By JEFFREY SMITH
Leader staff writer
The Cabot High School Theater presents “Shrek the Musical” at 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday and at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $8 and can be reserved by texting 501-259-1305.
The musical is based on the 2001 film. Student director Heidi Mackey explained that Shrek is an ogre who was sent away by his family when he was 7 to live in a swamp.
Shrek was happily living alone there when Lord Farquaad banished fairy-tale creatures to the swamp for being freaks of nature and not conforming to his vision of society.
Shrek goes to the Castle Duloc to talk with Lord Farquaad because he wants his swamp back. Lord Farquaad is looking for a queen because he is not considered a king without a queen.
The Gingerbread man tells the lord there is a princess in a dragon guarded castle.
Farquaad makes a deal with Shrek. If Shrek gets the princess, he sayw he will give Shrek the swamp back.
The musical follows the adventure as Shrek and Donkey go out to find Princess Fiona and bring her to Lord Farquaad.
Kolby Cole, who plays Shrek, said, “Shrek grows up believing the world hates him. He finds friendship through Donkey and learns the world isn’t so bad.
“Being the hero, he becomes more appreciative of what he is gaining. It’s a huge honor to take on this role.”
J.P. Gairhan, who plays Donkey, said that character brings a touch of humor and some light-heartedness. But, really, Donkey just wants a happy ending for Shrek and Fiona.
Jeni Fuller, who has the role of Fiona, said the most challenging part for her will be doing a full tap-dance break in “Morning Person” and to sing afterward.
Student director Zoe Eddington said the best part of this show was, “creating the cast list and then watching it all come to life. Seeing all the hard work everyone puts into the show and seeing it come together.”
Mackey said the students started work on the musical in November. “We missed six days of rehearsals due to snow. But all the leads went to the second student director’s house and rehearsed on their own as a group.
“The pit band is working continuous hours. The music is hard. Makeup and costume is what is going to make the show. We made a lot of props and costumes,” Mackey added.
The cast includes Seth Stewart and Andrew Hupp as Lord Farquaad, Charl Young as Pinocchio, Ashley Martin as the Sugar Plum Fairy, Hannah Brletich as Dragon, Tanner Johnson as the Pied Piper, Spencer Worth as Papa Ogre, Annalisse Riley as Mama Ogre, Justin Cheatham as King Harold, Aspen Hendricks as Queen Lillian and Brandon Turner as Captain of the Guard.
The show features Keaton Grimmett as Thelonius, Ashley Julison as Teen Fiona, Piper Mobbs and Lily Guess as Young Fiona, Wyatt McMahan as Young Shrek, McKenzie Marks as the Shoemaker’s Elf, Jordan Gately as the Big Bad Wolf and Bishop, Savannah Woods as the Head Duloc Dancer, Marcela Shipley as the Fairy Godmother, Greg Stone, DJ Boswell and Skyler Ward as the Three Little Pigs; Autumn Romines as Humpty Dumpty, Ashton Williams as Miss Far Far Away, Blain Mahoney as Peter Pan and Audrey Lightfoot as Wendy.
Also in the musical are Emily Adair as Tinker Bell, Payton Carlton and Courtney Lewis as the White Rabbits, Greer King as the Wicked Witch, Madi Burrow and Elizabeth Ring as the Ugly Ducklings, Lane Burchfield as Papa Bear, Clarissa Struble as Mama Bear, Brooklyn Jennings as Baby Bear, Jay King as the Mad Hatter, Savannah Woods, Laiken Kaylor and Ashley Julison as the Three Blind Mice, April Watts as Esmeralda, Allie DeStefano as Dorothy, Holdyn Barnes as Aladdin, Vicky Ray as Jasmine, Avery Elliot as Little Bo Beep, Sydney Calvert as Dorothy, Natalie Brewer as Little Red Riding Hood and Kallie Benedict as Mother Goose.
The Duloc Announcers are Lauren Travis, Kelsey Drees, Caleigh Pickard and Ashton Williams. The Freak Flag Spinners are Allie DeStefano and Sydney Calvert. The Dragon Doo Wop Singers are Natalie Way, Autumne Kendricks, Heidi Mackey and Rheagan Tyner.
The Dancing Duloc Per-formers are Savannah Woods, Lauren Travis, Laiken Kaylor, Sarah Mitchell, Saralyn Hell-stern, Ashley Julison, Macy McClanahan, Destiny Coyle, Corbin Friddle, Autumn Romines, Kelsey Drees, Madison Coffer, Charl Young, Halie Eastham, Caleigh Pick-ard, Shelby Thompson, Braylin Powers, Lauren Roberts, Savanna Young, Madison Schumacher and Lindsey Slazman.
The Knights are Logan Melder, Jalen Hemphill, Benjamin Davis, Brennen Applegate, Justin Hagar, Cody Nabors, Seth Carter, Easton Seidl, Kent Tarvin, Cody Pugh, Jack Teague and Tristan Bulice.
The Happy People featured singers are Emily Freeman, Payton Adam, Brittany Billingsly, Haleigh Geheb, Hannah Scogin, Jessica Pauley, Amariz Galvex, Rheagan Tyner and Gracie New.
The Angry Mob and Knights are Kayla Looney, Amanda Gathright, McKenzie Runsick, Hallie Lubinski and Kayli Sims.
The Rat Trappers are Savannah Woods, Kelsey Drees, Charl Young, Caleigh Pickard, Lauren Travis, Macy McClanahan, Laiken Kaylor, Christian Weatherly, Alexis Baker and Ashlee Hankins.
The Seven Dwarfs are Sam Owens, Isabel Carpenter, Logan Williams, Paisley Mobbs, Asa Eddington, Cash Tarvin and Grace Bing.
The Skeleton Tumblers are Morgan Walters, Brooklyn Jennings, Lauren Travis, Aspen Hendricks and Halie Eastham.
The Dragon Puppeteers are Noah Tiner, Gacie New, Payton Adams, Brittney Billingsley, Amaris Galvez, Kayli Sims and Brent Simmons.
