As audience members wait for the curtain to rise on the Port Tobacco Players' new production -- "Honk!" -- a note in the program illuminates what they are about to view.
"Life isn't about being accepted by others, it's about learning to accept yourself," writes director Suzanne L. Donohue. "Once you come to terms with who you are, you are free to love and be loved. A simple story, a simple moral, a very difficult lesson to learn."
Ida (Lesley Newkirk) gives her son, Ugly the duckling (Derek Pickens), encouragement in the musical "Honk!" by the Port Tobacco Players.
(Rafael Crisostomo -- For The Washington Post)
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The audience then is presented with a chance to experience this lesson in a wonderfully staged musical comedy that celebrates individuality. The plot, albeit sad at times, follows Ugly -- a less-than-normal-looking duck -- through a series of encounters with an all-animal cast of characters.
Although his mom, Ida (played by the talented and award-winning Lesley Newkirk), acknowledges her new duckling is "different," she still personifies a mother's unconditional love. This gives Ugly the courage to sing the heart-wrenching "Different" -- a song that questions whether being outside of the norm is acceptable, then answers affirmatively.
"I'm different," Ugly proclaims. "Why does it make me sad? I don't want to be this way, but I am. But . . . I have a sense of pride. Different isn't wrong -- isn't hateful. I only want to get along. Different is -- just different."
And that's a lesson most parents want to instill in their children. Unfortunately, for the majority of the play, Ugly (portrayed with childlike innocence by Derek Pickens) finds himself away from his mom, spending time facing animals that find his appearance and his distorted "quack" -- he can only "honk" -- totally unacceptable.
Seeking acceptance, Ugly runs into a multitude of unfriendly forest, farm and pond animals, enduring much as he tries to fit in. His main foe is a nasty cat (played menacingly by Alex Zavistovich), who is determined to devour this gentle, small, lovable and misunderstood duck.
The live orchestra -- a small, seven-piece ensemble -- is excellent, offering an exciting musical score that befits the antics of the animals on stage. The costumes and color schemes also enliven the production.
With a theme based on finding the beauty and dignity in life, it was a joy to watch the members of the preview audience, many of them youngsters, as they took in the play. From their observations after the performance, it seems as much was happening in the audience as on stage.
"[Ugly] just didn't understand why he wasn't liked," offered Valerie Garza, 10, a student at T.C Martin Elementary School near Bryantown. Her friend, Kelsey Grandy, 10, also a T.C. Martin student, didn't like the cat. "He kept trying to eat the poor little duck."
Sarah Newman, 8, a student at Grace Lutheran School in La Plata, seemed genuinely touched by the play.
"It made me so sad when [Ugly] was being called names," she said. "But I'm happy because in the end [Ugly] becomes a beautiful swan."
"Honk!," a production by the Port Tobacco Players, runs 2 hours and 15 minutes. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; and 3 p.m. March 20. Charles County Government Center auditorium, 200 Baltimore St., La Plata. Book and lyrics by Anthony Drewe, music by George Stiles, produced by Cheryl M. Reckeweg and directed by Suzanne L. Donohue. Adults, $15; seniors and students, $12. 301-932-6819.
