A Lot Of Green Goes Into "Shrek the Musical" As The Production Comes To The Tri-State
By: Casie Mason
Updated: February 10, 2013
Tonight the Henderson Fine Arts Center is looking, well rather green. The production of "Shrek the Musical" makes it's way to the Tri-State and Eyewitness News took an exclusive inside the production. Eyewitness News' Casie Mason takes us back stage.
The cast of "Shrek the Musical" geared up for their big show tonight and I got the chance to see just how the second largest animated franchise in the world comes to life on stage. Though the cast might make it look effortless to audiences., going green is far from easy.
"Everybody loves Shrek. He's a superstar." If most people were asked to carry around an extra sixty pounds while dancing and singing many would say no thank you, but that is exactly what twenty-one year old Perry Sook does practically every day in front of a live audience to play the beloved part of Shrek, in "Shrek the Musical." "It is a very rigorous and demanding role. Think of carrying sixty-five pounds of weight on you, singing, dancing, then having stage lights on you, while thousands of people watch you. It's a lot of heat," says Sook. The actor goes from looking like this, to this. "You know, it's really crazy. Even to this day, every time they put on the makeup it is a complete transformation. I look nothing like myself," says Sook. It's a long extensive process, but Sook says when the curtain goes up, all the work that goes into becoming the infamous ogre is well worth it. "All of these characters are so beloved." With a blow-dry here and a dab of paint there, Sook becomes Shrek. Sook makes the part look effortless to play on stage, but it is far from being easy. "I'm the only Shrek actually in history of "Shrek the Musical" who he's not fainted at least once during the process whether that be during tech. I ws very adamant about that." After the curtain goes down and the final bows are made, Sook says it's a pretty good feeling becoming himself again. "Taking it off, whether it's twelve hours or one hour, is the best feeling in the world. It's like being a new person."
Sook tells me after all the pounds and makeup are added, it is an amazing feeling to see the show come to life. He and his cast members will hit the road tomorrow taking "Shrek the Musical" all the way to Kansas for their next production.
The cast of "Shrek the Musical" geared up for their big show tonight and I got the chance to see just how the second largest animated franchise in the world comes to life on stage. Though the cast might make it look effortless to audiences., going green is far from easy.
"Everybody loves Shrek. He's a superstar." If most people were asked to carry around an extra sixty pounds while dancing and singing many would say no thank you, but that is exactly what twenty-one year old Perry Sook does practically every day in front of a live audience to play the beloved part of Shrek, in "Shrek the Musical." "It is a very rigorous and demanding role. Think of carrying sixty-five pounds of weight on you, singing, dancing, then having stage lights on you, while thousands of people watch you. It's a lot of heat," says Sook. The actor goes from looking like this, to this. "You know, it's really crazy. Even to this day, every time they put on the makeup it is a complete transformation. I look nothing like myself," says Sook. It's a long extensive process, but Sook says when the curtain goes up, all the work that goes into becoming the infamous ogre is well worth it. "All of these characters are so beloved." With a blow-dry here and a dab of paint there, Sook becomes Shrek. Sook makes the part look effortless to play on stage, but it is far from being easy. "I'm the only Shrek actually in history of "Shrek the Musical" who he's not fainted at least once during the process whether that be during tech. I ws very adamant about that." After the curtain goes down and the final bows are made, Sook says it's a pretty good feeling becoming himself again. "Taking it off, whether it's twelve hours or one hour, is the best feeling in the world. It's like being a new person."
Sook tells me after all the pounds and makeup are added, it is an amazing feeling to see the show come to life. He and his cast members will hit the road tomorrow taking "Shrek the Musical" all the way to Kansas for their next production.
