By Stella Preece (Gr. 12)
The opening night of “Shrek The Musical JR” was a staggering success; every seat in the Black Box Theatre was filled with excited teachers, parents and children. As the talented actors sprang into action, it became clear that this was yet another success directed by TIS’ own Mrs. Doreen Stribbell. A very special one at that, as this was her 10th production at TIS! By her side for the sixth year in a row was Mr. Nick Chignall, whom Mrs. Stribbell credited as being her right hand man and instrumental in pulling the production together.
Shrek The Musical JR is a delightfully humorous play about a smelly ogre and a talking donkey who embark on a crazy adventure to rescue a princess. Of course, between hilarity and suspense, romance develops between Shrek the Ogre and Princess Fiona.
Not only was the directing brilliant, the young actors really brought the stage to life. The chemistry between the young actors was remarkable, the relationship with their characters was brilliant as they brought every single one of those characters to life on that stage.
Credit must also go to the clever design elements that supported the actions played out. The props made the scenes pop; they were well made and fit the scenes perfectly. The radiant makeup, paired with the children’s exceptional acting really brought out the colours. Not only were the scenes put together nicely; the lighting in the black box theatre created the perfect atmosphere, such as the scarlet glow that flooded the stage when Shrek and Donkey found themselves in the dragon’s castle. The music that played in sync with the colourful lights set the mood excellently.
The audience absolutely loved the production; laughter and cheers filled the theatre. Everyone had their eyes glued to the stage, smiling in anticipation and delight. The loud clapping and whistles at the closing scene nearly brought the roof down! It was a fantastic show, huge congratulations to each and all involved in this roaring success!
Photo Credits : Karen Tho & Stella Preece (Gr. 12)
