Hans Christian Andersen’s The Ugly Duckling heads down under! Set in Australia and starring a cast of vibrant and colorful creatures, The Ugliest Duckling adds a new twist to an old tale. Imagine mother duck’s surprise when an egg in her nest hatches into a platypus! Yuckay the platypus gains self-confidence as he uses his talents to help others and bravely faces Kurreah the Crocodile. The Ugliest Duckling teaches children that everyone is unique in their own right. With a the help of a cast of memorable characters such as Garndula the Kangaroo and Piggliebillah the Spiny Anteater, Yuckay will bring confidence to the ugly duckling in all of us.

In Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale “The Ugly Duckling,” an awkward-looking bird hatched in a duck’s nest endures scorn, hardship and loneliness. His redemption comes not through heroic effort but merely from maturing into the full form of his true nature.

In Marc Dunworth’s playful puppet-theater re-write “The Ugliest Duckling,” given its LA's premiere by Tears of Joy at TRK, it’s not a swan but a platypus that hatches. The story’s resolution similarly depends on him being who he really is. But the underlying message is more about self-acceptance than social climbing, and the hero actually acts like one.