'Shrek, The Musical' On Stage At WCHS This Weekend
March 17, 2021 at 8:29 p.m.
By David Slone-
“If you’ve seen the animated version, it’s very similar. Some of the dialogue is exactly the same,” said WCHS drama teacher and director Dana McAfee Monday before dress rehearsals. “So, it’s the story of how Shrek goes off to find the princess for (Lord) Farquaad, but ends up falling in love with her instead, and then has to prove himself to her, not knowing that she’s also an ogre.”
She said there are many fairy tale characters in the show, which has a fairy tale ending.
“The fairy tale characters all get booted out of their homes and sent to live in a swamp, so they’re trying to fight back and get territory for themselves,” she later said.
They were allowed to open up tickets a bit at this stage of the pandemic. “For Friday and Sunday, for sure, we have balcony seating only, but we do have it. And then Saturday, we still have a little bit of both,” she said.
Shows are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Call 574-371-5040 for tickets. She said it would be best to always call ahead to see if tickets are available. They are $10 for students and senior citizens, and $15 for adults.
“I think the kids will enjoy it – very colorful, lots of fun costumes,” McAfee said.
Social distancing will be observed and masks will be work at all times.
Donations at the show also will be accepted.
“It’s been a rough year for performing arts. I think everybody who has tried it has lost a lot of money, and so if anyone would like to come with donations, we are going to have donation buckets,” McAfee said.
She said she was “pretty proud of the fact that we’ve done theater all year and no kid has gotten sick, and we’ve been really careful. I think they’ve had a real fun time being able to stay and do theater stuff.”
The cast only has 30 actors. They have their masks on always, she said, and they haven’t gone without them.
“So, we were able to procure some microphones, and so now everybody in the cast is going to have a microphone. We’ve never had that before, that’s kind of exciting,” McAfee said.
“Shrek, the Musical” is about two hours plus intermission.
Cast members (in order of appearance) are: Theo Cooke as Shrek; Michael Witmer as young Shrek, knight 2, chorus and dwarf; Olivia Gabrich as Mama Ogre, blind mice, guard, chorus; Trevor Ott as Papa Ogre, guard, knight 3, chorus; Emma Spencer as Fiona; Zoey Hall as young Fiona; Ethan Spencer as King Harold, guard, knight 1, chorus; Vanessa Ochoa as Queen Lillian, dragon, chorus; David Howard as captain of the guard, bishop, chorus; Edward Robison as Pinocchio; David Broadhurst as wolf and knight 4; Chase Carl as pig 1; Reagan Polk as pig 2; Alexsys Pion-Durst as pig 3; Cami Brown as fairy godmother and blind mice; Joel Montoya as greeter and Peter Pan; Elena Crawford as ugly duckling and teenage Fiona; Aubrey Harp as sugar plum fairy; Natalie Oler as witch and bluebird; Isa Silva as mama bear and blind mice; Jordan Norris as papa bear and Thelonius; Lizeth Ramirez as baby bear; Saphrin Boschet as Mad Hatter; Dee Dee Polk as Humpty Dumpty; Tris Lind as elf and Pied Piper; Cayla Harris as Donkey; Ian Peloza as Farquaad; Josie Miller as Gingy; and Macy Bonifield and Grace Ganser as guards and chorus.
Dancers are Mariah Davidson, Tiana Keene, Tris Lind, Jadyn McCleod, Josie Miller, Keysie Peyton, Victoria Peloza, Dee Dee Polk, Edward Robison, Zoey Shearer, Mahala Shepherd and Michael Witmer.
“If you’ve seen the animated version, it’s very similar. Some of the dialogue is exactly the same,” said WCHS drama teacher and director Dana McAfee Monday before dress rehearsals. “So, it’s the story of how Shrek goes off to find the princess for (Lord) Farquaad, but ends up falling in love with her instead, and then has to prove himself to her, not knowing that she’s also an ogre.”
She said there are many fairy tale characters in the show, which has a fairy tale ending.
“The fairy tale characters all get booted out of their homes and sent to live in a swamp, so they’re trying to fight back and get territory for themselves,” she later said.
They were allowed to open up tickets a bit at this stage of the pandemic. “For Friday and Sunday, for sure, we have balcony seating only, but we do have it. And then Saturday, we still have a little bit of both,” she said.
Shows are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Call 574-371-5040 for tickets. She said it would be best to always call ahead to see if tickets are available. They are $10 for students and senior citizens, and $15 for adults.
“I think the kids will enjoy it – very colorful, lots of fun costumes,” McAfee said.
Social distancing will be observed and masks will be work at all times.
Donations at the show also will be accepted.
“It’s been a rough year for performing arts. I think everybody who has tried it has lost a lot of money, and so if anyone would like to come with donations, we are going to have donation buckets,” McAfee said.
She said she was “pretty proud of the fact that we’ve done theater all year and no kid has gotten sick, and we’ve been really careful. I think they’ve had a real fun time being able to stay and do theater stuff.”
The cast only has 30 actors. They have their masks on always, she said, and they haven’t gone without them.
“So, we were able to procure some microphones, and so now everybody in the cast is going to have a microphone. We’ve never had that before, that’s kind of exciting,” McAfee said.
“Shrek, the Musical” is about two hours plus intermission.
Cast members (in order of appearance) are: Theo Cooke as Shrek; Michael Witmer as young Shrek, knight 2, chorus and dwarf; Olivia Gabrich as Mama Ogre, blind mice, guard, chorus; Trevor Ott as Papa Ogre, guard, knight 3, chorus; Emma Spencer as Fiona; Zoey Hall as young Fiona; Ethan Spencer as King Harold, guard, knight 1, chorus; Vanessa Ochoa as Queen Lillian, dragon, chorus; David Howard as captain of the guard, bishop, chorus; Edward Robison as Pinocchio; David Broadhurst as wolf and knight 4; Chase Carl as pig 1; Reagan Polk as pig 2; Alexsys Pion-Durst as pig 3; Cami Brown as fairy godmother and blind mice; Joel Montoya as greeter and Peter Pan; Elena Crawford as ugly duckling and teenage Fiona; Aubrey Harp as sugar plum fairy; Natalie Oler as witch and bluebird; Isa Silva as mama bear and blind mice; Jordan Norris as papa bear and Thelonius; Lizeth Ramirez as baby bear; Saphrin Boschet as Mad Hatter; Dee Dee Polk as Humpty Dumpty; Tris Lind as elf and Pied Piper; Cayla Harris as Donkey; Ian Peloza as Farquaad; Josie Miller as Gingy; and Macy Bonifield and Grace Ganser as guards and chorus.
Dancers are Mariah Davidson, Tiana Keene, Tris Lind, Jadyn McCleod, Josie Miller, Keysie Peyton, Victoria Peloza, Dee Dee Polk, Edward Robison, Zoey Shearer, Mahala Shepherd and Michael Witmer.
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