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Once upon a time ... Shrek Jr. came to WBHS
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · October 30, 2024
“Shrek Jr.: The Musical” will rise up out of the swamp this weekend to perform on the West Branch High School stage.
The Fine Arts Department will put on three performances this weekend: 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3.
Shrek Jr.: The Musical is based on the 2001 DreamWorks animated film, and the book by William Steig, about a fairytale world where the ogre, Shrek, embarks upon a journey with a wisecracking donkey to save Princess Fiona, who resists rescue because she is set to be wed to the evil Lord Farquaad.
Mary Denmead is the director and choreographer; Chris Reed and Arlen Ottmar will direct the music.
The main actors are junior Nolan Staker as Shrek, senior Miley Shields as Fiona, sophomore Eli Farmer as Lord Farquaad, and sophomore Robby Boaz as the Donkey.
Farmer said Lord Farquaad gives him a “really fun role” even if he has to walk around on his knees to play the short character.
“I get to play around with it,” he said. “Since he’s so short, it’s all a joke.”
He said he has kneepads he can wear hidden under the costume.
Farmer likes that Shrek is a story that teaches us to “accept people for who they are.”
Shields said practices are “going really well.”
“There have been a few rough spots, but it’s a lot of fun,” she said, and she gets to meet new people in the school.
Shields said she feels good about the big role. She said she learned the lyrics first and now is trying to get the rest of her spoken lines down.
“It’s such a fun, silly show,” she said. “And it’s super-entertaining. It’s so much more fun than Grease (last year’s show). And it’s so goofy that we get to have fun with it.”
While Shields said she likes the idea of dressing as a princess, she is most eager to see her ogre costume.
In all, 27 students make up the cast. Aside from the four leads, all of them play more than one character, Denmead said. There are also eight students in the live band.
As this is Shrek “junior,” the scenes and dances are a bit shorter and, of course, the performers are younger, Denmead said.
“It gives them the opportunity to try something new and not be overwhelmed,” she said. “We’ve got the tapping rats, but it’s s shorter number.”
Denmead said that students struggle at first, but eventually, they catch on, learn their parts, and the performance comes together.
“They have to trust the process,” she said. “It gets better once the costumes come and the set is finished.”
The set will look cartoonish and magical to reflect the film. Denmead said donations of Styrofoam and recycled materials will allow the set to come alive while keeping costs down.
Denmead said the school rented costumes from Washington Community Theater.
“There’s a lot of fun stuff involved,” she said, like how to get Pinocchio’s nose to grow.
As for the story, Denmead likes the hopeful message and how all kinds of people are needed to make the world run.
“From freaks to kings, everybody is necessary, no matter what they may look like on the outside, it’s what’s on the inside that matters,” she said.
Students tried out and the cast was set in May. They gathered for summer rehearsals and workshops to learn the dances, then spent eight full weeks in solid practices.
“This is the best time of the year to do a musical,” Denmead said.
The actors include Eli Farmer as Lord Farquaad; Miley Shields as Princess Fiona; Nolan Staker as Shrek; Robby Boaz as Donkey; Lynden MacGillivray as Pinocchio; Jordan Waters as the Wicked Witch, rat, Duloc Dancer; Harper Driscoll as a Duloc dancer, woodland creature, and Little Bo Peep; Grace Vincent as Mama Bear, rat, and Duloc dancer; Cora Hernandez as captain of the guards, a knight, and a Duloc Dancer; Gisele Gross as a Duloc dancer and Puss In Boots; Whitney Spratt as Fairy God Mother, rat, and Duloc dancer; Sophie Oaks as Mama Ogre and rat; Seth Hosier as Papa Ogre, guard, and Duloc dancer; Evan Highly as Gingy; Olivia Becker as pig, knight, and Duloc dancer; Emma Revis as pig and Duloc dancer; Emeri Pook as pig, knight, and Duloc dancer; Ben Hiehr as Papa Bear, knight, bishop, and Duloc dancer; James Haack as storyteller, Big Bad Wolf, and Duloc dancer; Teague Thomas as Ugly Duckling and Duloc dancer; Ethan Highly as a guard and Duloc dancer; Oliv Schlitz as teen Fiona, Peter Pan, knight, and Duloc dancer; Chloe Kleinmeyer as a storyteller and Duloc dancer; Cassie Swisher as a storyteller, rat, and Duloc dancer; Gentry Maier as young Fiona and Baby Bear; Chason Maker as young ogre and dwarf; and Sabres Depoorter as the dragon.
Tickets cost $12 each and are available online at www.gobound.com/ia/schools/westbranch/tickets.
You may also purchase tickets at the door or in advance at the high school’s main office.
Getting involved
West Branch High School will perform “Shrek Jr.: The Musical” at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2, and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3.
Tickets cost $12 each and are available online at www.gobound.com/ia/schools/westbranch/tickets.
You may also purchase tickets at the door or in advance at the high school’s main office.
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