“Shrek” brings massive inexperienced enjoyable to Leeds’ a centesimal anniversary season

“Shrek” brings massive inexperienced enjoyable to Leeds’ a centesimal anniversary season

Published 2:30 pm Monday, June 15, 2026

WINCHESTER, Ky. — As Leeds Center for the Arts celebrates its centennial, the historic venue is closing out a particular “Season at the Movies” with a larger-than-life manufacturing of Shrek the Musical, working June 12–28.

Director and choreographer Ellie Miller, who co-directed with Steve Crosby, stated the beloved ogre story was a pure option to cap 100 years of group theater in Winchester.

“This is a show we’ve always wanted to do. It’s been on our bucket list,” Miller stated. “It’s tons of fun. We love the message, and we’re able to have a lot of people and involve folks of all ages.”

Leeds opened in 1925 as a single-screen movie show. This season’s productions have all been based mostly on movies, and Shrek — with its colourful characters, catchy music, and crowd-pleasing humor — makes for a becoming finale.

The manufacturing includes a forged of 40 actors drawn from Winchester, Central Kentucky, and surrounding counties. Ages vary from 5 to the late 30s. Many performers acquired their begin at Leeds as youngsters and are actually returning residence from school to participate.

“It’s been really fun to see these kids who have grown up and come back home and sort of see the fruits of our labor,” Miller stated. “When we started doing this 10 years ago… how they’ve grown up and changed. It’s been really special.”

Nick Vannoy, who stars as Shrek, brings skilled expertise to the inexperienced make-up and prosthetics. A Lexington native who attended Northern Kentucky University, Vannoy has carried out in New York City and regional theaters together with Actors Theatre of Louisville and Playhouse within the Park in Cincinnati. He beforehand directed The Three Musketeers at Leeds.

“I love the movie,” Vannoy stated. “My little brother watched it every single day… I could probably quote the whole thing.”

He additionally praised the musical’s rating and the sturdy forged assembled for this manufacturing.

At its core, Shrek the Musical explores themes of acceptance, belonging, and searching past outward variations. Miller stated these messages really feel particularly resonant as we speak.

“Shrek is a story about somebody who may appear different on the outside and what happens when we treat somebody differently because of those outward differences,” she defined. “When we really look beneath the layers and see who people are, we all want the same things: love and friendship and community.”

One of her favourite lyrics captures the spirit of the present: “What makes us special makes us strong.”

The manufacturing guarantees one thing for everybody — colourful spectacle and large dance numbers for younger audiences discovering stay theater for the primary time, and sincere, heartfelt performances for longtime theater followers. Miller famous the forged contains a number of sturdy professional-level actors.

In an period when leisure is usually consumed at residence by way of screens, Miller believes stay group theater nonetheless holds distinctive energy.

“Theater is about embracing a shared experience,” she stated. “When we all gather together and experience art, it allows us to be more vulnerable and embrace empathy better… This is a real, wonderful, artistic experience that you can experience with everyone.”

Performances are scheduled for Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. from June 12 by way of 28. Tickets can be found at LeedsCenter.org.