Everyone's favourite ogre, Shrek, will lumber all over the stage with musical accompaniment in Kelowna June 5-7.
Shrek the Musical Jr., put on by students of Studio9 art school, will play five shows at the Mary Erwin Theatre in the Rotary Centre for the Arts.
It's a big platform for a school production and Studio9 is up for the challenge.
It successfully staged Little Mermaid Jr. last year.
Both Little Mermaid and Shrek are well-known and well-loved characters and stories that people love to see.
Shrek the Musical JR. is a school-wide effort, involving students from kindergarten through grade 12.
The show is directed by Studio9 alumnus Zoe Marie Welch, who is now the school's dance and drama teacher.
Welch is also an actress, singer-songwriter and dancer.
Her professional career includes working on the Paramount movie Monster Trucks and roles in Hallmark's 'In Merry Measure,' MTV's 'Binged to Death,' 'A Wife's Nightmare,' 'Love in the Vineyard' and 'A Winter Princess' and co-directing the music video for her song, Stalling.
Shrek was popularized by the franchise of animated movies by DreamWorks, starting in 2001.
The musical follows the same story with the Jr. version a little shorter and written to be performed by a students.
It's the classic tale of the grumpy, gruff and green ogre's swamp being invaded by fairytale misfits cast off by Lord Farquaad.
Shrek and his hilarious sidekick Donkey can disperse the crowd of fairytale characters if they rescue the feisty Princess Fiona to be Farquaad's bride.
It's billed as part romance, part twisted fairytale and irreverent with a happy ending of true acceptance -- a powerful, entertaining message for the whole family.
Talented grade 9 student, Isaac, who played Prince Eric in last year's Little Mermaid, stars as the marvellously monstrous ogre Shrek.
Fellow grade 9 student, Liberty, who was the wicked Ursula in Little Mermaid last year, takes on the comedy of Donkey in this year's Shrek production.
Grade 6 student Brooklyn plays dictatorial Lord Farquaad, grade 9 student Chloe is the songstress Dragon and grade 12 student Sarah is Princess Fiona.
The five shows are Wednesday, June 5 at 7 pm; Thursday, June 6 at noon and 7 pm; and Friday, June 7 at noon and 7 pm.
Tickets are $30, or $10 for healthcare and support workers, at: https://rotarycentreforthearts.com/events/event/175202/
Studio9, an independent kindergarten through grade 12 school, recently won silver in the 'best arts school' category of Best of Kelowna 2024, behind gold-winning Kelowna Actors Studio and ahead of bronze Centre for Arts and Technology.
