This spring, ADAPT was transported to a swamp far, far away with ADAPT’s Theatre Group production of Shrek, The Musical JR. Following the story of a green, grumpy ogre named Shrek, the musical leads the audience through an adventure with a cast of displaced fairytale creatures. As Shrek sets out to rescue Princess Fiona in hopes of reclaiming his swamp, he meets friends along the way, challenging his perceptions of himself, friendship, and love.
In its newest production, the Theatre Group delivered three amazing live performances of this DreamWorks classic. Each role was tailored to the cast’s strengths and abilities, with significant input from the performers themselves. Spearheaded by Art Specialist Rachel Fonseca in collaboration with students from New York University, many of the costumes created were adaptable for people with different mobility needs so they would fit comfortably. These accessible costumes helped play a central role in bringing the story visuals to life while facilitating seamless and time efficient changes throughout the musical.
In addition, months of rehearsal helped bring the world of Shrek to life. Cast members spent weeks learning choreography, practicing songs, and building confidence in their performances. The enthusiasm of everyone involved helped create a welcoming and supportive environment where performers could grow both on and off the stage. Self-Advocacy Specialist Sophie Thurschwell and Theatre Specialist Theo Kolbrener share the growth they witnessed in each performer from the start of rehearsals to the final show.
“In Shrek, we saw a lot of people who it was their first show, first musical, or both,” Sophie shared. “It was really amazing to see the growth in confidence and to see how the cast grows close throughout the process. That’s my favorite part.”
“Not only do we get to see these performers grow as performers from the beginning of the rehearsal process to the show, we also get to see them grow in different areas, like with their speech therapy skills and their occupational therapy skills,” Theo shares. “That’s another really exciting aspect of the theater process is watching folks grow. It allows folks with non-traditional communication styles to tell a story and communicate with their peers in a really exciting way.”
Steven Freemen, a person supported and Broadway enthusiast, played the exciting role of Lord Farquaad, ruler of Duloc and banisher of the fairytale creatures. Steven, who has been involved in previous productions such as last year’s The Addam’s Family, and last winter’s Musical Revue, described his experience preparing for his role and the importance of teamwork.
For different people, preparing for a role means approaching it in different ways. For Steven, it involved lots of practice, often at home, in the library, or during rehearsals.
Committed to his craft, Steven would commute from his home in the Bronx to Lawrence Avenue in Brooklyn to rehearse his dancing, singing, and character voice. He shared that he had a great experience and enjoyed taking on the role of Lord Farquaad. Steven also made sure to celebrate his fellow cast members, “The team was so wonderful. I had a good time with them. Everybody did a wonderful job.” He hopes to continue being involved in ADAPT’s Theatre Group and showcasing his Broadway dancing and singing abilities.
Congratulations to all the actors, volunteers, and ADAPT staff, that helped put on three amazing performances! Stay tuned for what’s next to come from ADAPT’s talented Theatre Group!
