‘Shrek’ musical to feature Mustang students of all ages

For the third time, Mustang Public Schools will present a districtwide musical, including students from second grade through seniors, as well as faculty.

Emily Farnham, Mustang High School theater director, is directing and coordinating “Shrek” with the help of other fine arts instructors.

Performance are at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Doors to the Mustang High School auditorium open at 6:15 p.m. Buy tickets at www. showclix.com/event/ ShrekYeah.

Farnham said “Shrek” is a fun, recognizable show that appeals to a wide agerange.

Mustang puts on a districtwide musical every two years. The first one was “Oliver!” and the 2015 show was “Annie.” Some elementary students who appeared in the first two shows are now taking Farmhan’s classes at Mustang High School.

There are other students who have been in all three shows and still haven’t reached high school. This production includes 105 in the cast and crew, eight of whom are staff members; 26 musicians including three staff, and eight of Mustang’s 13 school sites are represented.

Artwork in the lobby and onstage was created by Centennial Elementary, Horizon Intermediate and Canyon Ridge Intermediate students.

“Every single person in the show has learned some new skill or new positions and that includes the staff,” she said. “It’s more than just music. Many of our leads have never acted before. It’s the first time for some kids in the orchestra to play. Others have never danced before.”

Besides the long hours invested by the cast and crew, Farnham praised the volunteers, the community and local churches for making the production possible. One student’s mother is making the costumes.

“She is talented,” Farnham said. “She is going to be my costume lady from now until she tells me no.”

Rehearsals go so long in the week before the show and during the week of the production that at least one meal is provided every day.

“We have had a big outpouring of love from the community,” Farnham said. “A lot of churches and businesses either bought ads in the program or donated food or money. They made it where the cast only needed to bring $5 each, and it would take care of two weeks of meals because so many people donated.”

Mustang Public Schools is one of the rare large 6A schools that has only one high school. From prekindergarten through senior year, everyone is a Bronco.