The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
40th anniversary to be celebrated with ‘Shrek the Musical Jr.’ presentation
Lorain Palace Youth Theater offers an ogre good time in a 40th anniversary presentation of “Shrek the Musical Jr.” as well as a Shrekfast.
“This show is about acceptance, and being who you are and being proud of who you are becoming,” said third-year Director Justin Bilewicz, 33, who was born in Lorain and raised in Amherst. “The show has a message I think is important in this day and age. Also, since it’s our 40th anniversary and Shrek isn’t a typical fairy tale — it incorporates characters from other fairy tales — we’re incorporating characters of plays we did at Lorain Palace Youth Theater. You might see Dorothy from “Oz,” Peter Pan, the Ugly Duckling from “Honk.” Also, there’s one from what we’re coming up to next year in the show, which is a surprise.”
A Shrekfast with Shrek and Fiona offers cuisine as a fundraiser, serving eggs, pancakes, sausage and fruit, with a bake sale and raffle baskets from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 16 at Westlake Yacht Club at
“This show is about acceptance, and being who you are and being proud of who you are becoming.”
— Third-year Director Justin Bilewicz, 33, who was born in Lorain and raised in Amherst.
485 California Ave. in Lorain. Tickets cost $7 for adults and $5 for children 10 and under, said Lorain Palace Youth Theater Producer Jodi Bailey.
“They can come in costume,” Bailey said. “Contact me for tickets at 440773-1049.”
For the musical, Devin Sugerik, 18, of Avon Lake plays Shrek, and Corrin Hickman, 16, of Amherst plays Fiona, Bailey said.
“(Sugerik) has been in the program since he was 9,” Bailey said. “(Corrin) has a beautiful voice.”
The youth come from all over Lorain County, she said, adding the hard work engenders side benefits.
“I hope they get a sense of belonging,” Bailey said. “It’s a great program for building self confidence. You learn so many aspects of theater: dancing; acting; singing. They get professional head shots. You can see them grow from a really quiet kid to a confident one.”
The Palace Youth Theater has remained a staple since 1977, Bilewicz said. About that time The Palace was saved from being torn down, he said.
“We like to consider ourselves a jewel in this old lady’s crown. I think the biggest challenge with a large group of children would have to be to not take them so seriously, and to get that child to break away and be free in creating the character instead of going into their shell. The smaller ones are great, but when they get to age 11 or 12, they go into their shell.”
Eventually a deeper realization emerges, he said.
“It’s to make them understand their voice is important and their voice is heard,” Bilewicz said. “They are important just like everybody else. I try to make them understand that.”
His favorite is the dragon scene, he said.
“Because the music is fun, and I have several girls who are becoming one character,” Bilewicz said. “Also the Duloc scene, it’s a spoof on ‘It’s a Small World.’ They’re portraying little dolls like you would see in Walt Disney World. It’s a spoofy little scene.”
Rehearsals began June 19 with a very intensive process for the 42 youth involved, he said.
Valerie Smith, a librarian at Lorain Public Library, is in charge of costumes and is creating the dragon costume, he said, other costumes are rented.
Bilewicz, a 2002 Marion L. Steele High School graduate, said he started with the youth theater in 2007 as a costume designer, a position he held until 2014.
“I’m a professional costume designer,” Bilewicz said. “I started when I was 17, then I went to school for it. I went to Ashland University for costume design.”
He also took acting and directing classes, he said.
“It was watching what other people do,” Bilewicz said. “For costumes, how garments should be worn.”
From the age of 22 he understood youth theater is worth the investment.
“I saw this as a very important piece of history of Lorain,” Bilewicz said. “It’s important for children, because you can see how it affects them and their heart and soul. And they become friends each year they come back. Their lifelong friends are in the program.
“Theater isn’t just to put on a show,” Bilewicz said. “It runs a gamut of learning about yourself, your history, things you love, overcoming burdens that happened in life and made you stronger. That is why it’s so important to have youth theater in Lorain County.”
He never signed up for theater as a child, he said.
“But I was fortunate enough to work with several people in the past who helped make it what it is today,” Bilewicz said. “Because of that I could understand its importance.”
The show is 7 p.m. July 21 and 22, and 2 p.m. July 23 at Lorain Palace Theater at 617 Broadway Ave. in Lorain.
General admission tickets cost $10 at the door or online at www.lorainpalace.org.