The cast for this year’s drama production from Central Collegiate has been hard at work drilling choreography and building larger than life props for their upcoming show, titled Honk.
As a fun, musical take on the familiar ugly duckling story from Hans Christian Anderson, Honk is sure to be an entertaining performance worth seeing — as promised by director Brian Bowley.
“It's a family show,” said Bowley. “The music is so funny and the lyrics are really clever. They're really fun and hilarious characters, lots of farmyard animals and that kind of thing.”
Honk tells the story of a little duckling who has been bullied and due to her naivete, kidnapped. She finds herself lost during her escape, and finds herself on an adventurous journey as she finds her way back home, while also finding her way to her true self.
The show is packed full of charming music and clever choreography to remind the audience that the cast is actually a whole range of animals.
“We use certain characteristic things, like certain moves or things they'll say, that reminds the audience that they're actually these animals,” said Bowley.
With oversized props and western-themed costumes, Bowley and his students have put together a colourful show.
“We've tried to put things to scale a little bit, so the cattails are 12 feet high to get this perspective that they're small, and we tried to make some of our other props and things a bit larger,” said Bowley.
The show really puts a lens on the issue of feeling left out and different, and Bowley felt that was a message that could resonate with a lot of people.
“It's also a story a little bit about issues like bullying and learning how to have some patience for people who are different,” said Bowley. “We've all played both sides of that, and so I think it's eyeopening for people, maybe a little uncomfortable, but I think it's really important to bring that out to the audience.”
Honk will debut at the Centennial Auditorium at Peacock Collegiate on Nov. 21 to 23, putting audiences into the newly-replaced seats that were recently installed. For Bowley, seeing his students on such a historied stage is a great experience.
Alongside the cast and crew, a number of teachers have been putting in some serious work to make the show great, and Bowley hopes that the experience is rewarding for everyone.
“It's crazy how much time people put into it, but it's really a great opportunity for kids. It's such a huge undertaking, and the achievement of it is something they'll never forget,” said Bowley.
Tickets for the show are $15 for adults or $10 for students and are available for purchase online right up until the day of the show.
