The Appalachian State University Department of Theatre and Dance will present “The Ugly Duckling” by Larry and Vivian Snipes in I.G. Greer Studio Theatre April 26 at 7 p.m. and April 27–28 at 2 p.m. This family-friendly production will be performed on tour by the award-winning Appalachian Young People’s Theatre (AYPT) in elementary schools across the region prior to its debut on campus. General admission tickets are $5.
“The Ugly Duckling” tells the tale of six storytellers portraying the lives of the characters in Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairytale. The title character, Ugly Duckling, takes the audience on a grand adventure to find a place where he belongs, facing bullying waterfowl, a terrifying cat, harsh weather and much more along the way. Despite the challenges he faces, the duckling overcomes every obstacle with a “honk” and clever narration. The play illustrates the experience of growing up, and the universal feeling of not belonging, all while discovering one’s own identity.
The production features all of Appalachian’s theatre education majors. The cast includes junior Samantha Burnett from Lake Norman, junior L.J. Faircloth from Clinton, junior Kasey McFerren from Clayton, junior Mary Weaver from Concord, sophomore Andrew Wilson from Marion and junior Sophie Zapf from Wilmington. Each portray various characters over the course of the play. Additionally, junior Joe Perdue from Greensboro serves as the tour manager while junior Tabitha Wallace is the stage manager. The group has worked together to create and put together all of the costumes, props and scenery for the production.
An artistic recreation of the original children’s tale, “The Ugly Duckling” was first produced by playwrights Larry and Vivian Snipes at Lexington Children’s Theatre in Kentucky. Appalachian Young People’s Theatre will be the first group to tour the show. Director Teresa Lee and the eight students involved in the production will tour around North Carolina and perform the show for both schools and community events in different areas. As a professor of theatre at Appalachian State, Lee has been producing works for Appalachian Young People’s Theatre for 31 years.
I. G. Greer Studio Theatre is located on 401 Academy Street on Appalachian State’s campus. The front entrance of I. G. Greer faces the side of Sanford Hall also located on 401 Academy Street. Parking is available after 5 p.m. on campus in faculty/staff lots and after 5:30 p.m. in the College Street parking deck near Belk Library and Information Commons. General admission tickets are $5. For information or to purchase tickets, call the Schaefer Center box office toll free at (800) 841-2787, locally at (828) 262-4046, visit the box office in person or go online at theschaefercenter.org/tickets.
By Glenn Ramey
About the Department of Theatre and Dance
The Department of Theatre and Dance is one of seven departments housed in Appalachian’s College of Fine and Applied Arts. Its mission is to facilitate transformative experiences for students and the public, which cultivate compassionate, creative and collaborative communities through theatre and dance. The department also offers coursework for integrated learning through the arts to the general university student population. Its dynamic co-curricular production program provides exemplary theatre and dance experiences to departmental students, the university community and the region.
About Appalachian State University
As the premier, public undergraduate institution in the state of North Carolina, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls more than 19,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors
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Media Contact:
Kevin Warner
warnerks@appstate.edu
Students perform "The Ugly Duckling"
AYPT's "The Ugly Duckling" features all of Appalachian's theatre education majors as either cast or crew. From left to right: junior Mary Weaver from Concord, junior Kasey McFerren from Clayton, junior L.J. Faircloth from Clinton, sophomore Andrew Wilson from Marion, junior Sohpie Zapf from Wilmington, and junior Samantha Burnett from Lake Norman. Photo by junior Joe Perdue from Greensboro