<p> <i>The Ugly Duckling</i>, a musical fable produced, directed and designed by Jennifer Richardson, layered a contemporary journey of emerging realization of sexual identity over a traditional fairy tale journey of self-discovery, utilizing the unique story-telling of the theatre art form without changing the underlying narrative of the fable. The staging created a visual story that was easily trackable. The director achieved this by focusing on relationships, by highlighting the ugly duckling&rsquo;s difference through behavior and design elements, and by clarifying obstacles through action. If one can gauge effectiveness by audience response, the medium of the fairy tale seemed to be an effective one for reaching a spectrum of audience members - young to old, and from different socio-economic backgrounds. And finally, the process provided a transformative experience for the cast by encouraging meaningful and personal discussions about a range of &ldquo;ugly duckling&rdquo; issues, and by exploring the sense of personal strength that comes with being in one&rsquo;s truth while playing action as a character on stage.</p><p>