The Sissy Duckling began as a children’s book, written by Harvey Fierstein, the celebrated theatre and film actor and playwright. It was then adapted into an award-winning HBO cartoon television series for children. It has now been adapted into a musical theatre production for elementary aged children by Nicola Elson, a Theatre for Young Audiences Specialist at the University of Lethbridge.

​

The Story

 

Elmer, The Sissy Duckling, is a happy, zany fellow that walks to the beat of his own drum. Sometimes he struggles to fit in though. When the other ducklings play baseball, he’d prefer to bake a cake. Or maybe he’d rather put on a puppet show instead of building a fort. He loves to do these things, but it can get a bit lonely when you’re often playing alone. It can be even lonelier if someone calls you a sissy… But Elmer is tough and caring and smart, and he's about to teach his family, and his entire flock, that being different is A-Okay!

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Production

 

The Sissy Duckling, directed by Nicola Elson, is an imaginative and interactive play. It showcases four actors who play the colourful characters, sing the songs and play a myriad of instruments including the ukulele, banjo, accordion, keyboard, bass, percussion and foley instruments. In addition to songs that will get your toes tapping in one moment and pull on your heart strings in the next, this play is visually dynamic, creative and highly physical. The story is full of adventure and explores themes of self expression, gender roles and bullying in a sensitive, age-appropriate and thoughtful manner.

​

Curriculum Connections

 

Citizenship and identity - Embracing the theme “I am unique, and I belong!”.

Personal and social responsibility – Expressing your feelings positively and showing respect and care for others.

​

Creative expression through Art and Drama – Bringing your imagination to life and expressing your creativity through practice, observation and participation.

Music – Observing and creating music, becoming familiar with different instruments, and understanding melody, rhythm, chords and harmony.

​

English and Language Arts – Seeing how words can be used to create engaging stories, understanding how someone’s actions can affect other people, and the exploration, discussion and interpretation of other people’s opinions.

​

Science – Gaining a sense of wonder of the natural world, understanding the seasons, life cycles and needs of animals, interpreting the weather and learning about wetland ecosystems.

​

Social Studies – Understanding what makes a community and how you fit in.

Health and Life Skills – Building confidence to say no to bullies, learning how to express your feelings, helping others, showing respect, being a good role model and understanding that it is important to appreciate others and their uniqueness.

 

Creating learning environments that respect diverse gender identities & gender expression.

 

The Alberta Government’s Ministry of Education asks that schools create a welcoming, equitable and inclusive school environment.

​

Whole-school approaches are recommended to foster social-emotional learning and healthy relationships in order to reduce the likelihood of bullying behaviour, including homophobic and transphobic bullying.

 

*A detailed breakdown of Alberta Education’s curriculum connections and guide to promote diversity, inclusion and equity is available for your perusal. 

​