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"Honk' livens children's tale with '60s style

By Rich Copley rcopley@herald-leader.com

Sitting in the midst of their latest creation, the technical ­directors for Lexington Children's Theatre talk about the fun, playful shapes and colors of their mod set for the musical Honk!

That doesn't mean the show's director, Jeremy Kisling, didn't get a few puzzled looks when he told the staff about his hip, 1960s vision for the show, which is based on the story of the ugly duckling.

”It took a little convincing on my part,“ Kisling says. ”They were like, "'60s? Ducks?'“

Kisling took the offbeat ­approach to the show because he ”didn't want it to look like ­Charlotte's Web. It's often done with these earth tones and overalls and chicken feet.“

This production of the family musical will look more like ­something out of Austin Powers.

”Jeremy brought the '60s flower patterns and the flowers in the pond,“ says scenic designer ­Kiersten Moore. ”He talked about the patterns and colors being happy.“

It might have been a different approach, but technical director Russell Mendez says it's helpful when a show director comes in with a definite vision.

”It gives everyone a jumping-off point,“ Mendez says.

And jump, they did.

The floor of the set is a swirl of aquatic color with bright, animated flowers along the shore and set pieces that pop in oranges and blues.

”We got a lot of '60s art books, design books and architecture books,“ Moore says. ”We went through them and marked a lot of photos that looked like things we could use.“

Lighting designer Adam Spencer says he used almost all of the lights in LCT's main theater, though at the same time, his job was to accentuate the color on the set.

”The biggest challenge was that this show goes through all four seasons and goes indoors and ­outdoors,“ Spencer says. ”So, you have to create a look for all of that.“

Costume designer Lindsay Schmeling says she was fortunate to get this assignment at a time when '60s looks are kind of hip. If a show goes with a concept that's out of vogue, Schmeling says, it can be hard to come up with fabric.

But a challenge she did have was that Kisling did not want ­literal animal costumes, so ­Schmeling and the costume ­department had to come up with color schemes and looks that ­translated into certain animals, particularly for young viewers.

Among the costumes she displays is a baggy top in green paisley, instantly identifiable as a frog.

”I brought my 2-year-old to rehearsal the other day,“ Moore says, ”and I knew she had it when she pointed at the ducks and said, "Big ducks.'“