Come on down— don’t be strangers in their duck-yard of free-rangers! That’s right, folks! Children’s Playhouse of Maryland is welcoming you back to the theatre— live and in person! And they’re welcoming you back with their great big honkin’ production of Honk Jr.! Directed by Liz Boyer Hunnicutt, with Musical Direction by Charlotte Evans, and Choreography Emily Davis, this fun-loving barnyard musical teaches kids that it’s absolutely o-a-kay to be different and just how boring life would be if we all looked the same.
Set Designer and Technical Director Diane M. Smith keeps the staging simple, letting SLShowTech Projections really enhance the theatrical experience with all of the living background animations (everything from the peaceful millpond on the farmyard to the snowy marshes during the blizzard scene) that are projected behind the action on the big scrim. Smith does manifest a magnificent ‘nest’ complete with five fully functional hatching eggs, which makes for quite the delight when the ducklings are finally born! Lighting Designer Tyrell Stanley adds a bunch of fun effects, like the dashing red glows every time Cat— the show’s villainous antagonist— slinks into the scenes. Scenic Artist Laura Miller deserves a nod for her whimsical work on the cattails, which complete the pond-scenes to perfection.
Costume Coordinator Sharon Byrd takes a slightly different approach to this production of Honk Jr., and outfits all of the characters— who are literal ducks, geese, ganders, goslings, and other such fowl, in fancy frippery that gives them more human qualities. The Ducklings wear yellow overalls and white underthings with orange leggings and yellow-and-orange-billed baseball caps to allude to the fact that they are ducklings. Mother Duck Ida is given a lovely motherly dress with a household apron and Cat slinks around in all black complete with a leather jacket and cat ears. Byrd gives everyone a fabulous unique look— weather it’s the glimmering cloak seen on Bullfrog or the fluffy white trim on the outfits of the swans— even the Goose Squadron (which is most of the ensemble) wears those fur-eared, deerstalker type caps.
Director Liz Boyer Hunnicutt, Musical Director Charlotte Evans, and Choreographer Emily Davis work together as a well-oiled, three-part machine to really give these kids some amazing tools in their performance arsenal. Hunnicutt and Evans keep the kids delivering their lines on time, sometimes with fun accents, and getting those harmonies blending beautifully particularly in the bigger group numbers. Emily Davis does a splendid job of incorporating choreography for younger dancers, keeping the moves simple but fun and well-reflecting the mood that the various songs include. There’s a lot of fun paired spinning featured in Davis’ choreography as well as some big, sweeping, box-step march numbers for the all-ensemble dance numbers.
There’s a beautiful soloist (Gracie Roberts) who gets to sing her heart out during “The Blizzard”. Roberts doubles up as one of the four Ducklings (Gracie Roberts, Colton Roberts, Emily Foggo, and Daniela Alvarez) who are just too cute for words. When they pop out of their hatchling shells and start quacking around the duckyard, it’s the most adorable thing. Roberts, Roberts, Foggo, and Alvarez have perfected their adorable duck ‘quacks’ and when they scuttle about— especially when they mistake Aunt Maureen (Molly Foggo) for the mother and are quickly shooed over to their actual mother— it’s super sweet. They quack all along through “Look At Him” a song that introduces Ugly (Jack Atkins) as the ‘different’ duck in the family.
Standout performances in the ensemble include Katreese Wellons as Greylag and Amelia Auvil as Dot, the duo that kickstart the “The Wild Goose Chase” number which opens the second act. Wellons has a strong, commanding voice, which is perfect for this air-fighter-pilot-inspired character and Auvil adds a nice blending harmony to the parts sung in duet. And while the Swan Family doesn’t have any solo features (they can all be heard in the various ensemble numbers, blending beautifully), Mother Swan (Delanei McLeaurin), Father Swan (Pablo Castro), and Penny (Lilah Peinado) are wonderfully welcoming when it comes to accepting Ugly just because he’s different.
There are fowls a plenty all over the barnyard— Angelina Ferris as the plucky and brainy Turkey, Daxton Cimino as Snowy & Oriole (a nice nod to Baltimore!), Jamirra Cribbs as Henrietta, and Rylan Hamburg as Jay Bird. But let’s not forget our travels away from the farm— Ugly encounters a fabulously unique creature— Bullfrog (Allyson Gray) who teaches him the importance of being different. Gray has a robust voice that really carries all of the pizzazz and panache of the song “Warts And All”, the anthem of the ‘ugly ducklings’ when it comes to accepting people no matter how they look.
It’s all in the family when it comes to the ducks, even if Ugly (Jack Atkins) never feels a part of the duck-family unit. Atkins has a quietness about him that really grounds the character and when he sings “Different” you’ll find that he’s easily brought a tear to your eye. Playing papa duck Drake, Emily Davis is definitely all about the ‘quack-up’ comic lines though is not without her moment to shine in song. “The Joy of Motherhood (Reprise)” is a nice little moment for Davis to get her song on, and the jazzy-leadup that runs into this number is good fun.
Slinking, prowling, yowling, and completely selling all the charismatic charm of the villainous cat is Max Ozbolt. Flying fleetly all over the stage with ballet-inspired movements, Ozbolt is the cat’s meow in this role. Pattering and cat-terig his way through “Play With Your Food”, there’s something zesty and zippy about the way Ozbolt takes on the role of cat. He’s the villain we love to hate. There’s a star bursting out of Ozbolt and that kid is definitely going places with his flaming ferocity and over-the-top portrayal of this part.
Mother knows best, and if Ugly had just listened to Mother…well then we’d have a very short boring story. In the role of mother Ida, Emma Hammett steals the show with sublime vocal prowess and an impressive range that features songful soprano sounds as well as big mezzo belts. The champion of Ugly and acceptance, her songs “Hold Your Head Up High” and “Every Tear A Mother Cries” are truly inspiring. And her comic timing is pretty impressive too, particularly when she’s waddling and muddling her way through “The Joy of Motherhood.” There isn’t a moment when Hammett is singing that you aren’t thoroughly impressed by her talent and stage presence; she’s the perfect pick for this part.
So what are you waiting for? Winter to melt into spring? Don’t wait that long— Honk Jr. will have flown the coup by then! Get your tickets to see these incredible kids strut their stuff and do their ducky thing down at the Children’s Playhouse of Maryland ‘duckyard’ this spring!
Running Time: Approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes with one intermission
Honk Jr. plays through March 20, 2022 at the Children’s Playhouse of Maryland in the Lecture Hall of the Administration Building at the Community College of Baltimore County Essex Campus— 7201 Rossville Boulevard in Baltimore, MD. For tickets call the box office at (443) 840-2426 or purchase them online.
