goTriad.com

KERNERSVILLE W.C. Fields warned against working with children and animals, so it's no wonder Robin T. Rich-McGhie was a little apprehensive about directing kids as animals.

The experienced actor, choreographer and director, with credits both in the Triad and her native New Jersey, is directing her first show, "Honk!," for the Kernersville Little Theatre. This musical adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen fable "The Ugly Duckling" opens today with a preview performance.

"I appreciate our young actors and love them to death, but they have minds of their own," she says.

"I try to motivate them about the arts: Having the ability to create is like being a god. It's a gift you give to people so you want to make it beautiful, make it appealing, make it delightful."

McGhie had previously performed in the Kernersville Little Theatre's "Annie" and had choreographed its production of "Guys and Dolls."

"I've directed the past few February Black History Month plays for the Stained Glass Playhouse," she says, "but I wanted to prove I could do more than black-themed shows."

The 2000 Olivier winner for best London musical (beating "The Lion King"), "Honk!" tells the story of Ugly, a misfit fledgling born to Ida. Although she loves him unconditionally, his father and fellow hatchlings tease him unmercifully.

Ugly eventually is separated from his family by a tomcat with a hankering for Tender Vittles de Canard, and he spends the rest of the show searching for his adopted kin while trying to avoid the wily feline.

Adapted by lyricist Anthony Drewe and composer George Stiles ("Mary Poppins"), the musical features catchy songs such as "Different," "You Can Play With Your Food" and "Warts and All." The story might be aimed at kids, but adults will appreciate the clever lyrics and dialogue.

"It shows what a mistake it is to take someone at face value instead at looking at the kind of person he or she is inside," McGhie says.

Although some might also find meaning in Ugly's being played by African American Jimmie "JJ" Jeeter, McGhie says she used color-blind casting -- actors were chosen for specific roles and/or songs with no regard to their race. She spotted Jeeter, for example, when she was a judge for "Triad Idol" and he was a contestant.

"We had a lot of children audition, and we took on twice the number of ducklings and froglets as we intended," she says. "And we had a lot of family groups siblings, mothers and daughters, fathers and sons. I never hired one, but not the other. I want them to have this project, especially this family musical, to do together."

McGhie's immediate family is also represented McGhie's daughter Akenya is in the cast -- and she has also reunited with members of her working family including music director Mignon Dobbins and choreographer Mindy Hudson.

"Mindy and I were both strippers in 'Gypsy,'" she says with a laugh. "And I worked with Mignon on 'Footloose.' I knew we'd all work well together."

In the couple of weeks prior to opening night, when things were typically chaotic and the whole show faced meltdown at least once during every rehearsal, she sometimes wondered if they were going to be able to pull it off.

"The rehearsals are sometimes the ugly part," she says. "But at the end, we know the production will be a swan."

Leslie Mizell is a freelance contributor. Contact her at LAMizell@aol.com.