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Flock over to Safford for a fun musical
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| State Rep. Lance Horbach, R-Tama, at podium, explains why he believes the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison should be renovated rather than replaced with a new prison in Fort Madison. If a new prison is needed, it should be built elsewhere in Iowa, Horbach told community leaders from Southeast Iowa during Great River Region Days Thursday in Des Moines. At left are state Sen. Tom Courtney, D-Burlington, state Rep. Gene Fraise, D-Fort Madison, and state Rep. Dennis Cohoon, D-Burlington. |
By Diane Vance/Gate City Staff Writer
HAMILTON, Ill. - A familiar tale of “different is not bad” takes the stage at Safford Auditorium at Hamilton Junior High School this weekend.
“HONK! Jr.” is an updated comic adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's “The Ugly Duckling.”
Performances are at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $5, available from cast members, at the school office and at the door.
The baby fowl, Ugly, played by Trent Jones, does not fit in with his siblings and is made fun of and pushed aside, except by his mother, Ida, played by Amanda Plumb, who fiercely loves him.
Through several delightful songs and characters including a cat (Jacey Hartweg) a bullfrog (Jenny Schuler) swans, ducks, geese, tadpoles and more, Ugly gets lost, nearly killed, then saved. He discovers his true self and matures.
The scenery is a simple pond complete with rushes, cattails and lily pads. One scene has a Kitty Kat Snack Shack.
A blizzard is beautifully portrayed using sheets of sheer blue fabric with white snowflakes. Adding the lighted, turning disco ball throws points of light around the stage while Ugly, then his mother, are lost in the snow storm.
The songs are accompanied by Janet Carlisle on keyboard, Caleb Gray on percussion and Lizzie Ayers on flute. Lyrics include catchy phrases such as “lack the knack” and “paddle in puddles” while Cat sings about playing with her food.
The costumes add to the fun. The ducks and geese are not in duck and goose outfits; rather, the characteristics of fowl are hinted at with feathers on hats, brown colors of dresses and clothing, orange rubber clogs, yellow or orange sailor hats and light orange socks with gray toes that strongly suggest duck legs and feet. Swans are dressed in white, the cat has ears and a furry tail, and tadpoles are in green and camouflage.
Backstage at rehearsal Wednesday, sixth grader Lucas Brunenn, who plays Jay Bird, said the process started slowly.
“We've improved as we go along, “ he said. “Some people were cut from the show for not showing up to rehearsals.”
Jared Wiemann, playing a farmer who nearly captures Ugly for dinner, said all the junior high students auditioned for a part by singing a song.
“We're cast by how we audition,” he said. “I like getting up in front of people and getting to be in the play. Of course, I'm nervous at first, then I'm OK.”
Dressed all in white with a small plume of white feathers on his top hat, Johnny Olson plays Father Swan.
“I was in the play last year,” said Olson, a seventh grader. “It's fun to be in shows with friends. I enjoy singing. We usually have very good shows here. A lot of my family will come to see this.”
Jones enjoys acting and his part as Ugly.
“It's exciting to be someone else,” he said. “It's a good feeling to be up there and have people cheer. I've learned to be confident on stage. Actors have to be confident. If not, the character is not believable.
“If you make a mistake on stage, you have to keep going. Unless you let the audience know you've made a mistake, they usually will never know. Acting means keep going.”
Under the direction of Hamilton Junior High teacher Storm Hanks, the students and audience learn, “Ugly is a stage we all go through,” as said by one of the swans.
The cast also includes Dane Custer, Marlee Stephenson, Ethan Summers, Carley Folluo, Peter Sowlles, Caitlyn Nason, Lauren Bliss, Delaney Billings, Scott Skinner, Alayna Diveney, Colby West, Jordan Heavin, Cassidy Dedey, Cassie Dietrich, Jenny Schuler, Christy Tillman, Erin Luebke, Katlyn Larkin, Parker Gibbs, Alanta Schwab, Emily Deters, Coy Dorothy, Derek Bolton, Carter Kinnary, Aadyn Knowles, Lydia Summers, Caleb Mortimer, McKenzie Leroy, Megan Newlon, Bradie Reed, Storm Brandon, Riley Kinnary, Callie Nason, Mark Tillman, Missy Tillman, Chase Hartweg, Grace Fleming, Chloe West, Ashley Plumb and Mary Sowlles.
Tricia Kinnary is artistic director, Brandon Caldwell is student director and Colleen Ewing is student assistant.
“HONK! Jr.” is an updated comic adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's “The Ugly Duckling.”
Performances are at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $5, available from cast members, at the school office and at the door.
The baby fowl, Ugly, played by Trent Jones, does not fit in with his siblings and is made fun of and pushed aside, except by his mother, Ida, played by Amanda Plumb, who fiercely loves him.
Through several delightful songs and characters including a cat (Jacey Hartweg) a bullfrog (Jenny Schuler) swans, ducks, geese, tadpoles and more, Ugly gets lost, nearly killed, then saved. He discovers his true self and matures.
The scenery is a simple pond complete with rushes, cattails and lily pads. One scene has a Kitty Kat Snack Shack.
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The songs are accompanied by Janet Carlisle on keyboard, Caleb Gray on percussion and Lizzie Ayers on flute. Lyrics include catchy phrases such as “lack the knack” and “paddle in puddles” while Cat sings about playing with her food.
The costumes add to the fun. The ducks and geese are not in duck and goose outfits; rather, the characteristics of fowl are hinted at with feathers on hats, brown colors of dresses and clothing, orange rubber clogs, yellow or orange sailor hats and light orange socks with gray toes that strongly suggest duck legs and feet. Swans are dressed in white, the cat has ears and a furry tail, and tadpoles are in green and camouflage.
Backstage at rehearsal Wednesday, sixth grader Lucas Brunenn, who plays Jay Bird, said the process started slowly.
“We've improved as we go along, “ he said. “Some people were cut from the show for not showing up to rehearsals.”
Jared Wiemann, playing a farmer who nearly captures Ugly for dinner, said all the junior high students auditioned for a part by singing a song.
“We're cast by how we audition,” he said. “I like getting up in front of people and getting to be in the play. Of course, I'm nervous at first, then I'm OK.”
Dressed all in white with a small plume of white feathers on his top hat, Johnny Olson plays Father Swan.
“I was in the play last year,” said Olson, a seventh grader. “It's fun to be in shows with friends. I enjoy singing. We usually have very good shows here. A lot of my family will come to see this.”
Jones enjoys acting and his part as Ugly.
“It's exciting to be someone else,” he said. “It's a good feeling to be up there and have people cheer. I've learned to be confident on stage. Actors have to be confident. If not, the character is not believable.
“If you make a mistake on stage, you have to keep going. Unless you let the audience know you've made a mistake, they usually will never know. Acting means keep going.”
Under the direction of Hamilton Junior High teacher Storm Hanks, the students and audience learn, “Ugly is a stage we all go through,” as said by one of the swans.
The cast also includes Dane Custer, Marlee Stephenson, Ethan Summers, Carley Folluo, Peter Sowlles, Caitlyn Nason, Lauren Bliss, Delaney Billings, Scott Skinner, Alayna Diveney, Colby West, Jordan Heavin, Cassidy Dedey, Cassie Dietrich, Jenny Schuler, Christy Tillman, Erin Luebke, Katlyn Larkin, Parker Gibbs, Alanta Schwab, Emily Deters, Coy Dorothy, Derek Bolton, Carter Kinnary, Aadyn Knowles, Lydia Summers, Caleb Mortimer, McKenzie Leroy, Megan Newlon, Bradie Reed, Storm Brandon, Riley Kinnary, Callie Nason, Mark Tillman, Missy Tillman, Chase Hartweg, Grace Fleming, Chloe West, Ashley Plumb and Mary Sowlles.
Tricia Kinnary is artistic director, Brandon Caldwell is student director and Colleen Ewing is student assistant.
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