Honk Jr set to open tonight

by Angie Asam, Staff Writer

The annual Rogers City Community Theatre summer youth production is set to open tonight (Thursday) at 7:30 at the Rogers City Theater. Shows will continue Friday an Saturday evening at 7:30 with a Sunday matinee scheduled for 2 p.m. Directed by Donna Klein who is assisted by Julie LaBar and produced by Andrea Shadbolt, the show features 27 young actors from Presque Isle County, the largest summer youth cast to date.

?We have had a lot of fun exploring, not only being ducks, chickens, geese, swans, etc. but also developing and growing as actors and technical crew,? said Klein. ?They have worked very hard learning about the craft of the theatre and you are invited to enjoy the fruits of their labor,? Klein said. ?Honk! Jr.? is a contemporary musical retelling of the classic story of ?The Ugly Duckling? by Hans Christian Andersen. A part of Musical Theatre International?s Broadway Junior collection, the original unabridged version of this play won the 2000 Olivier Award (the British equivalent to our Tony Award), defeating the ?Lion King? for the honor of best musical. It features a ?Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat?-like score that can be enjoyed by audiences of all ages.

The musical features two acts and 14 musical numbers. Set in the countryside the show features Ugly, a duckling who is rejected by everyone but his mother Ida and a sly tomcat who wants to eat Ugly as well as other barnyard creatures.

Featured in this play are Jacob Bruski as Ugly, Salena Heidemann as Ida (Ugly?s ?mom?), Ben Sedwick as Drake (Ugly?s ?dad?), and Kayli Witulski as the Cat. Rounding out the cast are Linnea Hentkowski, Ava Kelly, Jenae LaFleche, an

d Andrea Madison, as Ugly?s Duckling Siblings, Emily Nowicki as Maureen, Bradley Heidemann as Greylag, Emilee Madison as Dot/Mother Swan, Alissa Bowden, Kaylee Fenstermaker, Elaina Madison, Brooklyn Bober, and Madison Thornton as the Goose Squadron, Brandi Chojnacki as the Bullfrog, Brooke Ciarkowski as Penny, Kyley LaFleche as Bewick, Ashley Bunton as Grace, Sami Bober as the Turkey, Ashley Nowicki as Henrietta, Grace Darga as Maggie Pie, Elle Bredow and Chloe Hentkowski as the Camera Crew, and Cheyenne Bober, Chloe Henkowski, Seth Darga, and Elle Bredow as the Froglets, and Mike Marx as the voice of the Farmer.

Tayler Bannasch served as choreographer. Technical director Karl Heidemann once again designed and created (with the assistance of volunteers) a wonderful set for our story and actors. Lighting was designed by Andrea Shadbolt. Costumes were designed and created by Val Schalk with assistance by Mary Hazlett. Students helping in a technical capacity include Raelyn Hoeft on sound, Jessica Hughes on lights (assisted by Mike Marx), and Amber Nowicki and Heather Hentkowski as tech crew/property masters. Doors open one-half hour before show time. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, and $6 for students. Tickets are available at the theater box office, the Presque Isle Advance and the Rogers City Area Chamber of Commerce. Please call 989-734-3861 or visit http://rcctheatre.org, for more information. You may also connect with us on Facebook.