Note: Versions of this article were published in the 5/2 issue of the Concord Bridge and Carlisle Mosquito. Logo design by Calista Wong, ’25.

Finally, the conspicuously green seats of the CCHS auditorium are perfectly on theme for this year’s CC Theatre spring musical. Featuring a glowering green ogre, a long-winded donkey, and a sassy redheaded princess, “Shrek: The Musical” is far from your average fairytale. CC Theatre director Melissa Charych describes “Shrek” as “a show … that appeals to both adults, younger children, and everyone in between.” A wonderfully wacky and fantastical production, “Shrek” is sure to have both kids and parents alike falling out of their seats with laughter. 

CC Theatre performs “Shrek” at the CCHS auditorium at 7 P.M. on Thursday, May 8; Friday, May 9; and Saturday, May 10, with an additional Saturday matinee at 2 P.M. Purchase tickets at cc-theatre.org. There will be open captioning for all shows, in addition to professional ASL interpretation of Friday’s show.

“Never a dull moment”

For the cast and crew of “Shrek,” the comical absurdity of the production is precisely what makes it so much fun. “There’s never a dull moment,” says Xristina Travias, ’26 (Student Choreographer). “From the colorful costumes [to the] set, to the powerful performances… there’s just so much life in the show.”

Indeed, Charych explains that the “many components to the set, a unique artistic style, complex makeup, and costuming demands” make “Shrek” unlike anything CC Theatre has done before. Despite these new technical and artistic challenges, however, Charych expresses that the show’s “many moving parts… is also ultimately one of the highlights.” 

Choreographer and accessibility director Becky Robichaud says that it’s “beautiful” how so many “creative students and adults… have brought their voice, vision, [and] talents” to “bringing the script to life.” As Paloma Wigton, ’27 (Gingy) describes, “This show is about coming together and celebrating our differences, and the entire CC Theatre community embodies that idea during production. Whether you’re cast, crew, or the wonderful adults who support this show, everyone is welcomed with open arms and accepted exactly as they are.”

Characterization challenges

The ensemble, which includes a group of fairy tale misfits spanning everyone from Pinocchio to Goldilocks’ three bears, is especially active in this show, according to vocal director Sarah Grina. “Everyone has lots of different parts to play or scenes to be in,” she says. “We’ve been trying to capture the humor of each individual character and portray that through their singing in each number.”

With such a wide array of roles, Mackenzie Kirtland, ’25 (Pinocchio) describes that “one of the biggest challenges” of “Shrek” has been “finding your character” and figuring out “how your character would walk or laugh or even stand.” Charych agrees, “For actors, it is a real challenge to embody a fairytale character and make them believable with urgent, motivated, and relatable conflicts and character arcs.” 

But CC Theatre’s actors have been up to the task, with many expressing that the challenges of this characterization journey have made it all the more fruitful. Grina says that a significant focus of the show has been working “to capture the humor of each individual character and portray that through their singing in each number,” adding that one of her favorite parts of the production process has been watching the actors “become more and more confident with their characterization.” Wigton echoes this sentiment, describing, “Making sure every character is different and engaging is a challenge, but it’s been amazing watching our talented cast take on each role with confidence.”

Indeed, both students and adults describe that “Shrek” has offered an opportunity for everyone involved to contribute their unique talents to the production, an apt reflection of the show’s message. “This show… highlights the talents of every single member of the cast,” says Maya Soto, ’26 (Donkey). “Everyone has their moment to shine and show off their personality.” 

“Extraordinarily talented students”

These individualized contributions are far from limited to the actors. Pit Orchestra Director Christopher Noce says that although pit rehearsals have generally “operated similarly to other years,” one of the unique aspects of “Shrek” has been the opportunity for “more woodwind players [to double] on instruments this year” (single musicians playing multiple instruments). Technical director Ned Roos adds that despite the tight timeline of the production process and a smaller construction crew than usual, the “extraordinarily talented students” share both dedication and an enthusiasm for “coming up with fancy ways to add ‘cool’ elements to our sets.”

And although everyone has been hard at work perfecting the production, it’s still clear that everyone involved has had a blast working on the show. Lincoln Green, ’25 (Lighting Designer) says that his favorite part of the production has been “designing a fun show with lots different locations with very different moods, from the dark swamp and fiery dragon castle to the bright, happy Duloc … all filled with lots of vibrant colors.” And the passion for “Shrek” among the students is evident in Noce’s description of the “inevitable sing-alongs that occur during [pit] rehearsals.” 

Anticipating opening night

As opening night draws closer, cast and crew members express a universal anticipation at finally sharing what Soto calls their “labor of love” with audiences. Maia Clancy, ’27 (Captain of the Guards) says that she always looks forward to “watching the whole show come together in real time” and “the feeling of excitement when your dedication to the show pays off.” 

“My favorite moments of every CC Theatre production process are the moments when the cast, crew, and musicians start arriving at the empty theater before opening night,” says Charych. “In two short hours, we will share what we have been working toward for months… The fact that you work so hard for so long to create this living, breathing piece of art together and then you experience it with the audience… that is the magic of live theatre.”

When the curtain opens on Thursday evening, it will be hard not to get pulled into Shrek’s story, which is jam-packed with gags but also some surprisingly heartfelt moments of vulnerability and authenticity. “Shrek,” much like its titular character, is more than it appears at a glance. Yes, it’s a show about a flatulent ogre and a talking donkey, but it’s also a show about self-acceptance and friendship. Charych notes that beyond the musical’s appeal to “adults, younger children, and everyone in between,” a major reason for selecting “Shrek” as this year’s spring musical is that the show’s “overarching theme of inclusivity… and ‘letting your freak flag fly’ is one that we all need right now.”

Robichaud concludes that there are “so many things” for audiences to take away from “Shrek”: “Celebrating the uniqueness of every person, the importance of friendship and being there for each other, that beauty is in the eye of the beholder… and that farting is funny.”

In the words of Charych, we “hope our production will remind our audiences … that, like ogres, onions, and parfaits, we all have layers, and that ‘what makes us special makes us strong.’”