playbill vip

Honk! takes us on a journey through the timeless tale that is The Ugly Duckling in which we follow Ugly as he traverses through tough terrain and overcomes many challenges all while “holding his head up high.” This story about tolerance, finding self-worth, understanding what it means to belong, and staying true to one’s self amidst adversity not only shares with us a lesson in life we can all relate to, but it especially speaks to the middle school experience. Entering adolescence comes with a lot of change - appearances alter, friendships shift, academics become more challenging, and society is looked at through a whole new lens. For our production of Honk!, I challenged the cast to draw from their own experiences with these themes and incorporate their human emotion into their characters all while moving and interacting like animals, no matter how goofy. Not only is this a difficult task, but it’s some pretty advanced theater pedagogy - and they rocked it! This cast put hard work and dedication into this production of Honk! and they are ready to show you the wonderful swans they have become in the process. As always, I would like to thank the Spotswood community for its warm reception and support, Mrs. Restine and Mrs. Cohen for welcoming me with open arms and letting me break up their dynamic duo, and of course the incredible cast of Honk!, for all of their time, energy, and trust. I sincerely hope you enjoy our show, “warts and all.” We are thrilled to share it with you. - Brian Buechele, Director