COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL • OCTOBER 10, 2018 • 5A
Q&A with the director of ‘Shrek, The Musical’
Pet tips
‘N’ tales
By Mary Ellen
“Angel Scribe”
‘Super’ Pets
D
COURTESY PHOTO
Shrek (Mark VanBeever) and Princess Fiona (Melissa Miller) will be on stage in “Shrek the musical” through Oct. 28.
Q: What is your perfor-
mance background and how
did you get involved with Cot-
tage Th eatre?
A: Director Keith Kessler: I
have been involved with Cot-
tage Th eatre since 1991. I have
acted, directed and written for
the stage at Cottage Th eatre
and I have been on several
committees and the board. I
was involved when Cottage
Th eatre began their summer
kids’ programs and have the
playwright for the summer
melodramas. Prior to working
with Cottage Th eatre, I had the
opportunity to work as a props
master and assistant director/
stage manager with Ed Rago-
zzino for the Eugene Festival
of Musical Th eatre at the Hult
Center.
Q: What are the challenges
to staging a show that, essen-
tially, the audience knows only
as an ani-mated story?
A: When people know the
show, it is a two-sided coin.
Immediately you have audi-
ence recognition and the desire
for people to come and see it
on stage. We are now in a time
where a number of stage shows
have come from movies or ani-
mation that I believe most peo-
ple are fascinated to see how
the “next’ show for them will
be accomplished.
Th e other side is that you
hope that you don’t disappoint
the audience who have loved
the animated movie: in this
case “Shrek the Musical” has
had such a successful track
record that as a director you
know that it is a wonderful
script and my job is to help it
come life on Cottage Th eatre’s
stage.
Q: "Shrek" has obviously
been on larger stages when it
transformed into a musical.
Did you take any inspiration
from prior stages of the show
and is there anything particu-
larly diff erent or unique about
your telling of it?
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A: I have watched the Net-
fl ix version of the Broadway
show and that has obviously
infl uence my choices. Th ere
are some diff erences from the
Broadway version and what is
given to us form MTI to pro-
duce aft er Broadway. Knowing
that I work hard at having a
collaborative relationship with
my actors and creative team
and I want them to bring their
ideas and interpretations to the
stage. I believe we are better to-
gether than we are alone.
I also am always looking for
places that I can bring my own
personal touch to each produc-
tion. Shows like “Shrek” have
great stories and pow-erful life
lessons so I am on the hunt
for ways that I can emphasize
those ideas and themes.
Q: Th e dragon. Does it make
it into the show and if it does,
how?
A: Yes, the Dragon appears
and is brought to life through
Tony Rust’s Dragon’s design,
Sophie Blades and Stefh ani
Anderson’s decorating, the
Dragon being voiced by Ange-
la Pearson and seven Dragon-
ette puppeteers. It is even more
wonderful than I ever thought
possible and people over the
fi rst weekend are really re-
sponding to it as a character.
Q: What should audiences
be on the lookout for during
the show? Any hidden gems or
a particular-ly stand out per-
formance?
A: Our three main leads,
Shrek Mark — VanBeever,
Fiona — Melissa Miller and
Donkey — Matt Arscott are
marvelous.
Josh Sayre playing Lord Far-
quaad surprises everyone on
his fi rst entrance. Our three
Fiona’s blend so well on their
song together. Th ere are many
songs in the show that are the
kind of songs that make you
happy that you are involved in
musical theatre.
And fi nally, we have tap
dancing rats and a singing bird
that will surprise everyone.
Q: Why should people come
to see “Shrek?”
A: It is a show that has more
laughs than anyone can imag-
ine. Th e music is memorable
and toe tapping along with
great ballads. It is a night of
enjoyable entertainment at the
theatre and the story is one that
resonates and touches people
at a heart level.
People leave smiling and up-
lift ed and if you come stay all
the way through the song “I’m
a Believer.”
Shrek is playing at Cottage
Th eatre through Oct. 28. For
more information or to pur-
chase tickets, please visit cottag-
etheatre.org.
Mon-Thu 9-5 pm & Fri 9-2 pm
lanecc.edu/coƩagegrove
(541) 463-4202 - 1275 S. River Rd.
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Call today (541) 942-0555.
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Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-6:00pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 11am-4pm
118 Gateway Blvd., CG (Next to Bi-Mart) 541-942-7377
ogs and cats are amazing. Th ey teach us to be
kind and compassionate while wiggling their
way into our hearts, making us feel loved and
making us laugh. We call them family, but for many they
are also our best friend.
Edith’s border collie, Batman, fl ew in as a puppy on a
rescue mission to help her young daughter, Kate, conquer
her fear of dogs. His superhero powers worked so well
that years later, Kate supplemented her college tuition
with dog sitting.
“Batman was our son, Ain’s, only brother,“ said Edith.
“When the kids and the dog were little, my husband
played ‘football’ with them. Th eir game consisted of a
child kicking the ball to the other two at the other end of
the yard. Dad would protect or dodge, helping both sides
in the mad dash to get a touchdown. Dad would ‘throw’
the ball — and Katie would kick the ball while Batman
zipped around herding them.
“Th e one exception was when Ain’s turn came to kick,”
Edith continued. “Batman jumped in and ‘blocked’ each
of Ain’s kicks midair! He only blocked our son’s kicks …
Th at beloved dog also helped my son learn soccer by try-
ing to get the ball from him while Ain practiced.”
On another note, Edith said the dog walked into Ain’s
room to specifi cally pick out a toy Batman fi gurine — to
munch on.
“One time, we found Batman on the wrong side of our
fence. When he heard us calling him, instead of crawling
back home, he spidey-crawled like Spider-Man under the
Edith, her daughter, Kate, and Kate’s fi rst child, Denali
the Super Cat.
neighbor's side fence. Th en he walked to their front yard
and happily bounded home like, ‘Oh! Here I am! Did you
want me?’ We were blessed with that spunky, fun-loving
dog for 16 years,” said Edith.
When Kate married, she adopted Denali, the cutest
soft -as-a-bunny white and black fur ball kitten. For their
“baby’s” pleasure, Kate’s iPad has a swimming fi sh app
that Denali plays with for hours.
He then created the game “cat tag” by stalking his par-
ents, hiding, and — when he deems it the right time — he
runs and pounces on his ‘prey,’ tagging them with light
touches to an ankle.
Th en, he zooms off .
Appropriately, Kate’s superhero nickname for their
fun-loving cat is “Catman.”
TIPS:
“While Denali was on ‘vacation’ with us, I bought him a
pet stroller aft er reading about Mary Ellen Angel Scribe’s
success with her pets’ stroller,” said Edith.
“Well, our furry house guest loves it. I cut and fi t foam
for his mattress and his comfort. He sleeps in his bug-
gy through the day and enjoys snooper-vising us outside
while we garden. My daughter and son-in-law were em-
barrassed by the stroller, until they saw how much De-
nali loves it and they are enjoying taking him out, too.
Th e stroller makes their walks enjoyable and Denali naps
from the fresh air. How much does he love his new stroll-
er? He considers it his condo and won't sleep with his pet
parents! It keeps cat hairs off their bed and it has made its
purr-chase worthwhile.”
Also, collapsible-canvas wagons work wonders for el-
derly dogs. Adding a mattress comforts old bones and
elevates the dog so they can see over the wagon’s edge.
Th e wagons fold up into almost nothing for storage, and
in the summer transport lawn chairs to the beach or use
it to fi ll with plants at the garden store when your pet opts
to stay home!
And it is great for walking tired “real” children too.
Share your fun, amazing or crazing pet tips and tales at an-
gelscribe@msn.com or Follow Pet Tips ‘n’ Tales on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/PetTipsandTales. Adopt loving pets online at
www.PetFinder.com. For spay or neutering, call the Humane So-
ciety at 541-942-2789.