‘Shrek the Musical Jr.’ to Debut at CMS Friday

NORWALK, Conn. — Concord Magnet School K-8 will present two performances of “Shrek the Musical Jr.” later this week.

Shows will take place Friday, May 16, and Saturday, May 17, at 7 p.m. in the Concord Magnet School auditorium, located at 21 Hunters Lane.

According to a plot synopsis from Music Theatre International, “Shrek Jr.” tells the tale of “everyone’s favorite ogre” who “leads a cast of fairytale misfits on an adventure to rescue a princess and find true acceptance.”

“It’s a show with a lot of heart—that’s something I talk to the kids about all the time,” said Rachael Carson, the show’s director and a music/drama teacher at Concord Magnet School.  “It’s about learning to love yourself and embracing and celebrating what makes us all unique and special.”

The show’s cast was finalized in January, and rehearsals started at the end of that month.

“Between cast and crew, we have over 100 kids involved,” said Carson. “The main cast is made up of about 55 students” in grades 5-8. 

At CMS, the spring musical is “woven it into the curriculum,” according to Carson. 

“The way we do it here is we have an elective that the middle schoolers and 5th graders sign up for for art and music in the spring,” she explained. “The elective that we made for music is the cast, and art is for the people designing the sets and the props. So, the kids are all involved during class time one day a week, and then after school, we are involved in rehearsals.”

Though the “Shrek” movie came out in 2001, and the musical debuted in 2008, kids are very familiar with the story and characters, according to Carson.

“They know it not just from the movie, but I think it’s one of the most-memed things out there at this point,” she said. “They know more ‘Shrek’ memes than I know and are always telling me about them.”

Carson said her “favorite thing” about doing school musicals “is just watching how it comes together.”

“The kids’ passion and the initiative they take—it’s so cool to watch them come up with ideas and really become their characters,” she explained. 

“A kid will come up to me and say, ’ What if my character has this reaction when Shrek comes on stage?’ And I get so thrilled by that because it is them putting themselves and their heart into it,” Carson added. 

Assistant Director Guillermo Rojas, the concert band and modern band director at CMS, said he enjoys seeing kids come out of their shells on stage.

“One of the best parts about working on ‘Shrek Jr.’ here at CMS has been seeing students—especially the ones who tend to be quieter or reserved, or who don’t always feel seen in traditional classroom settings—step into the spotlight and completely shine,” said Rojas. 

“It’s a powerful reminder of how important the visual and performing arts are in helping kids grow, connect, and express who they are. In Norwalk Public Schools, the arts play a meaningful role in bringing our Portrait of a Graduate to life—nurturing well-rounded, confident, and creative thinkers in every school community,” Rojas added.

Anthony Nunes, the strings and HOT schools coordinator at CMS, is working on set design and props for the show.

“I think the audience will enjoy seeing the talents of students from grades 5 through 8 being showcased in our musical,” said Nunes. “These talents are not just limited to singing, dancing, and acting, but reach further to a set designed and painted by students, scene changes and lighting executed by students, as well as make-up and costume decisions by students. Here at CMS K-8, we pride ourselves on making students’ voices heard and acted upon.”

Alyssa Beratis, another assistant director as well as a gifted and talented teacher/ schoolwide enrichment model specialist at CMS, said she thinks audiences will most enjoy “the students’ energy,” adding, “We have an excellent group of talented actors and singers, and they are really putting their all into this performance.” 

For many of the kids, it is their first time being in a musical, she noted, but that hasn’t stopped them from taking ownership of the production.  

“The students are making many of the decisions themselves as well: the choreography was done by two 7th graders, and students are making creative choices during scenes and when it comes to costuming,” said Beratis. 

To purchase tickets to “Shrek the Musical Jr.,” which cost $10 each, visit https://shrekjrthemusicalatcms.brownpapertickets.com.