'Shrek, The Musical' is Heights High's fall show

Lead actors in Heights High's fall show are (front row, from left) Malcolm White, Hannah Gilson, Lilly Kerr-Jung, Alyssa Smith, (back row, from left) Grant Heineman, Tedd Byers, Isabella Marotta and Sophie Gilson.

The Heights High annual fall production, "Shrek, The Musical," takes place Nov. 2, 3 and 4, at 7 p.m., and Nov. 5, at 4 p.m.

The show, which will be presented in the renovated Heights High auditorium, will include more than 200 high school students performing in the two casts and the pit orchestra, and managing backstage operations. Nearly 175 elementary school students and 60 middle school students will sing in the chorus.

The show’s theme of friendship and acceptance is relevant to the lead performers, who spoke about the show recently. “The finale song ["This Is Our Story"] is really the theme of the show,” said senior Hannah Gilson, who plays Fiona, as does her twin sister, Sophie. “The chorus is ‘we are different and united, you are us and we are you, this is our story,’ That describes Heights High and the Vocal Music Department.” 

Senior Bella Marotta, who plays the dragon, said, “Part of the show’s message is ‘yes, you might be a freak, but we accept you.’ ”

Junior Alyssa Smith, also in the role of dragon, loved learning the dance steps, while senior Malcolm White, who plays the donkey, said, “Learning more about comedy and playing a role that gets to annoy people has been really fun.”

The show’s producer is Vocal Music Director Jesse Lange. “This show is family-friendly but with some great adult humor,” he said. “It has a healthy message for students and adults and uses our deep talent pool.”

For the two past years, when the high school was temporarily located at Wiley, the performance space was not big enough to accommodate a larger cast with the younger students. "We love including the younger students," Lange continued. "It adds so much fun to the show. Most of our lead performers remember being in the fall musicals when they were younger. Now they get to be the role models for the next generation of Heights High performers."

Tickets, $15, $12 and $9, are available online at www.clevelandheightschoirs.com/purchase-tickets-for-shrek.html, or by calling 1-866-967-8167. For more information, call 216-320-3069.

Joy Henderson

Joy Henderson is the parent/community liaison for Heights High.

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Volume 10, Issue 11, Posted 11:12 AM, 10.24.2017