This year’s spring musical, “Shrek,” blew away its audience on the nights of Apr. 7, 8 and 9 with its strong voices and comedic aspects. Thirty three students put in hours of work after school for this three-day performance, along with the many others who worked behind the scenes. A standout contribution to the show includes the characters’ costumes and different settings, bringing the show to life. From the towering dragon played by Junior Ava Byrne, to Junior Jordan Loughran’s Lord Farquaad, the costumes display the effort and skill that is necessary to entertain its viewers. A different component of this show in comparison to the past was the reinstatement of the pit below the stage. For the first time since the pit flooded several years ago, a live orchestra vibrantly played the soundtrack to the musical below the stage.
Shrek the Musical opens with the backstory of Shrek’s childhood and how he came to live in a swamp by himself. The show is set in a mythological “once upon a time” land and tells the narrative of a huge green ogre, played by Junior Jack Schmitt, who, after being scorned and frightened by everyone that crosses his path his whole life, spends his days in a swamp to live in seclusion. A group of homeless fairy-tale characters such as Pinocchio, the Three Pigs and Humpty Dumpty show up to his swamp, claiming they’ve been evicted by Lord Farquaad. So, Shrek strikes a bargain: he’ll return the characters to their home as long as he gets to continue living in isolation. When Shrek and Farquaad meet, the Lord makes a deal of his own: if Shrek saves Princess Fiona, the Lord will return the fairy-tale characters to their homes. Shrek agrees, but there’s something unusual about this lovely princess. She has her own secrets, which we later find out is the fact that she turns into an ogre after sunset.
The drama department beautifully told this story with its own twists to make the show an entertaining adaptation for the Pace audience. On Saturday, Apr. 9, the seniors involved with the show were highlighted at the end of the performance. Senior Lauren Smith enjoyed Shrek as her last musical at Pace. “This show was the most special for me not only because it was my last at Pace, but also because I did it with some of the kindest people I know,” she said. “I could not have asked for a better experience.” “Shrek the Musical” created a community to those involved in the show, as well as brought a noteworthy close to the seniors’ high school careers.
Shrek celebrates with Donkey, played by Junior Oliver Loree, towards the end of the show. Photo Credit: @paceacademy on Instagram