U-u-ugly Duckling, The

Plays for Young Audiences

By: R. Eugene Jackson
Cast: 7 M, 12 F, 6 flexible (Doubling possible.)
Performance Time: Approximately 60 minutes, 60 pgs.

CHILDREN’S COMEDY. Inspired by the 1844 Hans Christian Andersen tale. Mama Duck is thrilled when her ducklings finally hatch. However, when the last and largest egg hatches, Mama Duck is puzzled when Summer emerges. Summer is much larger and doesn’t look anything like the other ducklings. Upon further inspection, Old Duck concludes the eggs must have gotten mixed up and that Summer is most definitely a turkey because she is so ugly. Gramma Duck disagrees and is convinced that Summer must be a tree trunk. Two geese on their way south guess Summer’s either a chicken or a horse. Summer then meets a cat and hen who think she may be a big brown cow, an aardvark, a rhinoceros, a pig, a deer, a squirrel, an alligator, a snake, a tiger, or a kitchen sink. Confused, Summer ventures out on her own to discover what type of animal she is and where she belongs but she must first escape the sharp claws of Scary Cat, a pair of hunters, and a couple of hungry humans determined to eat her for supper. This charming play features a host of irresistible characters that will delight your audience.

Freeviews: To read play excerpts click here.

About the Story: To read more about the story click here.

During his career of teaching drama on the university level, R. Eugene Jackson has written more than 100 plays and musicals (books and lyrics), and has close to 80 publications. Jackson lives and writes in Mobile, AL, and spends part of his time in New Orleans.