Caryl Crane Youth Theatre presents 'Shrek Jr.'

HURON TWP. — Caryl Crane Youth Theatre is kicking off its 2021-22 season this week. The cast of 36 actors will perform "Shrek Jr." beginning today. Fourteen of those actors will be making their stage debut. "Shrek Jr. is a fantastic musical retelling of the Oscar-winning animated film," director Brian Marshall said. "It's a 'big bright beautiful world' as everyone's favorite ogre, Shrek, leads a cast of fairytale misfits on an adventure to rescue a princess and find true acceptance." Marshall said the show is part romance and part twisted fairytale. It's an entertaining show with a powerful message for the whole family. Marshall is in his 13th year of being the artistic director for the youth theater. The kids make the program special, Marshall said. "They are fearless, fun and make this little theatre company a giant family," he added. Shows will be at 7 p.m. tonight and Friday and at 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at McBride Auditorium at BGSU Firelands. Masks are required while on campus, including during the performance. Tickets can be purchased at firelands.bgsu.edu/ccyt. "After the year and a half we just had, we all could use a laugh, and 'Shrek Jr.' at Caryl Crane Youth Theatre delivers them over and over again," Marshall said. Caryl Crane Youth Theatre's next production will be a modern-day retelling of "The Great Gatsby" in October.