This musical season, Carrollton students wowed audiences with their amazing performances in the spring musical, “Shrek.” The students’ hard work and months of preparation paid off as was evident by the sold-out shows and packed theater. 

The musical ran for three nights, from March 20-22.

“Overall the show went great and we were definitely nervous, but everyone should be really proud of the way it turned out,” said Elena Costa ‘26, who played the captain of the guard.

While the show followed the movie’s plot closely, the musical element added a fun and exciting twist for the viewers. At the beginning, the fairy tale characters sing “The Story of my Life” after Lord Farquaad kicks all of them out of Duloc. In the song, they complain about how miserable they are. This high-energy piece showcased the amazing voices of all the cast members working together to portray many different characters.

The musical also showcased the impressive versatility of Carrollton actors. It may be hard to believe that Cecilia Oses ‘24, who played Shrek in this year’s musical was cast as Morticia in last year’s “The Addams Family.” But Oses proved her ability to adapt to any character. She mastered an Irish accent and ogre attitude and charmed not only Fiona, but the audience as well.

Alexandra Stockton ‘25, who played Fiona, is another veteran of the Carrollton stage. This time, her character was sweet, but also funny. Playing a princess who is also an ogre must have been complicated, but Stockton embodied the character fully. And this was not the only character she played. Not only did she take on one of the leading roles as Fiona, but she also appeared on stage as a fairy-tale character, the wolf. In addition to her acting skills, Stockton’s refined, yet powerful voice left the audience amazed.

One standout performance in the musical was by Aitana Bailon ‘26, who played the dragon and belted out the powerful song “Forever.” This song is about her frustration with being alone and her longing for someone to come and rescue her instead of the princess. During the song, her frustration transforms into a love for the donkey. Previously recognized for her published albums and songwriting skills, Bailon amazed the audience with her powerful solo and wonderful acting.

Another catchy song was “I Think I Got You Beat” performed by Shrek (Oses) and Fiona (Stockton). This song is about Shrek and Fiona’s childhood hardships. In the song, they argue back and forth about who had a more difficult upbringing. As the song progresses, the two characters realize their connection and feelings for each other. This was a pivotal moment in the musical as it showed how alike both characters were despite being an ogre and a princess. 

The show told a funny and entertaining story, while teaching the audience an important lesson about true love and not judging someone based on their outward appearance.

Sophia Bevilacqua ‘26 said the musical reminded her that “beauty is found on the inside, and true love is what really matters. When you go beyond the surface and open your heart, you will build authentic relationships and be pleasantly surprised.”

Many other witty characters and aspects of the show stood out, especially in the musical adaptation, which was slightly more comedic and sarcastic than the movie.

Liani Montero ‘24 played Lord Farquaad, the very short, grumpy dictatorial ruler of Duloc. His arrogant attitude and obliviousness was hilariously portrayed by Montero walking on her knees and taking on a commanding voice. Montero’s acting was perfect for this role, keeping the crowd entertained and laughing.

Another highlight of the show was seeing new faces. This year, Alessia Garcia-Amandi ‘24, a former actor, decided to give theater a shot once again for her senior year. Though she had not acted for six years, Garcia-Amandi looked like she felt more than comfortable on stage. As the donkey, she impressed the audience with her comedic performance and singing. 

And the experience seems to have reignited her love for performing. “I loved participating in the musical this year,” she said. “Even though I haven’t done acting for a while, the rehearsals were so much fun and the musical turned out amazing.” 

But the musical was not just about the main roles. The show was very much an ensemble piece because each character was needed to make the show spectacular. Every student contributed a crucial element to the musical, and the joint effort brought it all together.

The entire cast, Ms. Ordoñez the acting director, Ms. Sasloglou the choreographer, Mr. Poore the musical coordinator, and the tech team led by Mr. Robotham also contributed greatly to the show’s success. They worked for months to ensure the musical ran smoothly despite often being involved in many other activities. 

“The girls are busy and committed to so many things, which is awesome, but it ends up being a lot of rehearsal, and a lot of work spread out,” said Ms. Ordoñez. “I’m grateful for how dedicated these girls were to making the show awesome. We are always able to make it work.” 

The hard work was especially important this year because many sophomore students missed several rehearsals, including “tech week” for their sophomore retreat and a Close Up field trip. Tech week is the week the cast and crew go over all the final details and technicalities of the show. 

“We had to put a lot of faith in those girls that they would be able to go away and retain all the work we’d done,” said Ms. Ordoñez. “Despite having to go on retreat and Close Up, they came back like they hadn’t been gone.” 

Overall, Carrollton students and families were impressed at how amazing the show was. Students put months of their hard work into the production and, despite many challenges, remained resilient. The performing arts department put together another amazing show and the Carrollton community cannot wait for the next one.