Few if any of the current Saline High School graduating class would have been around when Mike Myers first gave Shrek his voice. More than a decade earlier still, as AP English students inevitably seem compelled to point out as often as applicable, “The story originally came from a book.” [1-6]
For those in need of introduction or refreshers, there’s this from Publishers Weekly, which concludes by calling it an “engrossing and satisfying tale. [7]
No doubt about it, Shrek is the ugliest guy in town. Everywhere he goes, people and animals flee …. Yet Shrek is inordinately proud of his green knobby head and loathsome figure, and he roams the countryside having the kind of fun that only tormenting the vulnerable can provide.
Hearing a witch prophesy that he will marry a princess who is even uglier than he is, Shrek is intrigued, and he sets out to find this repulsive bride.
Now imagine (if you dare), the nice, calm little towns into which such a being might insert himself through his treks. What may come along with him? What sort of emotions might you, yourself, expect to have stirred while he’s here in the flesh?
With song and dance and orchestral music, no less?
These are some of the things that the Saline High School Drama Club will aim to show audiences during its own three live performances of Shrek the Musical — featuring student talent in all aspects of their production. [7]
In a 2009 interview featuring original material collaborators David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori, Mr Lindsay-Abaire emphasized that this charter was to create something different from what had been seen on the big screen. [8]
The biggest thing that we had to overcome [were] our own ideas about the book and the movie in bringing ourselves to the material. You know, DreamWorks was very clear early on that they didn’t just want to put the movie on stage. People can go on with the video if they want to do that.
And so they encouraged us at every turn to make it our own, and to dig deeper, and dramatize things that weren’t in the movie.
Kristen Glatz is serving as both director and producer on Shrek the Musical here and told Saline Journal earlier today that casting and first read through came about just before winter break. Forty-six student actors will appear on stage at various points in the performance, along with one younger child who’ll do a brief cameo.
“Almost everyone has at least a few lines,” she explained, “along with singing, here and there.
When choosing a production, we look at who we have, student-wise. We look at what we’ve done recently — we did Music Man last year; we wanted something more modern this time. Shrek also gives us a lot of freedom gender-wise, parts that could be played by either females or males.
The message is also important. It says, ‘Be who you are’ and recognize the value you bring in what’s different about you.
Ms Glatz went on to emphasize to us the broader value of musical theater participation.
Running in parallel to the efforts of those with on-stage presences, an orchestral ensemble is running its own rehearsal schedule in advance of Sitzprobe that’s set on the calendar for two weeks from tomorrow. Every Saturday, another team of students and adult volunteers works on properties and set-building, with its own target of Sunday February 17 for review. Hornet Light and Sound is responsible for still other aspects, and SWWC Culinary Arts will return for the annual tradition of providing food service for the Saturday “Dinner Theater.” [9-11]
Tickets are available for purchase today online. [12]
- March 1 (Friday), with curtain at 7:30pm
- March 2 (Saturday), with curtain at 7:30pm — and seating for optional Dinner Theater at 6:00pm
- March 3 (Sunday), with curtain at 2:00pm
References
- “Saline High School” Saline Area Schools.
- “Mike Myers” IMDb.
- “Shrek (2001)” IMDb.
- “AP English” Urban Dictionary.
- Shrek! (1990) William Steig.
- “On Re-Reading William Steig’s Book Shrek!” Jack Zipes (February 5, 2010) Tor.
- SHS Drama Club (home page).
- “David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori on Shrek the Musical” WNYC (July 9, 2009) YouTube.
- “The Sitzprobe … a lost art form!” (September 2010) David Cangelosi.
- Hornet Light and Sound (home page).
- “Culinary Arts” South & West Washtenaw Consortium: SWWC.
- “Shrek: The Musical” SHS Drama Club.
