KUTZTOWN STAGE TRANSFORMED INTO SHREK’S SWAMP
Kutztown assistant superintendent says show was marvelously entertaining
The Kutztown High School stage was transformed into Shrek’s swamp where a cast of 50 students from all grade levels performed its production of “Shrek the Musical” in a crowded auditorium on Nov. 18 to 20, with a Senior Citizen Preview Nov. 17.
“It was marvelously entertaining and we congratulate our students for their hard work,” said Kutztown Assistant Superintendent Steven A. Leever during the Nov. 21 school board meeting.
“I saw Shrek on Friday and our student performers, the stage hands, everyone that was involved, did a really great job with that, so that was really wonderful,” said Kutztown School Board President Randy T. Burch.
The choice to perform “Shrek” is the second comedy for Kutztown in two consecutive shows which is a deviation from their previous show selections.
“This year, the production staff chose Shrek because there are a lot of fun characters, and we can involve a lot of students,” said director LeAnne Zettlemoyer in a statement for the student-produced article prior to the show. “We really didn’t have a special process behind it. We just knew that we wanted to go from something a little bit more macabre to something bright and happy. We also wanted to do a romance this year.”
“Shrek” was Zettlemoyer’s second show for Kutztown’s theater program. She was hired as the district’s new director at the end of 2021 and began rehearsing with students at the start of 2022 for “The Addams Family” which was presented in April. Normally, the district puts on a musical every fall but the 2021 show was moved to spring 2022 due to the high school auditorium renovations.
Based on the 2001 DreamWorks animated film Shrek, “Shrek the Musical” was written by David-Lindsay Abaire with music from Jeanine Tesori.
The story follows an ogre by the name of Shrek, a societal outcast whose life changes dramatically with the arrival of various fairytale creatures on his property. The creatures were placed there by the villainous Lord Farquaad, who sends Shrek and his best friend Donkey on a quest to rescue Princess Fiona from the tower she is locked in.
In the days leading up
to the show, the Kutztown Musical and Theater Programs shared videos on its Facebook page, offering the community an opportunity to meet the cast and crew behind the scenes.
Shrek was played by senior Leah Zettlemoyer. Young Fiona at different ages was played by several actresses with the main character of Princess Fiona played by senior Ellie Claypoole. Donkey was played by senior Griffin Maley and junior Jade Konopelski portrayed the role of Dragon in her first ever show. Lord Farquaad was played by senior Grayson Ebner. Sophomore Kaitlyn Green returned to the theater program as the Gingerbread man. You could even watch Pinnochio’s nose grow, as portrayed by sophomore Vivien Setliff.
In addition to a cast of 50 students from all grade levels, nine students performed in the orchestra and 17 students served in the stage crew. In total, there were 76 students involved.
In the final posts, the program shared photos of the cast, pit and stage crew.
“We really did have the best pit and crew members! Thank you to everyone off stage!! We couldn’t have done it without you!!” and “And that’s a wrap. From our swamp to yours, thank you!”
The Kutztown Musical and Theater Programs also thanked local businesses. “It is because of our support that our program is being printed!”
The program was sponsored by the following businesses: D&A Produce in Renningers, The Bird Nest B&B, D.K. Photography, Fleetwood Community Theatre, Four Monkeys Coffee, Grace Church, Kutztown Auto Co., Kutztown Car Wash, Kutztown Family Chiropractic, Kutztown Dance Center, Kutztown Tavern, Ellen Overcast Main Street Getaways Dream Vacations, Mercer Automotive, Muller Rare Coins & Fine Jewelry, Ozgood’s Grill: Kutztown, R&R Trees, Ruhmel Contracting Inc, Second Nature Health Food Store, Silver Maple Veterinary Clinic, Teach Bead Repeat, April Cunningham Photography, Believe It Consignments, City Cuts Barbershop, Double Click Computers, Emerge Dance & Twirl, Local Folk Creative Studio, Once Again Thrift Store, Richmond Street Music Lessons, Christman AutoBody and Repair Inc, Headlines Beauty Salon, SOLO Laboratories, Inc., and Steve Drasher-State Farm Agent.
“I saw Shrek on Friday and our student performers, the stage hands, everyone that was involved, did a really great job with that, so that was really wonderful.” — Kutztown School Board President Randy T. Burch