Earlier this month the Moore County High School Theatre Club performed their spring musical play, Shrek Jr. Tickets were in popular demand as both nights of the performance were sold out entirely. The Moore County High School play was composed of Moore County students; nearly half of whom had never been on stage before.
This year the Moore County High School theatre department was in the direction of Sara Dennis. Mrs. Dennis is a Middle School teacher at MCHS and stepped in when the previous theatre director moved last year. When asked what prompted her to take over the theatre department, Mrs. Dennis’s answer was simple, “the kids asked.” “They wanted theatre back and needed someone to direct. There was no way I was letting them down. However, I knew I could not do it alone.” Additional teachers, Jana Brown and Mallorey Garrett also stepped in to play a huge role in keeping the theatre department alive.
The performance ran around an hour and fifteen minutes in duration with each night receiving a standing ovation. Being a musical, the actors also performed live vocals throughout the play with 17 songs. When asked what she hopes the students take away from their experience in the MCHS theatre, Mrs. Dennis replied, “I hope they gain confidence and a new understanding of what it means to work as a team. Their presence matters.” Cast and crew have been practicing up to 4 days a week for multiple hours to deliver the best performance possible.
Many volunteers also contributed to the success of the play and theatre department noted Mrs. Dennis. “Stephen Parks volunteered his time and talents to give us sound, Kenny Shultz taught our sound crew how to run mics, Jacob Everett with the MCHS FFA built our set, Lisa Moorehead printed our tickets, Jonah Deal who helped with the program design an videography and many parents helped move the set and equipment to and from the Lynchburg Elementary School as well as chipped in to feed the entire group on rehearsal and performance week,” Mrs. Dennis added. “It truly took a village to make all of this happen for the kids,” Mrs. Dennis continued.
There are already plans in the works for the next Moore County High School theatre performance. “The goal is to grow our program and get better every year,” Mrs. Dennis cheerfully added.
Shrek Jr.
Based on the DreamWorks Animated Motion Picture and Book by William Steig
Books and Lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire – Music by Jeanin Tesori
Originally produced by Broadway by DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions
Director Sara Dennis
Co-Director Jana Brown
Set Design Mallorey Garrett and Jacob Everett
Choreographers- Maddie Thomas and Lizzie Claxton, Cale Rose and Ada Kubicki
Cast:
Story Teller 1- Tori Brown
Story Teller 2- Jocelyn Burciaga
Story Teller 3- Ada Kubicki
Mama Ogre- Kaycee Young
Papa Ogre- Jenalee Deal
Little Ogre- Charlotte Deal
Shrek- Tyler Nix
Captain of the Guard- Charlie Hardin
Pinocchio- Chris Miracle
Big Bad Wolf- Wyatt Taylor
Pig 1- Jenalee Deal
Pig 2- Cale Rose
Pig 3- Kahara Thomas
Wicked Witch- Lexi Lavergne
Peter Pan- Emily Woods
Ugly Duckling- Jocelyn Burciaga
Mama Bear- Maddie Thomas
Papa Bear- Easton Burton
Baby Bear- Charlotte Deal
Donkey- Lizzie Claxton
Lord Farquaad- Jillian Scherff
Gingy- Corall Adams
Young Fiona- Sadie Matzkiw
Teen Fiona- Ada Kubicki
Princess Fiona- Trista Klinetobe
Puss in Boots- Lexi Duarte
Knight- Jenalee Deal
Knight- Wyatt Taylor
Knight- Zayden Hammonds
Knight- Chrisitan Hardin
Dragon- Kaycee Young
Pied Piper- Wyatt Taylor
Bishop- Christian Hardin
Dwarf- Kylie Dennis
Rooter- Kylie Dennis
Duloc Performers- Lexi Duarte, Harmony Tipton, Tori Bowen, Lexi Lavergne, Kaycee Young, Kahara Thomas, Cale Rose, Emily Wood, Jenalee Deal and Ada Kubicki
Fairy Tale Creatures- Tori Bowen, Harmony Keele, Lexi Duarte
Rats- Cale Rose, Jenalee Deal, Kahara Thomas
Guards- JT Thronberry, Zayden Hammonds, Easton Burton, Christian Hardin, Wyatt Taylor
Stage Crew
Molly Parker, Makaylee Reed, Kylie Dennis, Piper Rhodes, Dixie Davis, Kiona Cook, Cayla Corder, Juan Del Pilar, Lilly Gill, Anastasia Snell and Lavenia Chase
Sound Crew
Stephen Parks, Kenny Shultz, Kayden Shultz, Macon Dickey