“Shrek” On Stage At Saugatuck

“The show must go on” is a cliché. But Saugatuck Elementary School has managed to make lemonade out of lemons.

When COVID struck, they kept their upcoming show — “The Little Mermaid” — afloat. They turned clips into a video, and showed it on the big Remarkable Theater screen.

That was such a hit, they did a fully recorded show — “Charlie Brown” — over Zoom last year. Again, it delighted many Remarkable movie-goers.

After two years, the youngsters are back on the SES stage.

Saugatuck Theater Club is producing “Shrek The Musical JR.” The theme — “what makes us special makes us strong” — is timely, considering recent events like the sudden focus on Jada Pinkett Smith’s alopecia.

Fiona (Ayla Ciano-Buckley, 5th grade, and understudies (from left) Sofia Amron (3rd grade) and Ella O’Brien (4th).

This being Westport, the Saugatuck El kids have a special coach/mentor: Broadway star Kelli O’Hara. She’s helping director Katie Bloom — along with the usual staff members and parent volunteers, who have waited 2 years for the chance.

The curtain rises Friday, April 8 (7 p.m). Performances follow the next day (Saturday, April 9) at 1 and 6:30 p.m. Click here for tickets.

Mila Carbino (3rd grade), one of the 3 pigs protesting Lord Farquad’s discrimination against the nonconformists of Duloc.