Reviewed by Richmond Family Magazine Publisher Margaret Thompson
It has to be a super-special occasion to get me from my Hanover County hideaway all the way across the river to the very end of the Powhite Parkway…especially on a Friday night after a long work and school week for the family. I knew CYT wouldn’t let me down, so we settled into our seats at Tomahawk Creek Middle School for the opening night performances of CYT Richmond’s 50th show, HONK!, the musical based on The Ugly Duckling.
The curtain rose to show the Farmland scene, another enchanting set designed by longtime CYT parent Peter Holleran (goes to show the level of commitment by these families – his daughter graduated from CYT several years ago). We meet Drake and Ida, anxious parents-in-waiting, both wondering what in the world could be in the giant egg in the nest. After the rest of the perfect brood is hatched and fawned over, Ugly – as he is later nicknamed – enters the world. We follow his journey as he gets ridiculed by his siblings and even his dad, with only his mother standing up for him (this is the part that fosters the drive-home conversations about bullying, different doesn’t mean worse, etc…). He meets a spirited group of characters after he accidentally gets separated from his family, with one seriously mischievous cat stealing the scenes time and time again. The presumed death of Ugly and subsequent reunion brings a tear to everyone’s eyes (Right? It wasn’t just me, was it?), with Ugly’s transformation into a beautiful swan getting a big round of applause from the sold-out crowd.
For first-time CYT show goers, it doesn’t take long to figure out that these kids have talent. Real talent. As in, several times during the play, I thought to myself, “These were once the babies that coined the phrase, ‘What a set of lungs that kid has!’” It doesn’t even make sense to single out one or two of the lead actors because each of the kids have amazing voices and, as typical for a CYT production, showed acting maturity and stage presence beyond their years. With eighty plus kids taking the stage at some point during the performance, each exudes pride in themselves and in each other that is so much fun to watch.
Honk! plays through Sunday, May 5 at Tomahawk Creek Middle School, and Les Miserables runs June 19 through 23 at The Oates Theatre at Collegiate School.
