In praise of 'Shrek'

The good reviews any theater company most hopes for are the ones that come in the form of audience applause. While SHS Theater Company got plenty of applause last weekend for its production of 'Shrek', the show deserves some public cyber-praise, too.

Under the leadership of faculty Sandy Dennis and Laura Frye and choreographer/co-director Kayla Armstrong, the student company (over 100 members strong…) put on a smooth, funny, lively, musical.

'Shrek' was my first exposure to SHS theater (full disclosure, I'm actually a new employee at SHS; I'm just speaking for myself here).  I couldn't believe how much beyond performance the students took on (successfully!) with minimal adult assistance: stage management, design and construction of costumes and sets, design and operation of lights and all manner of tech. They really created the world they presented last weekend.  Mighty impressive. Job well-done. And, man, what an excellent educational experience. 

But more impressive than the tangibles of the show were the heart and spirit with which the team imbued the production. 'Shrek'  is a comedy but has some strong themes about friendship and accepting of each person for all his or her sizable quirks.  Self-acceptance, too, figures prominently. The company's belief in and commitment to these ideas was obvious, and that's what powered the show.

I won't single out any specific students- because nobody in a company really wants to be noticed alone. Any show is stronger than the sum of its parts. 'Shrek' was a fantastic example of the true ethic of collaboration that makes theater work. So I'll just say congratulations to the SHSTC and offer one last round of applause.

Great work, people. Thanks for the evening.

And now on to the next show. :) 

-Beth Danesco/Playwright

The All Stories Theater Company

[facebook.com/AllStoriesTheaterCompany]