I go by the name Ugly Duckling and was named before anyone really knew where I was heading. I guess back in the day, you were called what you looked like, and so that’s the name I was given. Thank you, Place des Arts, for letting me tell my story. It’s a privilege to be here on this land although to be quite honest I would rather be in the water… but we’ll get to that.
I am Ugly Duckling I go by the pronoun he/him. The consequences of my life are quite dramatic actually, so I’ll try to spare you any triggers. I grew up in the country, of Coquitlam and was born under bright green leaves of a burdock plant with a prickly purple flower. My Mother, a restless young duck, hatched and raised twelve ducklings that summer. My father nowhere to be found. I was the last of the brood to peck myself out. I didn’t look like the other ducklings who were all really cute and eventually they called me the ugly one. Nevertheless, Mom took it upon herself to encourage me and I remember her saying out loud to anyone that would listen “he may not be good looking, like the others but in the right light he’s not so bad and one day he’ll be good at something.” I think it was the fact that I swam better than the others that my mother encouraged me. Heart mom! My adorable siblings were adored by everyone and along with pretty much everyone in my community, teased and tormented. Horrid beauties they were! But that girl that feed us was the worst. One day, she gave me a kick, so hard, I lost it. I ran away and never looked back.
Actor Biography: Isaac Li
Isaac is an actor and producer, based in Burnaby. Recent acting credits include Anon(ymous), Antony and Cleopatra, Cabaret, Mortified (Studio 58); Of Mice and Men (Promethean); Cinderella: Panto (Metro); Love’s Labour’s Lost (Alchemy). He is also a co-founder of Promethean Theatre and a graduate of Studio 58.