#clovis north

Ryan Franco, Army West Point

Shrek follows the infamous green ogre as he tries to rid his land of Duloc's rejected fairy tale creatures. Lord Farquaad is attempting to raid his land of any imperfections; namely, creatures. Shrek teams up (not happily) with Donkey to find Duloc and Farquaad. Upon arrival, Shrek is charged with a quest to rescue Princess Fiona for the cowardly Farquaad so he may wed her. Shrek and Donkey perform the task, but find out some secrets, discover a connection and, in the end, live happily ever after in a way that they had not expected.

Right off the bat, the costumes and Dennis Runge's stellar set contextualize the fairy tale land extremely well. Brandi Martin compliments it all with a well-envisioned lighting and sound design that lifts the visual aspects well off the stage. Abels' astute direction allows for the high school cast to just have fun telling the story. After all, the ending number is "This Is Our Story."

Will Bishop (Shrek) dominates strongly in the title role. His vocals shine on and on in "Big, Bright, Beautiful World," "Who I'd Be," the epic "Build  A Wall," and especially in the encore number of "I'm A Believer." However, Bishop does more than just sing nicely. His chemistry opposite a hilarious Logan Cooley (Donkey) and an ecstatic Kyla Kennedy (Princess Fiona) anchors his performance in exposing some real moments of laughter, sadness, and growth.

Cooley has every bit of comedic nuance and pizazz and audience member could want in a Donkey. Cooley's comedic and vocal chops shine well in "Don't Let Me Go," and "Make A Move." Kennedy makes the demanding role of Fiona look like a walk in the park. Kennedy's ability to honor the foundational line in a well sung triad of 'I Know it's Today': "Though I seem a bit bi-polar..." really sets the tone for her fervent portrayal of the princess who's been locked up in a tower for 8,423 days. Kenendy hits her comedic highs in "Morning Person," and "I Think I Got You Beat," while still staying true to a loving princess who wants her prince charming.

Sam Linkowski (Lord Farquaad) steals the show every opportunity he gets, making him a successful "villain" in this musical tale. His vocal chops in "What's Up, Duloc?" go beyond the call of duty, especially in the Elphaba tribute that finalizes the knee-dancing romp. Overall, Linkowksi uses the gifts of an eyebrow raise, facial expressions that are just as animated as the DreamWorks films' artwork, and a stage presence that exceeds the 3 feet of height he bares.  

As an ensemble unit, the execution of wrapping onself into the scene is amazingly apparent throughout this production. "Freak Flag," (led strongly by Dailey Smith and Julie Cowger as Pinocchio and Gingy, respectively) is a huge stamp of camaraderie that the creatures in the show need to build. Built it up they do as they perform Katie Green's energetic and fun choreography. As a standout among the ensemble, Kelly Gresham (voice of Dragon) and her puppeteers do a marvelous job in "Forever."

...Charlie Brown brings the audience scenes and songs from Charlie, Lucy, Sally, Linus, Schroeder, and Snoopy. From the Red Baron, to Sally getting a "C", to Charlie managing a baseball team, Clark M. Gesner's book stays true to Schulz's ability to paint a fun-loving gang that has deep meanings behind the iconic catchphrases, and silly scenarios. What works well for this production (plays through November 9) is that there is a clear understanding, on the cast's behalf, of the material that goes beyond the funny lines. The deliveries, and some tearfully honest moments, drive home real-world applications that the audience can connect with on an intimate level.

Sammy Linkowski (Charlie) is our leading blockhead. His sturdy voice boasts well in the opening number and "The Kite." Beyond just good vocals, Linkowski leads this company well. He has individually nuanced chemistry with each actor, and it transcends well off the stage into the smiles he helps put on the audiences' face. Claira Broach (Lucy) and Aaron Lowe (Schroeder) are stand outs as well. Broach nails her vocal turns at "Schroeder," and "Little Known Facts." Her survey scene is a show highlight, complimented well with an oversized pencil that is deserving of its own applause. Lowe stops the show with a rousing rendition of "Beethoven Day." The song comes out of nowhere, and Lowe's element of pleasant surprise vocally was fun and more than enjoyable. Lowe's dry-humor delivery of his one-liners and witty comebacks is spot on humorous. 

(L to R: Aaron Lowe (Schroeder), Lindsie Hiatt (Sally), Claira Broach (Lucy), Connor Sitton (Linus), Sammy Linkowski (Charlie); Photo Credit: Clovis North Drama)

Lindsie Hiatt (Sally) is an adorable little sister to Charlie. Her turn at "My New Philosophy" is strong, and the "C" monologue (my personal favorite  in the musical's book) is delivered with the proper dose of sassiness. Connor Sitton (Linus) makes the most of his moments along with his blue blanket. Aaron Siemens (Snoopy) lacks the presence and oomph to really pull off the 11 o'clock number "Suppertime," but his physicality and interaction in the company numbers is pleasing to watch. Siemen's Red Baron monologue had some good animated reactions, accompanied well with Regina Harris' brilliant lighting and sound design.