rendition, Ugly is an awkward duckling who looks and sounds very different from his brothers and sisters.

Mocked by his brothers he runs away from the farmyard to a nearby marsh and embarks on a personal journey of self-discovery. Along the way he meets a collection of colourful characters and true love while being chased by a hungry cat hunting for a tasty meal.

“I like this story for different reasons. On the surface, the message is that it’s OK to be different. But for me it’s about growing up and becoming yourself. At first Ugly is wide-eyed and naÄŹve. But he gradually starts to ask questions and by the end, he’s being proactive and making decisions for himself,” says director Josh Languedoc (Hansel and Gretel).

This is the St. Albert actor-writer’s second directing project with Festival Players and he’s helming a cast of 32 actors from seven to 15 years.

Languedoc came into this venture having participated in the SACT musical in multiple roles as Father Swan, a farmer and a lead goose.

“I was nicknamed Mystery Part Boy,” laughs Languedoc at the memory of the many roles. “But it taught me to be flexible and do a good job and be happy. I didn’t know the show when I was cast and I was happy to do all the roles. I poured my heart into them and made them my own.”

His diligence obviously impressed SACT artistic director Janice Flower. When she cast Narnia, Languedoc landed one of the starring roles as Aslan.

But although he understood Honk! intimately and could share stories with his cast, the former experience also carried baggage.

“I was using ideas from children’s theatre that weren’t working and I had to let go of that production. Subconsciously I was trying to recreate it, but I realized I had to present a new show and give it a new vision.”

George Stiles’ tuneful score and Anthony Drewe’s layered book and lyrics present numerous opportunities for exuberant acting.

“There’s some pretty heavy emotional stuff in the play that may not be completely relatable to little kids. But older kids will relate to Ugly in his journey of finding out who he can trust and how to get along with family.”

Honk Jr.! opened Friday at Festival Place and runs until Monday, Feb. 16. Tickets are available for both matinee and evening shows.