Florida Rep’s Education Conservatory is performing “Shrek the Musical JR.” this weekend and next. Don’t be fooled by the "JR.," says Florida Rep’s Education Director Monique Caldwell. “Shrek the Musical JR.” contains professional staging, singing and performances by her cast of 37 local youth actors.
“We double-cast the show,” said Caldwell. “It was too much talent for us not to. And we didn't wanna turn anyone away. When you see this show, you're gonna be amazed at how young they are and how talented they are.”
One of those talented young actors is 13-year-old Dylan Perez, who plays the ogre, Shrek. He gives three reasons people should catch the show.
“One, it's funny. You are gonna laugh a lot,” said Perez. “There's a lot of comedic timing. Secondly, it's romantic. There are those scenes where Shrek and Fiona have their little moment, and it gets the audience connected. And three, it's … really pleasing to the eye and you'll connect with the cast while you're watching it. They're even gonna interact in the audience.”
Victor Sweeney plays Lord Faquaad. The 16-year-old Oasis High School student adds his own assessment.
“Singing, great. Dancing, great. The energy is just there,” said Sweeney. “And if you think you've seen 'Shrek' before, this is gonna be a different experience because what the director, Ms. Monique, does is she, a lot of scripts have stage directions, but she just tosses them out. She has her own whole process. She makes it her own, and it's great. It's a really, really great show.”
“Shrek the Musical JR.” is onstage in the historic Arcade Theatre now through Sept. 21.
MORE INFORMATION:
Both evening performances and matinee show times are available.
For tickets, telephone 239-332-4488 to purchase or visit floridarepeducation.org. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for students.
“Shrek the Musical, JR.” is a variation on the Broadway version which featured book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire and music by Jeanine Tesori. The musical is based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks animated film and book by William Steig.
The story centers around an ogre, Shrek, who leads a cast of fairy-tale misfits on an adventure to rescue a princess and find true acceptance. The musical is filled with comedy, imaginative costumes and sets, and lively songs such as “Big Bright Beautiful World,” “(I know it’s) Today,” “I’m a Believer,” and more. Part romance and part twisted fairy tale, “Shrek the Musical, JR.” is an irreverently fun show with a powerful message for the whole family.
Caldwell said that the Conservatory chose “Shrek” for two reasons: It calls for a large cast and appeals to actors and audiences of a younger age.
“This is our first conservatory program production that focuses on a younger age,” Caldwell noted. “We have cast members as young as 9 in this cast, with the oldest being only 16, 17. So they're all very, very young.”
Shrek’s Theme
Theme was another important consideration.
“The song ‘Freak Flag’ is emblematic of the show’s theme. It basically talks about all of us as individuals and how we all are unique,” Caldwell said. “We all are different, and we should be celebrating that, not bullying one another, not tearing down one another because my difference is not your difference.”
One character who definitely does not celebrate difference and diversity is Lord Farquaad.
“He wants everyone to be the same,” Caldwell observed. “This show is about how we are all different and that's OK. Matter of fact, it's beautiful. And so ‘Freak Flag’ is saying, hey, they called us freaks, but we're gonna celebrate it and we're gonna turn that word around. We're not freaks; we are beautiful. We are freaks, hear us roar. So it basically celebrates all of the different characters and their quirkiness, and whoever they are, it celebrates all of that.”
The parallels to today’s political and social climate are unmistakable.
“It goes on even to this day,” Caldwell added somberly. “It goes about to say, whatever you are, whoever you are, celebrate that and don't let people try to put you in a box.”
The Creative Team
Monique Caldwell directs Florida Rep’s Conservatory production of “Shrek the Musical JR.”
Rosalind Metcalf provides musical direction, with choreography by Megan Leonard, Florida Rep’s assistant education director.
Caldwell, Metcalf and Leonard were also the creative team behind Florida Rep Education’s successful spring production of “Hairspray.”
Filling out the design team are Charles Clark (scenic design), Amanda Miller (costume design), and Braden Downing (sound design).
Cast Gets Full Professional Experience
In spite of their large number, the cast is getting the full professional treatment, says Caldwell.
“Not only is it double-cast, but we also have kids who are understudies of certain roles,” Caldwell said. “So we're teaching them about being professionals. In the professional theater world, you have to have understudies for certain roles, which has also helped us when some kids get sick or they're stuck in traffic because, of course, in Southwest Florida, it rains every five minutes. So the understudies are there also to be able to stand in and learn that track as well.”
Dylan Perez
Perez loves his character, who is at times incredibly rude and at other times sentimental and heartwarming. Perez is home schooled and also goes to Time for Learning. Long-range, he’s set his sights on Broadway.
“That's just been my whole dream since I was 5, pretty much,” said Perez before Wednesday night’s dress rehearsal. He’s been visualizing himself on Broadway for nearly a decade.
“I go on my iPad, record myself acting out a certain scene from a movie or just a comedy show, and picture myself on that Broadway stage in New York,” he shared. “I just hope that one day I'm up in New York and I audition, and then I'm in a musical. It’s just gonna be the best experience ever. That's my future.”
Victor Sweeney
Sweeney’s challenge as Lord Farquaad is to maximize his limited time onstage.
“He only has three scenes. So when I’m on the stage, I’m really giving it my all. It's really like, just a lot of emotions being conveyed. Farquaad is a very stealing-the-show type role.”
While Sweeney also intends to be Broadway bound, he first wants to land a solid job that will support his theatrical aspirations.
“I'm thinking of after high school getting my bachelor's in medicine and then going to New York, having a steady job there, but also trying to get some acting and singing parts there,” said Sweeney.
Meanwhile, Sweeney hopes to land some roles locally. He’ll be playing Buddy in “Elf Jr.” for Oasis High at Christmastime and appearing in “Grease” in the spring.
Florida Repertory's theatre conservatory program is designed for youth who want to pursue theatre arts. It offers young artists an introduction to the professional theatre world with a real-life regional theatre experience providing a creative outlet that culminates with public performances. The students are cast following open auditions and participate in rigorous rehearsals. The set, costumes, props, lighting, and sound are designed and built by professional theatre craftsmen.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.