SILER CITY, N.C. — Everyone’s favorite ogre will take theater audiences on a fairytale journey into the swamp and beyond this month when Jordan-Matthews High School presents “Shrek The Musical.”
Performances of the Broadway musical are Thursday, March 30, at 7 p.m.; Friday, March 31, at 7 p.m.; and Sunday, April 2, at 3 p.m. There is no Saturday performance. General admission tickets are $8 each and now available online at JMArtsTickets.com. Remaining tickets will be sold at the door before each performance. No passes — including Chatham County Schools and senior citizens’ passes — can be accepted. Everyone entering the theater, regardless of age, must have a ticket.
Based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film, “Shrek The Musical” is a Tony Award-winning fairytale adventure, featuring all new songs from Jeanine Tesori — composer for “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and “Caroline, or Change” — and a sidesplitting book by David Lindsay-Abaire. “Shrek” brings all the beloved characters you know from the film to life on stage and proves there's more to the story than meets the ears.
“Shrek The Musical” opened on Broadway in 2008, receiving nominations for 12 Drama Desk Awards and eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score. Its success launched a North America tour in 2010 and, since then, the musical has entertained audiences on London’s West End and all around the world.
Jordan-Matthews brings a huge production to the stage, featuring a 39-member cast and 15-member stage crew with students in art and carpentry classes building and painting scenery.
“This show is a huge growth for the musical theater program this year,” said theater teacher Sawyer Shafer, who directs the musical. “Not only do we have about twice as many kids involved as last year during ‘Oklahoma!,’ but we have really been able to see these kids shine in a whole new light thanks to the contributions of choreographer and dance teacher Tara Rooks. A lot of these students are now getting the full ‘spectacle musical’ experience for the first time, and I’m excited for audiences to come experience this show.
“It’s on track to be the best show of my short tenure as director here.”
Producer Rose Pate agrees, pointing out the huge number of costumes and even bigger dance numbers. Some students could be intimidated by such a leap in complexity, but Pate said everyone in this production rose to the challenge.
“I’ve seen a lot of student leadership throughout the entire preparation process,” she said. “I couldn’t be prouder of how our kids have stepped up to make this great show work. And our adult leaders are a real dream team as well.”
More than 200 individuals and groups work together each year to bring the musical to life. Adults on this year’s ‘dream team’ include Elliott Peterson as assistant director and musical director, Cynthia Bredenberg as wardrobe supervisor and Heath Smith as hair and makeup supervisor. Several students also were part of the creative team, including Dylan Mendoza Huezos on set construction and Victoria Barlow on set design.
More information about “Shrek The Musical” and other arts events scheduled for this season is available online at jmarts.org/events.
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The Captain of the Guard (Louis Graham) sends frightening chills through Humpty Dumpty (Emmanuel Hernandez) and Sugar Plum Fairy (Mylie Cardman) in “Shrek The Musical,” running March 30 through April 2 at Jordan-Matthews High School. (Photo by Chip Pate)
Pied Piper (Sarah Dekaney) enchants some of the dancing rats (Andrey Ureña-Seceña, left, and Cheyenne Benton). About 40 student actors will be on stage at Jordan-Matthews from March 30 through April 2 with three performances of “Shrek The Musical.” (Photo by Chip Pate)
The Three Blind Mice from the famous nursery rhyme and song — played, from left, by Shara Tolentino Perez, Sarai Ibarra Rivera and Aridai Carrillo Ibarra — make an appearance during the ogre’s fanciful journey in “Shrek The Musical.” Public performances at Jordan-Matthews High School are March 30, March 31 and April 2. (Photo by Chip Pate)
Sanaiya Cheek, left, and Mitchell Rist are two of the dancers Shrek encounters in the kingdom of Duloc, one of the stops along his hilarious, fairytale journey. “Shrek The Musical” has three performances at Jordan-Matthews High School from Thursday, March 30, through Sunday, April 2. (Photos by Chip Pate)