HONK! JR., Stages Bloomington

(Photo credit: Lucia Davila)

HONK! JR, music by George Stiles, book/lyrics by Anthony Drewe, Stages Bloomington

Music direction: Emily Crowley Davis
Choreography: Samantha Hyde
Assistant director: Sheryl Beth Silvers
Scenic design: Brian Lewis
Scenic artistry & projection design: Joe Lee
Costume design: Sarah Travis
Lighting design: Mike Schwandt
Stage management & teaching assistants: Lucia Davila and Ceilidh Christie

Click here to read the uncut director’s note for the program.

PRESS:

After the production closed, Zoe Waters (who gets around in a motorized wheelchair) was featured in an article about local companies’ experiences working with disabled actors:

“Liam can be funny, but he takes acting very seriously,” she said.
“(Zoe) was very creative and quick-witted when the exercises required improvisation, and she had good observations when she was in the audience watching her classmates play out a scene,” Castellan said in an email.
“I already knew Zoe to be very smart, and patient, and focused. In “Honk! Jr.” she came up with a great characterization for Grace, the most glamorous duck in the duck yard,” he said.
Zoe gives this advice to other child actors: “Don’t be afraid to over-perform. Sometimes ‘over-acting’ can end up looking normal. And, if you perform your part ‘normally’ it can look wooden,” she said, explaining that she learned this from watching another “Honk! Jr.” actor whom she admires.

(excerpted from Bloomington theatre companies make room for unconventional actors by Connie Shakalis for the Herald-Times)