‘The play is joyful’

January 28, 2026

Honey Pearl Productions performs Cheaper by the Dozen

By Soncirey Mitchell
Reader Staff

For its second theatrical undertaking since its creation in 2025, Honey Pearl Productions will put on six performances of the heartwarming play Cheaper by the Dozen, based on the 1948 semi-autobiographical novel of the same name. The play — following a year in the life of the Gilbreth family in the 1920s — will debut on the Panida Theater stage (300 N. First Ave.) on Friday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m.

Additional performances will take place on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 1, at 3 p.m.; Friday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, Feb. 7, at 1 p.m. Tickets are $20 to $25, depending on location, at honeypearlproductions.com.

“The play is joyful,” said HPP cofounder Connie Kiehn. “There is drama to it, but there are lots of funny parts, lots of laugh-out-loud moments, lots of silliness. The dad is a hoot and a half — Ken Wood plays him, and he was born for this role.”

The Cheaper by the Dozen cast includes Malakai Bever, Audrey McKinney, Ethan West, Lillian Maus, Ireland Egan, Ambree Smith, Amy Smith, Suzie Kiehn (baby), Oldinn Hale, Ken Wood, Robilyn Phillips, Ronan Byers and Eliana Aispuro. Photo by Hailey Weber

Through a series of vignettes interspersed with a few musical interludes, the two-hour, family-friendly show follows engineers Frank and Lillian Gilbreth as they try to raise 11 rambunctious children as efficiently and lovingly as possible.

“Frank Gilbreth invented motion study, and he was very interested in how to make things as efficient as possible,” said Kiehn. “How can we accomplish the most using the least amount of resources and time? He ran his family that way. Part of his fascination with having a large family was, ‘How can I run a large family really efficiently?’”

As with the novel, the play is told from the perspective of two of the couple’s adult children — Frank Bunker Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey — as they look back on the year before their father’s untimely death. The story explores themes of family and love — themes that extend into the production itself.

“It’s really important to me that these plays feel like a family affair,” said Kiehn. “Even if you’re not cast, but your child is, or your sibling is, everybody in the family should feel like they’re a part of the show.”

With a cast ranging from babies to adults to trained dogs, Kiehn says the play “makes you giggle” while remaining sincere, ensuring attendees of all ages can find something meaningful in the performance.

“With Honey Pearl Productions, we’re only two shows in, but I have been absolutely floored by the response and the support that the community has given us,” said Kiehn. “Be it with lots of people signing up for auditions and then participating in the show, helping out with costumes, helping out with sets, helping out with props — and the people buying the tickets to support the show — I’m just so grateful.”