Artist Statement

There is no joy quite like childlike wonder: the kind you see at aquariums, a beautiful hiking trail, or in the lobby of a Broadway theater right after a matinee. This isn't a sensation felt exclusively by children, yet we associate this feeling of brightness with youth. When we think about excitement or passion, we often equate it to childhood, tapping back into when we were able to access that feeling of unapologetic love and joy with ease. With our musical Take A Quack At It!, our writing team dedicates our artistry to enhancing the Theater for Young Audience canon, while reigniting childhood joy in adults. 

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Children’s theater deserves the same attention to detail, thoughtful lyricism, and innovative storytelling as musicals written for older audiences. While Take A Quack At It! is engaging and fun for children, we always consider our adult audience. If we as adults think a show is elementary, vapid, and futile– children probably will, too. Children appreciate works that challenge their current worldview. 

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As our writing team was brainstorming ideas for musicals, we thought of the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale, “The Ugly Duckling”. The moral of the original story is... questionable. The Ugly Duckling was suddenly celebrated only when he became an attractive swan. What would happen if The Ugly Duckling never became a swan, but instead gained confidence and embraced himself as he was? 

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Rather than conforming to the mold of others’ expectations, our protagonist, Topher, discovers the power of their uniqueness. In Take A Quack At It!, The Ugly Duckling’s obsession with vanity results in his downfall, while Topher’s individuality is what eventually makes them a star. As younger generations are growing up in this increasingly bizarre world of social media, the importance of learning not to idolize celebrities but to embrace one’s individuality is more prevalent than ever. 

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As a trans/queer writing team, we believe it is crucial to introduce more queer stories into the musical theater canon. Take A Quack At It!’s protagonist, Topher, uses they/them pronouns, but the show has nothing to do with gender. Topher simply exists, as many of us do. Normalizing they/them pronouns at a young age is one of many ways we as artists can do our part in dismantling prejudice and promoting inclusivity in future generations.

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Our next goal for Take A Quack At It! is to license the musical, making it accessible to as many theaters and audiences as possible. This show has an abundance of easily double-cast roles, making this production perfect for casts of all sizes and ages.

 

Yen Chih-hsiang and composer Oscar Chang collaborated to translate the story into Mandarin, debuting a reading at Total Musical Theater in Taiwan in March. 

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With a story full of plot twists, pertinent morals, and a killer rock n’ roll soundtrack, Take A Quack At It! is on its way to being a duckin’ cluckin’ quack-a-lackin’ hit. 

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