“Honk!” provides family friendly fun

“Honk! The Ugly Duckling Musical” opens the 2003-04 season for one of America’s most valuable theater venues, Phillips Neighborhood’s own Children’s Theatre Company. The CTC, which continues to prevail as a venue of international prestige, is recognized throughout the world of theater as one of the leading children’s theater organizations in all of North America.

Artistic Director Peter Brosius, since beginning his tenure in 1997, has sustained—and actually improved on—CTC’s already formidable reputation. He has distinguished CTC through artful forays that not only entertain the eye but increasingly engage the mind (nobody will ever be able to accuse Brosius’ productions of selling kids’ intelligence short). Brosius has also taken the remarkable step of giving multicultural inclusion more than a token nod, seeing to it that minority authors and actors, as well as subjects from literally all across the globe, find their way to the CTC mainstage.

Mystifyingly, while Brosius has worked hard to widen the company’s appeal to include communities of color, it’s been a couple of years now since he discontinued the pay-what-you-can shows that brought the excitement and education of first-rate commercial theatre not only to children of privilege, but to those (including white kids whose parents can’t afford seats) who ought to be able to attend yet for whom theater is an unthinkable luxury.

“Honk! The Ugly Duckling Musical” is not one of Children’s Theatre Company’s strongest offerings. This comment, however, says more about the stellar track record of CTC (they not only copped a Tony Award last season for Best Regional Theatre, but habitually produce some of the best theater in either town) than any particular deficiences in the “Honk” production. “Honk!” is still a fine show. Hans Christian Anderson, though, simply isn’t “Beggars’ Strike,” “Afternoon of the Elves” or “A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings.” Accordingly, not a great deal of thought is provoked—which is not to say there’s anything wrong with taking kids to the theater simply to have a little light-hearted fun. Just try not to dwell on the fact that the moral of the duckling’s story is essentially, “grow up to be good-looking and you can overcome anything.”

There certainly is enough rewarding razzle-dazzle going on for those craving pizazz—with effervescent song and dance numbers and clever costuming gracing a brightly engaging set. Teri Parker-Brown, playing Ida the ugly little bird’s mom, is a wonderful vocalist who makes her first appearance at Children’s Theatre Company. She does all the requisite Broadway-style phrasing and intonation, yet still puts forth a world of feeling.

In the supporting ensemble, Marvette Knight—who, oddly enough, has yet to be featured as the lead in a CTC show—gets a brief spotlight and makes the most of it, singing and dancing beautifully. Knight’s dramatic acting blew away audiences for years at the Penumbra Theatre Company and it would be great to see what she could do standing center stage as a singing/dancing/acting triple threat. Andravy is perhaps a tad too slick as The Cat, but his lithe and charismatic performance is definitely praiseworthy.

Reed Sigmund is charming in the title role, a creditable singer and deft actor. His character’s transformation into swanhood is particularly riveting; it’s not the gorgeous costume change that makes the scene a stunner so much as it is Sigmund’s unerring command of nuance.

Joshua Iley is a pure hoot as the delightfully goofy Bullfrog, reminiscent of Art Carney playing Ed Norton on the old television show “The Honeymooners.” Iley proves himself to be an absolute master of comic timing, mugging frantically and injecting even throwaway lines with pin point sharpness.

Arianna Broumas capably hits her mark as Penny, the hero’s love interest, but is stiffly directed, forced to constantly offer a fixed broad-as-a-barn smile that’s supposed to show you what a sweetheart her character is, but in the end comes across very uncovincingly. A group of very cute kids (Maeve Moynihan, Nathan Barlow, Grant Sorenson and Kristina Hoskens) play the ugly duckling’s nest-mates.

Director David Schweizer works with Sigmund to render book and lyric writer Anthony Drewe’s sketched protagonist quite sympathetic. Musical director Andrew Cooke is formulaic but capable. George Stiles’ music is above average fare that benefits from a talented cast. Matt Jenson provides serviceable choreography. Andrew Lieberman’s set design falls right in line with the CTC’s standard demand for ingenuity, as do the costumes by David Zinn.

“Honk! The Ugly Duckling Musical” runs until Nov. 1 in repertory with James Still’s “Amber Waves” directed by Peter Brosius. Performances are Wed. through Sun. evenings with matinees on Sat. and Sun. and a morning show on Sat. Times and days vary. Ticket prices are $17 - $28 for adults and $11 - $20 for children, students and senior citizens. Children’s Theatre Company is located at 2400 Third Avenue, Mpls. Box office: 612-874 - 0500.