MAPLE HEIGHTS, MARCH 13, 2025 – Nasty will be nice, and Maple Heights will be ogre-the-moon when Maple Heights High School students present their Shrek The Musical JR production. Beginning Wednesday, April 23rd, it was announced today by Freddie Gershon, CEO of Music Theatre International (MTI). The family-friendly musical comedy follows the adventures of an ogre named Shrek, who sets off on a quest to save a princess from a dragon. However, it turns out that to ultimately succeed, Shrek must battle an even more significant obstacle: learning how to believe in himself and open his heart to others.
“Shrek’s unique story of discovery encourages us to examine our prejudices, review what we believe to be our limitations and work to understand ourselves and others better. The actors and crew in this production have embarked on a similar journey, as students and teachers with many different interests have learned more about themselves and each other while collaborating towards the common goal of presenting this musical,” says Gershon. Shrek The Musical JR. follows an ogre named Shrek who has learned the hard way that “people hate the things they cannot understand.” For many years, he has protected himself from the hurtful actions of those who are scared of him by living as a recluse in a cozy cesspit. One day, his peaceful swamp is disturbed by new tenants: fairytale misfits — including Pinocchio, the Ugly Duckling, the Wicked Witch, Peter Pan, the Three Pigs, and the Big Bad Wolf — have been banished there by the villainous Lord Farquaad.
To regain his land, Shrek deals with Farquaad to rescue the feisty princess Fiona from a tower guarded by a fierce dragon. Setting off with his faithful companion, Donkey, Shrek begins the journey of a lifetime filled with adventure, romance, and hilarity. With music by Jeanine Tesori, book, and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, Shrek The Musical is based on the Oscar®-winning DreamWorks Animation film and the book Shrek by William Steig. The original Broadway production, starring Brian d'Arcy James as Shrek and Sutton Foster as Fiona, ran for twelve months and received twelve Drama Desk Awards and eight Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical. The musical was adapted to be performed by students by educational musical theatre consultancy firm iTheatrics under the supervision of Timothy Allen McDonald.
Maple Heights High School Drama Club will present Shrek The Musical JR. on Wednesday, April 23rd, and Thursday, April 24th, at 7:00 pm in the Maple Heights High School Cafetorium at 1 Mustang Way, Maple Heights, Ohio 44137. Doors open at 6:30 pm, and admission is FREE. Light concessions will be available with cash only. For more information, please call/email Play Director Alejandro Nieves Garcia at alejandro.nievesgarcia@mapleschools.com or Play Music Director Samantha Ventura at samantha.ventura@mapleschools.com. Shrek The Musical JR. is presented through a special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). MTI also supplies all authorized performance materials. 421 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019 Phone: 212-541-4684 Fax: 212-397-4684 www.MTIShows.com. Music Theatre International (MTI) is one of the world's leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting schools and amateur and professional theaters worldwide the rights to perform the largest selection of great musicals from Broadway and beyond. MTI works directly with these shows' composers, lyricists, and book writers to provide official scripts, musical materials, and dynamic theatrical resources to over 60,000 theatrical organizations in the US and over 60 countries worldwide. MTI is mainly dedicated to theater as education and has created special collections for younger performers. The MTI Broadway Junior Collection® includes JR. Titles, 60-minute musicals for performance by middle school children; and KIDS titles, 30-minute musicals for performance by elementary school children, resulting in over 80,000 productions of more than 300,000 performances.