Shrek Jr. Coming to the Stage on February 6-8

Theatre lovers buckle your seatbelts and get ready for the Woodhull Intermediate School and Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School drama club’s production of “Shrek Jr.” on Friday-Sunday, February 6–8 on the Huntington High School stage.

The show will feature cast and crew members based on the following schedule of performances:

Woodhull School Cast and Crew• February 6 at 7:00 p.m.• February 7 at 2:00 p.m.

Jack Abrams School Cast and Crew
• February 7 at 7:00 p.m.
• February 8 at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets will be available at the door of each performance (cash only). The production team is pleased to have a significant number of Huntington High School drama club and stage crew volunteers this year including Jaden Scott, Lily Policastro, Deveren Flynn, Michael Divincenzo, Walter Lopez, Karina Rodriguez, Isaiah Bynum, Alexandra Boeckmann, Lauren Dopico, Amelia Brown, Lena Sullivan, Mia Marsala and Harper Cohn.

The intermediate grade level drama program is also thrilled to welcome back Maggie O’Toole (Class of 2025), a former high school helper who worked with the program for several years and returned from college for much of this rehearsal process to assist with the production.

Final dress rehearsals will be held for Jack Abrams School cast and crew on February 4 and Woodhull cast and crew on February 5. The Huntington High School video broadcast program led by teacher Kristen Temperino and student Dennis McCook will be filming the performances.

Jennifer Szilagyi (HHS Class of 2009) and Stephanie Shea (HHS Class of 2014) began directing the intermediate grade level drama club program in 2019. “Shrek Jr.” marks their sixth production together.

For many Woodhull and Jack Abrams School students, “Shrek Jr.” is their first experience participating in a full-length musical, making the process both exciting and challenging. Students balance school work, rehearsals and personal commitments while learning lines, music, choreography and stage etiquette. The young performers have shown remarkable focus, perseverance and teamwork, supporting one another through a demanding rehearsal schedule and rising to meet high expectations. Their enthusiasm, resilience, and pride in their work are evident in every rehearsal and reflect just how much they care about bringing this story to life.

The show (“Shrek Jr.”) was announced as students returned to school in September, with auditions held that month and rehearsals beginning the first week of October. More than 200 fourth, fifth and sixth-grade students from the two schools auditioned for the cast. Rehearsals started at the rate of once per week per school and increased to twice per week per school as the process progressed.

Stage crew, which always has a waiting list at both schools, began in late December. Glenn Deveau (HHS alum) and Chris Deveau serve as stage crew advisors for the two schools.

Stage crew students take on an impressive range of responsibilities, including building sets, running lighting and projections, managing microphones and music, moving scenery and props, operating curtains, and assisting with costume and makeup changes. Their work behind the scenes is essential to bringing the production to life.

“We love teaching the kids to push the boundaries of live performance, using technology to transform the stage into an immersive space where the audience doesn’t just watch the story - they step inside it,” stage crew co-advisor Chris Deveau said.

Ms. Shea and Ms. Szilagy both participated in drama club and music throughout their own years in the district (grades 4–12) and are thrilled to return each year to give back to a program that helped shape their love for the arts. Working with students is one of their favorite parts of the process; watching young performers discover their confidence, creativity, and teamwork while growing both on and off the stage.