Shine Bright actors staging ‘Shrek Jr.’

Although Shrek prefers his privacy, he and his friends Fiona, Donkey and a whole cast of characters are inviting you into the swamp for Shine Bright Performing Arts’ youth stage show “Shrek Jr. the Musical.” The new Winter Garden community theater company is producing only its second show with a cast and crew of West Orange County youth.

LETTING YOUR LIGHT SHINE

Shine Bright Performing Arts is a youth-focused community theatre organization based in Winter Garden that is dedicated to providing a platform for young talents to express themselves, collaborate and grow in a way that boosts their confidence, empathy and artistic brilliance, said owner Rallia Westrick.

The company offers workshops, classes and Broadway-style productions for students of all experience levels. A sister company, Westrick Vocal Studio, provides one-on-one vocal and acting lessons.

Westrick has more than 12 years of experience serving the area, where she was born and raised. She comes from a long line of musicians and performers and grew up in her family-owned recording studio, Starke Lake Studios. She has always had the dream of opening her own theater company and is excited to help performers illuminate the stage.

Ryann Chioda is the artistic director and has been a part of community theater organizations as a performer and a director for more than 15 years. Originally from Chicago, Chioda learned the ins and outs of youth theater from some of the most successful organizations in the area.

Nicole Freeman is the co-director and choreographer for “Shrek Jr.”

“We met working at Disney, and when we began to grow our team, I knew we needed to bring her on,” Chioda said. “She has been instrumental in building our community.”

FROM THE GROUND UP

Westrick was giving vocal lessons out of her Winter Garden home but had run out of space and was in need of an actual studio. The theater company started as a conversation at Westrick’s kitchen table with Chioda, who agreed to return from Chicago to join Westrick in her venture.

The idea was to have one space for both a theater and vocal business to prosper.

Shine Bright launched in February with “Broadway and Beyond,” featuring various songs from children’s shows. There were fewer than 20 children in that show.

As word spread, parents joined, too, and this summer’s programs have more than 50 students in stage shows and summer camp. The vocal studio has blossomed from 75 to 146 in a few short months.

“We’re five months in, and it’s incredible to see that both companies have doubled in size,” Westrick said.

Her own son, Grayson, who is 6, is participating in “Shrek Jr.” He had no prior acting experience, but with Chioda’s guidance and influence, Grayson is blossoming and becoming more confident.

“It truly has been Ryann who really is the heartbeat of Shine Bright and (allowed it to) become what it is,” Westrick said.

A homeschool program is opening in the fall, starting with “Annie Kids,” and then the mainstage production will be “High School Musical.”

Shine Bright also offers an internship program for high school students. Chioda said she built the program through her work with Chicago studios and wants to provide a space for high school and middle school students to learn more than acting techniques. They get experience in lessons such as how to direct scenes, how to teach the younger students and how to feel emotions when acting, she said.

“It’s a way for them to come in and still be part of a show,” Chioda said.

STAGING ‘SHREK’

Thirty-two children are performing onstage in “Shrek Jr.”

“I picked it because I wanted something big and fun and exciting,” Chioda said. “I think the message of the show aligns with our values at Shine Bright. In two of the songs, there’s a line that says, ‘What makes us special makes us strong,’ and I think that that is kind of what we preach to our community and our kids — ‘What makes you special and what makes you unique is what makes this team work.’

“We really try to lean into their unique qualities when we cast a show,” she said. “We let them come out of their shell and blossom. That’s what the show is about — be who you are.”

“I just feel like this is my home,” Westrick said. “There are a lot of theater companies in this area that students are a part of. … We just want to be an advocate for the kids in this area, whether you are with us or with other theater companies. We just want to grow them and push them to whatever they want to be.”

Shine Bright has five dedicated staff members, and Westrick Vocal Studio has seven — although there is some crossover between the two companies.

“Watching them be able to uplift the kids and give them the power and the realization that it’s within (is rewarding),” Westrick said. “For their vision to come alive, (students) have to realize their power and potential within them.”

CAST AND CREW OF ‘SHREK JR. THE MUSICAL’

Shrek – Davis Cornelison

Princess Fiona – Macallister Caracciolo

Donkey – Ember Davidson

Lord Farquaad – Zachary Sumerix

Dragon – Sierra Noyes

Young Fiona – Isabelle Sidabutar

Teen Fiona – Alexia Rose

Storyteller 1 – Eva Ruiz

Storyteller 2 – Zariah Williams

Storyteller 3 – Meryda Palladino

Mama Ogre – Tenlee Compton

Captain of the Guards – Emilia Giuliani

Guards – Samantha Perine, Emma Compton

Pinocchio – Ava Moser

Gingy – Berkley Rustmann

Big Bad Wolf – Isla Giuliani

Three Little Pigs – Grace Karrlsson-Willis, Beatrice Watts, Aria Leo

Wicked Witch – Kendall Sipe

Peter Pan – Grace Prendergast

Tinkerbell – Isabella Rivera-Liu

Ugly Duckling – Savannah Traylor

Mama Bear – Tenlee Compton

Baby Bear – Arwen Compton

Red Riding Hood – Alexia Rose

Fairy Godmother – Harper Clayton

Knights – Faith Gant, Savannah Traylor, Zariah Williams, Isabelle Sidabutar

Dragon Divas/Three Blind Mice – Kendall Sipe, Sierra Noyes, Faith Gant

Dragon Puppet – Samara Perine, Tenlee Compton

Pied Piper – Emma Compton

Bishop – Samara Perine

Dwarf – Harper Clayton

Duloc Dancers – Faith Gant, Alexia Rose, Savannah Traylor, Beatrice Watts, Kendall Sipe, Isabelle Sidabutar, Zariah Williams, Eva Ruiz, Meryda Palladino, Isla Giuliani

Dance Captain – Faith Gant

Interns – Lizzie Benedict, Esther George, Bella Gower, Malaya Richards

Sound – Kay Brazzell, Carter Dominger, Natasha Lyndsay

Lights – Henry Firmino, Amelia Sumerix