Lee County students, community set to bring ‘Shrek’ to the stage

LEESBURG — It appears that Lee County High School Theater Director and Thespian Troupe Director Amanda Piercey took the hackneyed admonition “Go big or go home” to heart.

Preparing for the troupe’s annual community spring fundraiser production, Piercey selected “Shrek” to showcase the talents of her students as well as theater-lovers in the community, undertaking a whopping 45-person cast that has her drawing talent from every source available.

“This is the biggest show I’ve ever directed over my five years (as LCHS theater director), and to pull it off we decided to make it truly a community musical,” Piercey said. “We’re using everyone — elementary kids, teens, adults — our students, our students’ parents and grandparents, elementary students who play some of the characters at a younger age.

“And, believe me, this production has a little of everything.”

Indeed, as the March 21 opening of “Shrek” nears, the large cast and local Palladium Players supporters are getting ready for an extravaganza.

“We’re going to have a bit of everything,” Piercey said. “Singing, tap dancing, special effects, puppetry, a dragon costume — that we’re building — and decorations that will encompass the stage and much of the auditorium. We’ll even have ogre ears and princess tiaras to sell to kids attending the play.”

Among the stars of “Shrek” will be Lee County High School senior Caleb Dale in the title role and a pair of LCHS juniors, Patterson Jernigan and Ellisha Moore, as Fiona and Donkey, respectively. The trio said the experience has been as much fun as it has been work.

“When auditions were held, I really didn’t care what part I’d get, I just wanted to be a part of the play,” Dale said before a recent rehearsal. “But during call-backs, when I was volunteering to read lines, I started really listening to the music, the accent of the characters. That’s when I decided I wanted to play Shrek.

“I’ve been doing theater since I was 12, and I’ve been singing in chorus since middle school. This has been a special experience, though.”

Jernigan said she’s so familiar with the play, she already pretty much knew it by heart.

“I’ve seen ‘Shrek’ — the musical version — so many times I know it like the back of my hand,” she said. “(Acting) is something I’d like to continue doing after I get out of high school, so this is kind of a big deal for me. Plus, having the opportunity to play an individual character in a big community production like this is so much fun.”

Moore, who said she too wouldn’t mind continuing her passion for acting after leaving LCHS, said being a part of a big troupe — classmates and community members who are part of the play — has been a rewarding experience.

“I love ‘Shrek,’ so that makes it a lot of fun,” she said. “But what’s just as amazing are the friendships and relationships I’ve made while doing this. It’s really a great experience all around.”

Six performances of “Shrek” are scheduled: Fridays (March 21 and 28), Saturdays (March 22 and 29) and Sundays (March 23 and 30). The Friday and Saturday performances have 7 p.m. showtimes, while Sunday matinees will be held at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and military. The link for tickets, which is under the GOFAN app, search Palladium players, is https://gofan.co/app/school/GA13729_1.