by Jeff Selesnick
After a month of May that will see a jam-packed performance and recital calendar, Concord Community Music School regulars may not recognize the Recital Hall come early June. It will be transformed into a swamp, a forest, a castle and beyond as the Purple Finches Youth Choir moves in for its performances of Shrek Jr., on June 4-6. The annual musical production involves all three age groups within the Purple Finches (fledglings, fliers, and finches) and tells the story of the namesake ogre, surrounded by characters from classic fairytales, as he sets off on a hero’s quest.
Purple Finches veteran Clara Selesnick is in her third go-round with the spring musical and is excited to play the roles of “Gingy” and “Pig Two,” in this year’s production. Shrek Jr. was at the top of her list for desired musicals based on the humor throughout the script and the dynamic music. “I really wanted to get Gingy because it’s such a funny character, and I think the show is really cool because there’s a bunch of fun songs,” says Selesnick.
Maria Isaak, director of the Purple Finches and head of the Shrek Jr. production, has been leading weekly rehearsals since January to ready the cast and crew for the sizeable undertaking. Isaak first brought the idea of a Purple Finches musical to then-executive director Peggy Senter in the mid-2000’s, and after years of development and sorting through logistics, the first production hit the stage in 2011. Following that initial performance of Seussical (which was reprised for last year’s Finches show), musicals continued in an every-other-year format, with Isaak wearing many hats as the head of each production.
“Maria is an awesome teacher – she pushes kids outside of their comfort zones and puts them in situations that help them learn and grow,” says Lars Fjelsted, who in his final year as a Purple Finch will play the title role of Shrek in one cast and the role of “Donkey” in the other. “She is funny and always tries to do what is best for the kids.”
While Isaak oversees all elements of the spring musical, she is quick to acknowledge the number of people necessary to pull off a production of this size. Each performance is truly an all-hands-on-deck operation, which includes students, staff, faculty, and parents. “Musical theater brings people together – they form committees to help with set design, set build, loading, loadout, costume, fitting, finding, photography, fundraising, T-shirt design and more,” says Isaak. “We always need lots of people to help and they work so hard and do such a good job,” agrees Selesnick, whose mother helped design and create the elaborate sets.
One of the strengths of the Finches Youth Choir is the mentor-mentee relationships that are fostered throughout the program, where older participants can assist younger members in a variety of ways. That same mentality carries through to the musical production, where Isaak empowers her students to take on leadership roles. “One of the great outcomes of this nine-year age span is that the older students get to help with choreography, directing and other leadership roles,” says Isaak. “Speaking from experience,” notes Fjeldsted, who has seen both sides of the mentor-mentee dynamic, “the youngest kids naturally look up to the older kids. There is music in everyone, so we try to be inclusive and make everyone feel part of the cast/choir.”
Another unique aspect of the Purple Finches production is the integration of live music into the performances. With a hybrid band comprised of faculty, students, and professionals, Isaak is able to involve a greater swath of the CCMS community while having a valuable synergy with the performers on stage. “I like being able to go with the students on stage and help them along if I need to double their voice or jump to where they are at. A performance track just doesn’t feel like I have agency to really help them.”
The hard work being put in by all involved will be abundantly apparent when the curtain finally goes up on opening night. Audiences can expect a whimsical journey with wonderful music, filled with adventure, romance, and hilarity. “Some parts will be really funny, some are really cute, and sometimes the audience will be shocked and surprised,” says Selesnick.
General admission tickets are still available for all four showtimes, and can be purchased online at ccmusicschool.org.
