Students Displaced by L.A. Wildfires to Perform Shrek Jr. at the Ahmanson Theatre

Students from Altadena Arts and Eliot Arts Magnet Schools will perform Shrek Jr. at Center Theatre Group’s Ahmanson Theatre on April 18 after wildfires devastated their community earlier this year.

On January 7, students began rehearsals for the musical, reports American Theatre. That same night, the Eaton Fire destroyed much of their school, including the theater, and displaced about 40 percent of the students. Despite the loss, director Mollie Lief said, “The show must go on.”

At a January 26 gathering, students learned they would partner with Center Theatre Group and Pasadena Playhouse for performances at the Ahmanson. The announcement was met with cheers and tears, according to CTG managing director Meghan Pressman. Both shows have already sold out.

The partnership is part of CTG’s broader wildfire relief efforts, which include emergency care camps, teaching support, and a Wildfire Relief Fund. CTG also provided complimentary tickets to first responders and assisted displaced staff and local schools impacted by the fires.

For Altadena and Eliot, Title 1 schools with large low-income populations, the opportunity has been especially meaningful. The students, who have been rehearsing in spaces around Pasadena, were given an orientation day at the Ahmanson in March and will perform on a professional stage, using rented scenic and projection packages.

In a letter to CTG, director Lief wrote, “By lifting up these theatre kids and giving them a space to express themselves and heal, we will contribute to healing the broken hearts of our school and our extraordinary Altadena community.”

Pressman said the collaboration demonstrates the resilience of the students and the broader arts community. “Anyone else could say ‘We can’t do this right now.’ Instead, they said ‘This is the number one thing we want to do.’”

CTG plans to continue supporting displaced students and offering arts programming through partnerships with local parks and schools.