After wowing the audience with the performance of “A Poultry Tale” in the opening act, the cast of Honk! continued to keep spectators on their feet, surprising the audience with talented performances in this year’s fall musical.

The theater company chose to perform Honk! this fall because “[it was] quirky and energetic,” said Junior Nancy Boyd, who played Ida, the mother of Ugly.

“I learned so much and grew so much. I’m happiest when I’m on stage,” she said.

The play was a musical production of the Ugly Duckling, a popular children’s story. Junior James Richardson had the privilege of taking on the lead role as Ugly. Though this was his first musical, he amazed the audience with his wide vocal range and talents.

“[We] improved every show,” said Richardson. “It was really cool that there was so much energy and passion.”

Singing “Hold Your Head Up,” Richardson and Boyd had an incredible duet in the act one finale, matching their voices to create perfect harmony.

Megan Weeks, stage director and MHS Drama Teacher did a remarkable job directing Honk! in this year’s fall musical. Directing her 15th show, Weeks thought Honk! went really well.

Weeks had little to no trouble casting this musical. Different cast members were picked because of their “height, vocal range, and sound of their voice,” said Weeks.

Richardson liked performing in Honk! this year. “I liked being someone else,” he said, “and trying something new.”

There wasn’t a lot Weeks would do differently for the next play, she said, except for improving organization. The play this year was a huge success. Opening night completely sold out the MHS Center for Performing Arts, which seats more than 600 people.  For the weekend, the performances drew about 2,000 people, Weeks said.

The costumes for the musical were amazing. Richardson wore a patched suit, but after the transformation into a swan, Richardson sported a completely white suit and wore it well. The little ducklings wore their hair in pig tails with the hair being held together with yellow fuzzy hair ties, which made them even more adorable.

The scenery changed quickly from the farm to many other sets. The changes between these occurred smoothly and quickly, thanks to the hard work of the backstage crew.

“Thank you to the directors. We wouldn’t be there without them,” Richardson said.

Overall, the theatre production was amazing.  Everything really came together smoothly. If you missed the musical, you can see the next MHS theatre production called, “The Werewolf’s Curse” or “Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow.” It will be performed on March 2 and March 3. Don’t miss it!