Foothill Music Theatre to Stage SHREK THE MUSICAL This Summer

Multi-award winning Foothill Music Theatre presents Shrek The Musical, a family-friendly production that boasts a new score by recent Tony Award-winner Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home) and a wildly comic book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire.

Based on the Oscar-winning Dreamworks Animation film, Shrek The Musical tells the cheeky story of a hulking green ogre who sets off to rescue a Princess, who has more in common with him than anyone suspects. This fairy-tale adventure, set in a mythical "once upon a time" land, features a cast of well-known fairy-tale characters including Pinocchio, the Gingerbread Man, and the Three Little Pigs. Under the direction of Milissa Carey, Shrek The Musical will feature a full orchestra, with musical direction by Rick Reynolds, and choreography by Nicole Helfer.

Shrek The Musical will play July 20 - August 6, 2017 (press opening: July 21) with performances 7:30pm Thursdays, 8:00pm Fridays & Saturdays, and 2pm Sundays at the Smithwick Theatre, I-280 & El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills. Tickets ($12 - $32) and information can be found at www.foothill.edu/theatre or by phone at (650) 949-7360.

Based on the story and characters from the popular 2001 Dreamworks Animation film, Shrek The Musical follows Shrek and his annoying side-kick Donkey. Under orders from the height-challenged Lord Farquaad, they set off to save the lonely Princess Fiona, held captive by a dragon (who has issues of its own). USA Today called the Broadway run of Shrek The Musical "ingeniously wacky. Altogether irresistible," and Newsday hailed it as, "Sweet, big and extremely lovable."

Foothill Music Theatre has assembled an outstanding cast for this "ogre-the-top" production. Andrew Ross stars as the cranky, but loveable, ogre Shrek. Ross has performed with San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and at the University of Mississippi, as well as in regional vocal competitions. Playing Shrek's comic side-kick, Donkey, will be Nick Kendrick, who has been seen at Sunnyvale Community Players, Peninsula Youth Theatre, Children's Musical Theatre San Jose, and most recently in Palo Alto Players' Spamalot as Sir Galahad.

Seen earlier this year as Ulla in Broadway By the Bay's production of The Producers, Jocelyn Pickett makes her Foothill debut as Princess Fiona, the distressed princess awaiting her knight in shining armor. Pickett has been seen at many regional theatres, including Los Altos Stage Company, Ray of Light Theatre Company, and Tabard Theatre where she won a Theatre Bay Area Award for her work in the title role of Violet. Joey McDaniel returns to Foothill as the short-tempered and vertically-challenged ruler of Duloc, Lord Farquaad. Last seen in Foothill Music Theatre's Sunday in the Park with George, McDaniel has been seen at Hillbarn Theatre, and frequently with the Palo Alto Players where he recently appeared in its production of Spamalot as Patsy.

Jennifer Martinelli returns to Foothill Music Theatre as the princess-guarding Dragon. Martinelli has performed with TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Broadway By the Bay, City Lights Theater, Hillbarn Theatre, and Altarena Playhouse. Victor Velasquez, who appears as Pinocchio, has performed with Sunnyvale Community Players, recently in its production of Evita. Melissa Costa makes her first appearance with Foothill as the Gingerbread "Gingy" Man and Princess Fiona's mother, the Queen. Costa has been seen in productions with Hillbarn Theatre, most recently in Sister Act, and has also performed at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music

The talented ensemble for this musical will also include: Vanessa Alvarez, Kyle Arrouzet, Christina Bologini, Seton Chang, Jorge Diaz, Nique Eagen, Ronald Feichtmeir, Gwyneth Forrester, Kayvon Korestani, Cameryn Laird, Mylissa Malley, Katie Mazon, Sasha Motalygo, Sam Nachison, Jona Nicklin, Elena Panos, Tyler Pardini, Gwyneth Price, John Ramirez, Alea Selburn, and Melina Smoker.

Milissa Carey (Director) joined the Foothill faculty in 2003 and teaches in both the Theatre and Music Departments. Carey has directed Foothill Music Theatre productions of Spring Awakening, Little Shop of Horrors, South Pacific, Sunday in the Park with George, All Shook Up, Working, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, She Loves Me, and most recently Side Show. Other directing credits include Kiss Me Kate and Almost, Maine. She has directed projects at RADA (The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London), the A.C.T. MFA Program, Broadway By the Bay, Los Altos Stage Company, California Conservatory Theatre, Opera Academy of the West, among others. An award-winning Bay Area actress, Carey has performed leading roles with many Bay Area theatre companies including TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Center Repertory Theatre of Walnut Creek, San Jose Repertory Theatre, American Musical Theatre of San Jose, CentralWorks, and 42nd Street Moon. She was in the cast of the 25th Anniversary Broadway National Tour of Evita under the direction of Hal Prince. Carey is on the faculty of the MFA program at American Conservatory Theatre and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Rick Reynolds, Musical Director for Shrek The Musical, has musically directed Hillbarn Theatre's productions of Sweet Charity, Legally Blonde, Fiddler on the Roof, and Sister Act. Nicole Helfer choreography credits include Peter Pan, RENT, Into the Woods, In the Heights, and Broadway By the Bay's West Side Story which won her a Theatre Bay Area Award for Outstanding Choreography.

Critically praised for her work on and Off-Broadway, Jeanine Tesori is one of the most prolific female theatric composers in history. Her work on Broadway musicals, including How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Violet, Swing, and Fun Home, have earned her multiple Tony Award nominations; she was awarded Best Original Score for Fun Home. Playwright, lyricist, and screenwriter David Lindsay-Abaire has earned several Tony Award nominations for High Fidelity, Shrek The Musical, and Rabbit Hole, for which he received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Foothill Music Theatre has won Bay Area Theatre Critics' Circle Awards for Outstanding Production, Outstanding Ensemble Production, and Best Direction, among others. the company has also garnered numerous awards from the Los Angeles-based Drama-Logue, and kudos from myriad Bay Area critics for its sharp, handsomely mounted productions of Side Show, She Loves Me, South Pacific, Little Shop of Horrors, Damn Yankees, Spring Awakening, The Producers, Bat Boy: The Musical, The Pajama Game, Sweeney Todd, and many other musicals.

Photo Credit: David Allen

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