If you are looking for a family-friendly theatrical experience to help combat those winter blues, Wheelock Family Theatre’s production of Honk!, a plucky little retelling of the Ugly Duckling by Drewe and Stiles is an absolute winner. Packed full to the brim with theatrics that would appeal to the 5-10 year-old crowd, this production is not shy on the sparkle, or on the spectacle.

What a treat it was for this weathered twenty-something to be amongst a crowd of audience members who were primarily born after I graduated from high school.  As I looked around me, I felt the primal joy that the mystery of live theatre holds over the young, and I must say it is infectious.  WFT prides itself on its inclusion, and there is no question that this is something they should be proud of.  The curtain speech welcomed a girl scout troupe, and celebrated two birthdays before giving way to a cast that varied in age from homeroom to nursing home, and contained every color of the genetic rainbow.  Not only was it a guarantee that you will see someone on the stage that looks like you, but also you’d recognize your teacher, your neighbor, and your grandmother!  On top of that, two Teleprompters flank the stage, furthering the sense of communion by including those with hearing impairments (unfortunately, though, this lead to a very close scrutiny of the lines being spoken on stage, and the disparities between the two texts).

The audience was absolutely astonished of the beautifully polished production.  Dustin Todd Rennells costumes were clever and colorful and Matthew T. Lazure’s set design was inspired (the fantastic “nest” was the pièce de résistance!) The performers had great timing and a natural stage presence that captured the audience entirely- not an easy feat given the age range.  Cheo Bourne absolutely stole the show as “Ugly”.  Though he played the character a little “young” for my taste, his voice and acting were impeccable.  I couldn’t imagine another person for the role.  Aimee Doherty’s mature voice sounded excellent in her matronly role of “Ida”.  Jamie Montesano was perfectly cast a “Queenie” and gave one of the most nuanced performances- bringing just a hint of naughty into the otherwise sexless production.  I also loved Monica Moran as Penny.  Though her part was small, her voice resonated like a fairytale princess and she had the looks of an ingénue to back it up.  What a beautiful swan!  Also, I want to give a special shout out to the wonderful Emily Pinto who played “Fluff” one of Ugly’s duckling sisters.  She had a gorgeous, strong, voice and a great little attitude to match.  She’s a natural to the stage and I look forward to seeing her star rise in the Boston area.  Great job, Emily.

What you won’t find in this Wheelock Family Theatre production is innovation from director Jane Staab.  It is fortunate for Staab that her target audience is in grade school, because I have yet to see an original or thought-provoking staging of anything she has ever directed.  Staab’s canned choreography was so predictable, that I was able to lean over to my companion and say, “Kick line coming up.  Soon will be the dance circle.  Just about now the cast is going to run into the aisles,” and I was correct every time.  Minus the flying, is was pretty much exactly the same staging I saw in WTF’s production of Peter Pan.  Of course, one might argue that the retention of a five year old would lead Staab to not have to work so hard with coming up with original direction, but that just leaves a sour taste in my mouth.  I think no matter the age, the audience deserves to see a show that has been carefully crafted from start to finish, and while many of the crew members for this production of Honk! gave it their all, Staab gave me pretty much the same thing I have seen half a dozen other times from her.

I cannot end my review on a down note though, because it is really important for me to reiterate how glad I am that there are companies like WFT tailoring their productions for a new generation.  The earlier we can hook our children into the importance of theatre, the more likely they will be able to stand up for themselves during the inevitable cuts made to arts education across our state and across the Nation.  Honk! is going to be around for the rest of the month- bring your kids!!

Bourne and Doherty share an adventure.