The Not-So Ugly Duckling (Fall 2018)

Director/Editor

First Outreach Opera Directed for Indianapolis Opera 

The Not-So Ugly Duckling was one of two operas written by Briana Sosenheimer for the Indianapolis Opera. The opera places the story of The Ugly Duckling in a school setting to demonstrate the danger and cruelty of bullying. Sosenheimer chose a variety of composers and arias to adapt for this new pastiche, featuring music by Handel, Mozart, Bizet, Verdi, and Johann Strauss, Jr. I made some small alterations to her original staging and script, but Sosenheimer gave us great material to work with. The kids all agreed that the highlight scene was the food fight between Lucky, Don, and Juliet.

We were also afforded the opportunity to work with the Boys and Girls Club of Indianapolis during an eight-week residency. Throughout our visits, we inserted the children into the show as fellow ducks, and helped to teach them about music literacy, instrumentation, stage movement, and partner work through a series of conversations and games. We were very happy to see how much they enjoyed the games and learning along with us, and they put on a very cute performance for their families and friends at the end of our visit with them.