Note From the Director:
Welcome to the Smith County Playhouse production of Shrek the Musical. This story is, in my opinion, one of the funniest theatrical stories ever told and it has been incredibly worthwhile for all involved. It’s a show that could not have been made possible without the support of our community, including our DIrector of Schools Barry Smith, our administration at Smith County High School, and the dedication of our SCP board and parents who allowed their children to participate. I’d also like to thank my wife, Allison, for being supportive and allowing our toddler, Silas, to sit in on rehearsals, showing him the value of musical theatre.
I am incredibly proud of everyone who had a hand in making this production possible. The quality of the cast, crew, adult volunteers, and our SCP board is outstanding. A truly successful production, however, involves more than what is presented on stage. It should not only be an artistic learning experience, but a personal one as well. I'm especially proud of the cooperation, mutual respect, level of the commitment, and the teamwork that has been demonstrated by everyone involved in this production. Everyone has put egos aside and discovered that whether they had one line or fifty, everyone shares equally in the pride and success of such an accomplishment.
This is year five of the existence of our program since its return. It is incredible to think how far we've come in just this short time. When we brought the program back, we were just praying we'd have enough students to put a show on. Who would have known we would have 100 students audition our first year and 140+ still auditioning for each year five years later. Because of the community support, our program is the largest in the Smith County school district. We have students who are competing in multiple state competitions and who are winning multiple state awards. We have students from all walks of life and could not be more blessed with the caliber of students who continue to audition each and ever year. I can only imagine what Mr. Reece must be thinking looking down on the program he started from the ground up 21 years ago.
To the students... Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication during this show. You are continuing to lay the foundation for our program and you are why the program is as successful as it is and will continue to be in the years to come.
I hope theatre plays as big of a role in your life as it has in mine. I made my biggest memories, met my best friends, and found my true live while working as a student in this very program. I would never have imagined I would be in the director's chair one day. Make the most of the moments you have right now. Dream big. Work towards building your legacy. Make a difference in the lives of others.
-JR Smith
