Laurissa Jane Music Studio in Queens has performed summer musicals for seven years, and this summer students will bring Shrek to life on stage in August. Approximately 30 students will work all summer on the music and choreography they’ll be performing, and take trips to locations that relate, perhaps artistically and historically, to Shrek and his story. Laurissa Jane will also be offering after-program, individual voice and piano lessons at the school for the first summertime ever.
“We’re going to be having auditions Saturday, June 22 so we can assign the parts, and then once we do that, then the day is going to revolve around the show. So we’ll start with rehearing the scenes, and then we’ll have music class and rehearse the songs,” artistic director Alice Laurissa says. “And then after that the children will have dance, in which they start to learn the choreography for whatever number requires dance.”
Last year, the students performed Mulan, and traveled to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to view artwork that relates to the Chinese history embedded in the film and play. This year’s Shrek-related field trips have not been totally worked out yet. In previous summers, students have performed Beauty and the Beast Jr., Annie Jr., and Willy Wonka Jr., among other shows.
“[This year] it was either Alice in Wonderland, Shrek, or Madagascar. And the kids, they did not want to do Madagascar and they definitely did not want to do Alice in Wonderland,” Laurissa says.
The camp runs from 8am–4pm, and students can stay after for private voice or piano lessons. Private lessons are usually offered during the school year, but Laurissa decided to open them up between June and August so students can continue working on their skills in between school sessions. Shrek performance dates are Friday, Aug. 9 and Saturday, Aug. 10.
Laurissa Jane Music School
121-15 Lucas St., Queens
718-560-3016
Main Image: Students excitedly getting ready for Mulan, Jr. in last years performance.
