Feel-good fairy tales bring festive cheer
Musical Theatre students at Stratford-upon-Avon College are thrilled to bring you this year’s Musical Theatre performance project – Honkerella.
From Thursday 18 January to Friday 26 January, the students are presenting two musical productions – Honk! and Cinderella. The shows make up a perfect duo; although they have different musical styles, they are united by the same comedic tone and by their themes of love, regeneration and acceptance.
First hatched in 1993, George Stiles’ & Anthony Drewe’s multiple award-winning musical Honk! is a heart-warming celebration of being different and is sure to delight audiences of all ages with its sparkling wit and memorable score.
Re-imagining the much-loved Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Ugly Duckling, it tells the story of Ugly, who has to suffer the taunts of the other animals on the farm simply because he looks different from his duckling siblings. Ugly finds himself on an adventure of self-discovery, all the while unknowingly outwitting the show’s main villain – a very hungry Cat, and along the way meets a whole flock of unique characters. Ugly finds out that being different is not a bad thing after all.
And in Cinderella, the timeless enchantment of a magical fairy tale is reborn with the Rodgers & Hammerstein hallmarks of originality, charm and elegance. First presented on television in 1957 starring Julie Andrews, and adapted for the stage with great warmth and more than a touch of hilarity, Cinderella transports its audience to the miraculous kingdom of dreams-come-true; the hearts of children and adults alike still soar when the slipper fits.
With support from the College’s Technical Theatre students, each student taking part in the performances is also responsible for one of the many production roles, ranging from front of house, to costume or make-up, to publicity.
Musical Theatre student Connor Marron, 17 from Banbury, plays the Cat in Honk! and is also the show’s assistant director. For him, the biggest challenge was embodying an animal correctly: “When you actually stand on stage and try to portray a cat it’s very tough. You need to be believable, not look ridiculous and also focus on your performance.”
But an enthusiastic Connor, who has prepared for the role by studying real life cats and researching various productions of the musical Cats, is delighted with rehearsals for the show so far. “The show is amazingly interesting to be a part of. It’s amazing to watch and so much fun to be in.”
Stuck for that special Christmas present for a loved one? Don’t miss out! Book your tickets now at www.honkerella.eventbrite.co.uk
