Shrek, played by Chris Vecchione, answers the door of his swamp home during the opening scenes of “Shrek, the Musical” during dress rehearsals of the show being put on by the Canyon Lake Community Theatre. Photo by Devin Fowler
CL Theatre stages Shrek Friday
The cast of Shrek the Musical has been hard at work for weeks learning lines, rehearsing, building sets and getting costumes ready. The work is about to pay off as Canyon Lake Community Theatre presents Shrek, the Musical next week at the Elsinore High School Performing Arts Theater.
“I think everyone will be talking about the show for years to come,” cast member Beth Park said. “The vocals are powerful, our director is a genius and the show is amazing…it’s so funny.”
The first presentation will be on Aug. 5 at 7:00 p.m., followed by two performances on Saturday, the first one beginning at 2:00 p.m., followed by a second showing at 7:00 p.m. The cast will wrap up the weekend on Aug. 7 with its final show at 2:00 p.m.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased either on the club’s website at www.clctheatre.com or at the door.
VIP seats for the first two rows are $20.00 each and for rows three and four are $15.00 each. All other seats are general admission tickets at $10.00 each.
Stephanie Vecchione hams it up as the Donkey in the musical. The cast takes the stage beginning next Friday and plays throughout the weekend. Photo by Devin Fowler
“This is the club’s first full production since the pandemic and we are super excited to bring this musical to you,” Michelle Swann, club secretary, said. “We have been feverishly rehearsing for the last several weeks to bring you ‘Shrek the Musical.’ We continue to polish our songs, our dialogue is being tightened up and the staging is complete.”
With the costumes tried on and altered, the cast is in dress rehearsals leading up to the shows.
“The cast is brimming with excitement and is ready to present the community with this musical,” Michelle said. “The audience will be entertained by a cast consisting of Alice in Wonderland, The Three Little Pigs, Three Blind Mice, Peter Pan, the Pied Piper and Tap Dancing Rats.”
The musical presentation is intended for the entire family and is filled with musical numbers.
“You’ll be blown away when Chris Vecchione (Shrek) belts out his powerhouse vocals,” Beth, who plays one of the Three Little Piggies, said. “It gives me chills, and tears well up every time he sings, ‘Who I’d Be.’ I’ve seen the Broadway version and Chris blows it away.”
Shrek, played by Chris Vecchione, answers the door of his swamp home during the opening scenes of “Shrek, the Musical” during dress rehearsals of the show being put on by the Canyon Lake Community Theatre. Photo by Devin Fowler
Due to the size constraints at the Canyon Lake Lodge, Nicole said the group was fortunate enough to obtain a large enough stage at Elsinore High.“I’m so glad the community theatre is continuing to move forward with productions,” Bobby Swan, one of the cast members, said. “It’s been a long few years without activity.”
The show, much like the popular movie, is set in a mythical “once upon a time” sort of land. Shrek the Musical is the story of a hulking green ogre who, after being mocked and feared his entire life by anything that crosses his path, retreats to an ugly green swamp to exist in happy isolation.
Suddenly, a gang of homeless fairy-tale characters (Pinocchio, Cinderella, the Three Pigs, and others) raid his sanctuary, saying they’ve been evicted by the vertically-challenged Lord Farquaad. So Shrek strikes a deal: “I’ll get your homes back if you give me my home back.”
But, when Shrek and Farquaad meet, Farquaad strikes a deal of his own. He’ll give the fairy-tale characters their homes back if Shrek rescues Princess Fiona.
Lord Farquaad, played by Lindsey Sethman, captures guard Champ Harris. Photo by Devin Fowler
Shrek obliges, yet finds something appealing–something strange and different–about this pretty princess. He likes her. A lot. But why does she always run off when the sun sets?
The Canyon Lake Community Theatre cast ranges in ages from three to 75.
“We have big green ogres and a bunch of nutty fairy-tale creatures of all ages, shapes and sizes,” Nicole Garvito said. “Come see your favorites like Pinocchio, the Big Bad Wolf, the Three Little Pigs and Three Blind Mice and so much more.”
The complete cast consists of:
Shrek, Chris Vecchione; Fiona, Krista McClean; Donkey, Stephanie Vecchione; Lord Farquaad, Lindsey Sethman; Dragon, Rachael Finewood; Gingy/Sugar Plum Fairy, Abigail Vecchione; Pinocchio, Autumn McGiveron; Papa Ogre, Timothy Whiteman; Mama Ogre, Elizabeth Whiteman; King Harold, Josh Bogen; Queen Lillian, Aliya Bogen; Happy People, Rose Mynatt, Emmeliene Whiteman, Emily Eichorst; Guard/Thelonius/Capt. of the Guard, Champ Harris; Wolf, Bobby Swann;
The cast, including Pinocchio played by Autumn McGiveron, above, sing a number during a dress-rehearsal performance of “Shrek, the Musical.” Photo by Devin Fowler
Piggies, Beth Park, Rosemary Hill, Josh Bogen; White Rabbit, Tavin Vestal; Fairy Godmother, Mila Pittman; Little Shrek, Tavin Vestal; Peter Pan, Alina Perigan; Ugly Duckling, Olivia Klaisle; Witch, Aliya Bogen; Mad Hatter, Tanner Gray; Humpty Dumpty, Bella Rusin; Elf, Adeline Swedberg; Mama Bear, Elizabeth Whiteman; Papa Bear, Timothy Whiteman; Baby Bear, Emmeliene Whiteman; Greeter, Tanner Gray; Duloc Performers, Bella Rusin, Jenna Wallace, Olivia Klaisle, Autumn McGiveron, Aliya Bogen, Abby Vecchione, Champ Harris, Rachael Finewood; Teen Fiona, Olivia Klaisle;
Shrek (Chris Vecchione) and Fiona (Krista McClean) warm up to each other as the plot thickens in the musical. Photo by Devin Fowler
Little Fiona, Mila Pittman; Cow, Bobby Swann; Dish and Spoon, Rose Mynatt, Della Perigan; Spinning Antelope, Adeline Swedberg; Bunny, Josh Bogen; Knight 1, Bella Rusin; Knight 2, Autumn McGiveron; Knight 3, Tanner Gray; Knight 4, Josh Bogen; Pied Piper, Tanner Gray; Rat Dancers, Bella Rusin, Jenna Wallace, Olivia Klaisle, Autumn McGiveron, Aliya Bogen; Three Blind Mice: Olivia Klaisle, Bella Rusin, Autumn McGiveron; Bishop, Timothy Whiteman; Dwarf (Grumpy), Aliya Bogen; Ensemble Fairy Tale Characters, Rose Mynatt, Emmeliene Whiteman, Emily Eichorst; Ensemble Guards, Beth Park, Tanner Gray, Brooke Plant, Adeline Swedberg, Tavin Vestal, Emily Eichorst.