From Swamp to Stage: “Shrek the Musical” Charms and Delights at Lampeter-Strasburg High School
This year, Lampeter-Strasburg High School students performed “Shrek the Musical” from February 29 through March 2, 2024. The musical featured many farts and burps, alongside the romantic story of how an ogre and a princess find the true love they both seek.
This year's musical sold an astonishing 3,008 tickets, constantly making the audience laugh as they watched Donkey, Shrek and Fiona with their silly shenanigans. The audience also couldn't get enough of Lord Farquaad's short stature, his high energy, and his hilarious comments.
“It feels like we literally started yesterday. I keep saying this, and not just because it’s my senior year—wow, this show felt quick and flew by. Time flies when you’re having fun,” said senior Kole Lawrence, who played Lord Farquaad. Lawrence also talked about how the show taught him that no matter who you are, people can always come together to have a great time, put on a great performance, and create amazing memories.
Another talented performer, senior Talia Hall, who played Fiona, commented that this was a performance no one could forget. Hall talked about feeling intimidated by the learning she had to do to play Fiona, as she had never had any singing lines in previous musicals. “But we have such a close-knit group of people working together that everything seemed to come easy with this show,” Hall said.
Cynthia Powell Photography 2024
Then there was Donkey, played by freshman Trenton Breneman. Though only a freshman in high school, he became a common favorite among audience members. Breneman made the audience laugh and shocked them with his amazing vocals. “I am very grateful to have been given the role of Donkey as a freshman and so happy that everyone, including the pit and directors, put in so much hard work to make it a great show,” Breneman stated.
Last, but certainly not least, there's the main character, Shrek, portrayed by senior Aiden Flory. Flory gave shoutouts to his supportive group of family and friends, as well as his fellow cast members Trenton and Talia. “Shrek was one of the most fun characters to play, and I really enjoyed my time,” Flory said. He shared that it warmed his heart to hear that people enjoyed the musical after putting in so much effort to ensure that the audience would have a good time watching the show. Flory, like many others, stated that being Shrek in this musical was an unforgettable experience that he will think of and look back on fondly.
By Maya Coon, LS News reporter
