Archive | March, 2024

Ruff Day Resort celebrates grand re-opening

31 Mar

I always appreciate the opportunity to write about businesses which are not only successful in this difficult economic environment, but are actually growing.

That’s the case for Ruff Day Resort, a daycare and overnight resort for dogs. Owner Amy Holtz opened her first location on Empire Blvd. eight years ago. It didn’t take too long to outgrow that space, and not long ago she moved to a much larger location on Gravel Rd. in Webster, pretty much across the street from Abbott’s.

The new Gravel Rd. location features more than 5,800 sq. ft. of mud-free K9 grass. Inside there’s 8,000 sq. ft. of play area, training and boarding space. There’s also a luxury boarding area with luxury studio apartments, offering a real dog vacation area.

On Saturday April 13, the pup-loving community is invited as Amy celebrates her Spring Fling Grand Re-opening Party and fundraiser for homeless pets from 10 a.m. to noon with tours of the facility, adoptable puppies/dogs from local rescues, refreshments, snacks, photos, prizes and more.

Special guests at the event include New 2 U Rescue, North Paw Rescue, RocDog, Lucabear & Friends Pet Photography, NY Sugar Art, Stop the 22, Mouse Vacation Planning and others. All proceeds from the day will be donated to RocDog, North Paw and New 2 U, nonprofit organizations dedicated to alleviating the plight of homeless and abandoned companion animals.

Can’t make the party? You can also check out the facility when Ruff Day hosts a Community Pet CPR event on Sunday April 7 at 2 p.m. Click here for more details about that.

For more information on Ruff Day Resort, visit www.ruffdayresort.com or call 585-347-4033.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 3/31/2024)

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The Webster Public Library: more than meets the eye

30 Mar

I learned something really cool the other day: you can borrow snowshoes from the Webster Public Library.

SNOWSHOES!

They’re just one of 19 “Experience Kits” which the library offers for one-week loans. The kits run the gamut of indoor and outdoor activities, including how-to kits for knitting and crocheting, gardening basics, bug catching, yoga and rock collecting. But there’s also a ghost hunting kit (including an EMF meter), a metal detector, a telescope kit and a GoPro camera — and you can just BORROW any one of them!

Now, I’ve always known that the library is a pretty terrific place, but when WPL Director Adam Traub and Outreach Coordinator Jason Poole spoke at this month’s Webster Chamber of Commerce breakfast they reminded me about some pretty cool things at the library that’d I had forgotten about.

Like, next time you’re on vacation, you can borrow an Empire Pass, which will get you into any NYS Park for free. You can get VIP passes for places like Geva Theater, Corning Museum of Glass and the George Eastman House. You can even borrow a Kindle or a wifi hotspot.

So, now you know. The Webster Public Library is more than just books.

On that subject, here are a few special events coming up at the library which you might be interested in:

Community eclipse event

If you’re still not sure where you plan to settle for the once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse on April 8, consider joining the library for their Community Eclipse Event at the Webster Recreation Center. The all-ages event will feature eclipse crafts and activities, storytime, a scavenger hunt, photo booth, yoga, bounce house (weather permitting), outdoor games, raffles, refreshments, WPL eclipse merchandise, eclipse glasses for viewing, and more!

It all happens from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. Registration is not required.

Special Needs Parent Resource Fair

The library will host a Special Needs Parent Resource Fair on Saturday April 20 from 10 a.m. to noon. This is especially designed for parents, guardians or caregivers looking for more information about resources and opportunities in our community for children and adults with special needs. More than 50 agencies from all around Rochester are already signed up. Click here to see the list of participants.

Caregivers can come any time during the time of the fair and ask questions and get information. If you’re unable to attend, information about the attending organizations will be available upon request. Registration is not required unless you’d like to be reminded of the event. Click here to register.  

If you are an organization that would like to participate, please email jennifer.paxson@libraryweb.org.

Friends of the Library Book Sale

Mark your calendars for the annual Friends of the Webster Public Library spring book sale. This year’s sale takes place April 24 to 27, with all books priced 50 cents (paperbacks) or $1 (hardcovers).

The Friends Members Night will be April 24 from 4 to 7 p.m. In addition to the great variety of gently used books at great prices, this year the Friends we have added a Mini Vintage and Collectible Book Sale only available on the Friends Members Night.  A small collection of vintage and collectible books in good to excellent condition will be available for $8 to $200. Friends memberships will be available at the door.

The General Public Sale will begin Thursday, April 25 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., with a bag sale on Friday, April 26 (bring your own bag and fill it for just $5). The bag sale continues Saturday April 27, from 10 a.m. to noon.

All proceeds will benefit the Webster Public Library.  

Diverse Abilities Dialogues — In-person real parent experience panel

If you’re a parent of, or caregiver for, a person with developmental disabilities, this next program might also interest you.

On Wednesday May 1 from 11 a.m. to noon, Parents Helping Parents, Challenger Miracle Field and the Webster Public Library will host a Diverse Abilities Dialogue panel presentation by parents who have children with developmental disabilities. Each parent will talk about their unique situations and answer questions. The parents are not physicians, but can speak about their practical experience dealing with every day issues. 

Panel presenters will be Brittany Jencik, Kim Dooher and Danielle Salamone from Parents Helping Parents; Beth Cunico, Director of Challenger Miracle Field; Mandy Kresge, Chair of Webster SEPTA; and Jenny Paxson from the Webster Public Library. 

Nazareth students will be on hand to offer respite care while you attend the program. 

Registration is required. Click here to register. If you can’t make it, the program will be live-streamed on YouTube and then recorded.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 3/30/2024)

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Community collaboration feeds families in need this holiday

29 Mar

More than 150 Webster families in need will have a holiday meal to put on the table this Easter, thanks to a new community collaboration among three local service agencies.

At a well organized and efficiently run drive-through event held Tuesday afternoon, 151 cars pulled through the United Church of Christ parking lot on Klem Rd., each collecting a shopping bag packed with the makings for a complete Easter dinner. Each bag included boxed potatoes, canned corn, canned green beans, apple juice, pasta, pasta sauce, mac and cheese, peanut butter, jelly, and either dinner rolls or sliced bread. In addition, each family received a gift card from Webster NY Hope to be used toward the purchase their choice of protein for the meal (like a ham).

Kris Lombardo, Tracy Dennis, Margery Morgan, Wendy Lesko
The food distribution volunteers

The free food distribution event was coordinated and run by a unique collaboration among three Webster service agencies: Webster NY Hope, Webster Community Chest and Gathering Place Webster. It grew from a need that has existed for several years, ever since the Webster Council of Churches discontinued its holiday food baskets program.

The idea came to Wendy Lesko at Gathering Place and Tracy Dennis at Webster Community Chest almost at the same time. They combined forces with Margery Morgan at Webster Hope, and plans were put into motion.

It was the first time the agencies had collaborated on a project like this. Each organization helped spread the word, and the original plan was to allow only 100 families to sign up. But several days before the scheduled distribution, that number had grown to 151 families, which put everyone into overdrive.

“I sent an email to all of the churches, all of the Scout leaders that I knew of, and some women’s groups,” Lesko said. “I explained the collaboration and our goal. I had a grocery list and asked them to consider signing up.” Several Scout groups and a handful of churches responded, but the group was still far short of what they needed to fill all the bags.

So they sent out another message through social media, this time asking for help from the Webster community in general. By Monday, the day before the distribution was scheduled, all of the necessary items had been collected. Then, that night, 44 community members — adults and lots of children — showed up at The Gathering Place to pack all 151 bags. It took them only a half hour.

“The community did this,” Lesko said. “It was a really remarkable thing.“

The goal is to hold a food distribution event four times a year: Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and perhaps a barbecue or picnic sometime during the summer. And now that the whole team is in place, and they know the effort will be well supported by the Webster community, they’ll be feeding 150 families each time.

More than 40 people showed up to help pack the bags

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 3/29/2024)

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Santa keeps his word

27 Mar

When children visit with Santa in the weeks before Christmas to deliver their wish lists, they always have a lot of questions. How many elves are at the North Pole? What are the names of your reindeer? What kind of cookies do you like? But one question that Santa doesn’t get very often: will you come to my birthday party?

That’s the question 4-year old Claire Thornquist posed to at least one of the Santas she visited last December. And Santa said that he would try.

Fast forward three months, and little Claire was helping plan her 5th birthday party, to be held at Northern Hemisphere Gymnastics on Barrett Rd. When it was time to put the invitation list together, it naturally included lots of school and neighborhood friends. But it was missing one special person.

“We didn’t know she was going to remember and hold us to that,” Claire’s mother Jennifer said. “But when it was time to do the list for her party, she said, ‘You’re forgetting about Santa. He said he was coming.’ So I really had to make it happen.”

Jennifer’s first thought was that since Santa has a lot going on off-season, they might not be able to find one who had time for them. Tracking down that one Santa who had said yes would not be easy. Then a friend put her in touch with Webster’s very own Santa Jim, known very well in the village for his appearances at the Village Hall and in the Parade of Lights during Winter Wonderland.

“He was more than gracious and actually said that he could squeeze us into his schedule,” Jennifer said, “so I wasn’t going to get worried until it was time to get worried.”

But even though this particular Santa was not the one to hear Claire’s original request, he would not disappoint her. Because Santa always keeps his word.

Santa presents Claire with the first gift of Christmas
Claire and her mom Jennifer with Santa

So on Saturday, March 23, Santa took a break from working with his elves at the North Pole to make a cameo appearance at Claire’s birthday party. Jennifer was a bit concerned that some of the kids would be confused or even scared to see Santa off-season. But she needn’t have been worried. When they saw Santa come down the hall, every single one of the party guests forgot about the birthday cake in front of them and swarmed around the jolly old elf.

And of course, Claire’s face lit up with the biggest smile as she ran to give Santa a huge hug.

Santa’s visit was short, only about 15 minutes, but it was enough time for him to give Claire a very memorable gift — a large silver bell, the first gift of Christmas — and to give every child some individual attention. It was an unforgettable birthday indeed, thanks to a Santa who strives to make every child feel special.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 3/27/2024)

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Some more thoughts on the Bay Bridge’s birthday

26 Mar

I’ve said this before, but it always surprises me how many people enjoy my blogs about local history.

Case in point, the recent History Bit piece I wrote about the Irondequoit Bay Bridge. It celebrated a birthday in February, and I commemorated the occasion with a quick look back at when it was built.

Even though I posted it two weeks ago, it continues to get at least a few hits every day, and has received a lot of interesting and amusing comments. I want to thank everyone who chimed in, and would like to share a few of those comments today. (Make sure to read all the way to the end to see the special email I got this morning.)

  • Cindy Frank wrote, “I have pics from construction of the bridge … My dad would drive to Dewitt Rd. and we’d walk down to construction area.” 
  • Ralph Derleth and his grandpa watched from Point Pleasant while carp fishing.
  • Several people report having driven over the bridge before it was officially open. Ralph Derleth, Brian Hegedorn, Tom McCoy, and Don and Judy Herman reportedly it on snowmobiles.
  • George Baker remembers “driving around the barricades of the unopened new bridge and testing the limits of the speedometer of my GTO, more than once.”
  • Linda Abson remembers that her neighbor on Oneida Lake, Bob Patriage, was one of the engineers on the project. He passed away two years ago at age 98.
  • Carol Lindquist posted, “I grew up next to the bridge, my parents took us down to walk on it. One time we took our bikes and I rode my tricycle across it. My mom told me a story: Our first house was on the original Inspiration Point Road which was bought by the state. Our house was put on a trailer and moved all the way across Webster to John Glen Blvd. My mom was driving down the road and had to pull to the side for an oversized load, it was our house! We built a new house in the new Inspiration Pt. Rd.”
  • Nell Herman did some research, and reported, “I Googled the little boy that was taken across the bridge to the hospital. It looks like he became a detective. It looks like he followed in the footsteps of that police officer who made the decision to drive across the bridge.”
  • Dave McKibben sent along this nice story: “My mom told me a funny story of when this was being built… Her grandfather lived close by and would go down to the construction site and “take his tools back.” After realizing he had dementia, the workers would come to his house before their shift to “borrow his tools.” Some would even play along enough to return them after their shift. It was a different time back then…”

Finally, I just heard this morning from Mary Alice Moore, the mother of the little boy with the medical emergency who was transported across the bridge that cold morning. She wrote,

That little boy that was taken across the bridge to save his life was my son, Kevin Lohse. It was one of the scariest days of my life. It happened a couple days after his first birthday. I always checked on him and his sister if I got up in the night. When I checked Kevin he was barely breathing and had a very high temperature. Immediately called 911. His bedroom was upstairs but for some reason my husband carried him downstairs to the dining room table and started giving him mouth to mouth.

The first policeman that arrived minutes after we called almost passed out when he saw Kevin. I think he must have been very young and new on the job. Yes, they made the quick decision to open the barricade to get to Rochester General quickly in order to save his life.

I am convinced that I found Kevin as he was experiencing SDS. We came home from the hospital the same day and he was fine after the temperature came down. Only God knows for sure! Kevin and I participated in the ribbon cutting of the Bay Bridge that summer! Yes in fact Kevin is a detective in Ohio.

Do you have some memories from when the Bay Bridge was built? Add a comment on my blog or on my Facebook post!

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 3/26/2024)

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Neighborhood tradition that began during COVID is still going strong

24 Mar

Those of us fortunate enough to live in Webster know the feeling of community we get from being part of a small town. We wave at our neighbors as we take our walks, hang over the back fence to talk about the news of the day, maybe even organize a block party. But the residents of one Webster neighborhood have taken the idea of neighborliness to a much greater level, with a nightly — and very long-running — happy hour.

The tradition began in March 2020, just as the pandemic was shutting the world down. We were all resigning ourselves to putting our lives, and relationships with our our friends and family members, on hold for the foreseeable future.

That idea didn’t sit well with Jack Turan. He’d heard about how, in small towns all across Italy, residents were opening their shutters, sitting in their windows with their glasses of wine, and singing. The story gave him an idea: how about meeting up with his neighbors, outdoors, to enjoy a beverage and socially-distanced conversation?

That was the evening of March 22, 2020, and the beginning of a nightly tradition in one north Webster neighborhood that has continued every day since.

They call it the neighborhood “Yack with Jack Happy Hour.” Sometimes only two neighbors show up, especially if the weather is iffy. Other evenings it might be as many as 10 or 12. But the nightly streak has been unbroken now for four straight years, and on Sunday afternoon, almost two dozen adults and children gathered at the end of Jack Turan’s driveway to celebrate.

Pizzas on the grill by Jack Turan

Everyone brought a snack to share (there was an abundance of sweets) and someone popped a bottle of champagne for a toast. But that was pretty much all of the officially planned activities for the evening; the rest of the time was spent just like every other night, chatting and laughing with friends and neighbors.

Even after four years, and even though COVID is becoming just a bad memory, there’s absolutely no plans to call an end to the happy hours.

“It will go as long as people want it to go,” Jack said. “There’s times when we say, how long should this go on? Then we look at each other and say, why would we want to end this? … It would be tough if all of a sudden we said, this is our last night.” 

And even after four years, “We still find fun things to talk about,” added Sue Coulon. “I have not been out a night when I haven’t chuckled and laughed.”

Wouldn’t it be great if all had neighbors that would do that for us every night of our lives? 

Jack raises a toast
Duck races — a new tradition? Stay tuned

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 3/24/2024)

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Serving up burgers your way for almost 40 years

23 Mar

It’s not at all unusual to hear about people who’ve been working for the same company for 20, 30 or more years, especially when we talk about Kodak and Xerox. But working for 40 years at Burger King?

That’s the case for one longtime and very loyal employee at the Burger King on Hard Rd. in Webster. If you’re a regular customer there, you most certainly know Gail, or at least would recognize her, because she’s been serving up Whoppers there — and at Burger King’s previous location on Main Street in the village — for almost 40 years.

Gail began her Burger King career in 1977, shortly after she moved from the city to North Penfield with her husband and three children. It was that year her youngest began kindergarten, and she decided she wanted to get a part-time job to fill the time when her kids were in school.

But why Burger King? Simply because “it was available,” she said. “They had a sign out.” Gail was hired as a cashier, and worked there for 23 years, welcoming customers every morning with a smile and a friendly face.

Clearly, the job was a perfect fit. “I love people,” Gail said. “I like the camaraderie, the customers and the great crew.”

When her husband passed away in 1997, life took a turn and she had to leave her beloved position at Burger King for a full-time job as a housekeeping manager at the Fairfield Inn. She worked there for eight years, then spent some time babysitting her grandchildren, until they, also, were all enrolled in school.

It was time to find a part-time job again. Naturally, her first stop was her old home, Burger King. The restaurant had since moved from its Main Street location to Hard Road, but Jen, the manager who had originally hired her, was still there.

“I told her I wanted to come back,” Gail said. “I asked her, would you hire me part-time? That was 15 years ago and here I am again.”

You’ll see Gail behind the front counter 20 to 25 hours a week, mostly in the mornings. “I like the front counter because there’s more interaction with the customers,” she said. “I have my customers and I know what they want. … I like the customers and I love the crew I work with. … It’s fun.”

I asked Gail if she was planning to hang around for a while. She didn’t even have a chance to answer before her manager yelled from across the dining room, “She’s not going anywhere!”

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It’s worth noting that Gail is not the only staff member at our Webster Burger King who’s been there pretty much forever.

Nicolle Barnhart got her first job at the Main St. restaurant in 1987, right out of high school. She began in the kitchen, moved up to cash register and ultimately became restaurant manager for the Webster store. Aside from being moved around to other locations a few times, in 37 years she’s never left Burger King.

“I never thought I was going to do this for a living,” Nicole said. But, she added, working there is like having “another family.”

Sounds like a pretty cool place to work.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 3/23/2024)

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Veterans remembered again on Wreath Retirement Day

22 Mar

Do you remember National Wreaths Across America Day last Dec. 16? On that day, about 1,000 community volunteers placed 1,350 Veteran Wreaths in three Webster cemeteries: Webster Union Cemetery, Webster Rural Cemetery, and Union Hill Cemetery. It was an incredible outpouring of support from the Webster community, a truly touching ceremony and a moving tribute to our veterans. (Click here to read the blog I wrote about that day.)

For three months the wreaths rested among the grave markers, reminding every visitor of the great number of Webster residents who have fought for our country.

Unfortunately, however, the wreaths couldn’t stay there forever. So last Saturday March 16, a much smaller, but no less dedicated, group of community members collected the wreaths from all three cemeteries and gathered them together in a huge pile at Webster Union Cemetery, where members of the Webster Volunteer Fire Department set them ablaze in a controlled burn. As the wreaths burned, volunteers said a final thank you for honoring and remembering our heroes.

It was a sad day in some respects, as months of nonstop planning and effort went up in flames. But it was comforting to know that, just like on the day they were placed, each time a wreath was removed from a headstone, a veteran was remembered once again.

A total of 55 adults and children participated in the retirement effort. Many thanks to the following groups and businesses who volunteered their time that day: KeyBank in Webster; L3Harris Technologies;  Military Vets Usmvmc NY6 – Finger Lakes; Webster VFW Post 9483; 209th Regiment of Cadets; and Webster Union Cemetery staff members.

Special thanks to MISSION BBQ in Henrietta, Jersey Mike’s Subs in Webster and Mayer’s Cider Mill  in Webster for providing lunch to all the volunteers. (And many thanks to Cherie Wood for the photos.)  

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National Wreaths Across America Day 2024 will be held on December 14, and this year Holy Trinity will be joining the list of Webster cemeteries who will honor and remember our veterans.

This year’s goal for Webster is 2,110 veteran wreaths, one for every hero resting in Webster Union Cemetery, Union Hill Cemetery, Webster Rural Cemetery, and Holy Trinity. Please mark your calendars now and plan to bring your family out to help place the wreaths.

Clearly, lots of wreaths will be needed. In the past, most of them have been sponsored one at a time by community members. Wreath sponsorships for this year’s ceremony are now being taken. Cost is $17, and right now, for every two wreaths sponsored, Webster will receive one free. Click here to find out more.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 3/22/2024)

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Thomas Landscape named Webster Chamber Business of the Month

20 Mar

Congratulations to Thomas Landscape and Design on being named the Webster Chamber of Commerce Business of the Month for March 2024.

Thomas Landscape and Design, at 775 Ridge Rd. Webster, has served the greater Webster community for 46 years with full-service landscape, lawn, tree and shrub selection; design, planting and maintenance; and garden center and nursery services. Led by owner Richard Thomas, the business employs 46 full- and part-time employees, with 18 trucks.

Upon presenting the award, Chamber President & CEO Barry Howard stated,

Second-generation businesses send a strong message. Some characteristics of this business stand out to me as success factors: Richard’s vision of this service starting as a high school student, outdoor passion, strong work ethic, customization, visual attraction, steady business building over time, including bricks and mortar, and a commitment to the community. They are a solid example of success for our community.

In addition to their landscape work for community members and businesses, the talented Thomas Landscape staff members have for more than 35 years maintained the WEBSTER bushes that greet visitors on Rt. 104 east of the Bay Bridge, and are working hard to bring them back to their full beauty following the vandalism many years ago. (Click here to read more about that.)

Owner Richard Thomas and his wife Pam have started the transition toward retirement, and Richard’s daughter Heather and her fiancé Tony will be stepping into leadership roles. But you’ll still see Richard and his wife at work. Their retirement will progress in stages to ensure a smooth transfer of responsibilities, while maintaining and building upon their 46 years of success. 

The Webster Chamber of Commerce presents a Business of the Month award to one of their member businesses at each of their monthly breakfast meetings. It’s one way the Chamber helps keep their member businesses and organizations visible throughout the Webster community.

The next breakfast meeting is this Friday March 22, beginning at 7 a.m. at the Webster Recreation Center. Network with as many as 90 business and organizational leaders before breakfast, enjoy an informative program and then take part in the “pass-the-mic” time, when everyone has an opportunity to be visible.

Visitors and members are welcome. Please register here.

Pictured above: (L-R) Tony Zucco, Heather Thomas, Pam Thomas and Richard Thomas accepting the award from Webster Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Carolyn Montanaro.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 3/20/2024)

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Thomas brings ogre-sized family fun to the stage with Shrek the Musical

19 Mar

I have a new favorite fairy tale: Shrek.

I never thought about Shrek as a fairy tale, but it really is, complete with a princess, a dragon, a villain, castles and lots of adventure. It’s a touching love-found-then-lost-then-found-again story that just happens to include all of our favorite fairy tale characters, led by Shrek the ogre, an unlikely (and very ugly) hero.

In 2008, the very popular DreamWorks film was turned into an award-winning Broadway musical, and you can see it this weekend, when Webster Thomas High School presents Shrek the Musical in four shows, Thursday through Saturday March 21 to 23.

I had the pleasure to sit in on Monday night’s dress rehearsal. At this particular rehearsal, none of the cast members was wearing full makeup, but that detracted little from the pure fun that these young actors brought to the stage.

Shrek the Musical is not a word-for-word rehash of the film, but that’s one of the things I found so delightful about the production. You’ll recognize much of the dialogue, and the story line is the same. But all of the songs are new, except for one at the very end which you will most certainly recognize, during a curtain call you will not want to miss.

And of course, all of the characters you’ve come to know and love were there: Shrek (Marcello Serventi), who just wants to be left alone to enjoy his swamp in peace; wisecracking Donkey (Matteo Serventi), who just wants to be Shrek’s BFF; the beautiful and feisty Fiona (Alyssa Walsh) and despicable Farquaad (Jamie McCarthy). They’re supported by 50 more cast, crew and pit orchestra members. Together, they transport the audience into a fairy tale world where, ultimately, love conquers all.

If you don’t know Shrek the movie, you need to see this wonderful production. If you DO know Shrek the movie, you definitely need to see this fresh take on the beloved story. The whole family will love it.

Webster Thomas High School will present Shrek the Musical on Thursday, Friday and Saturday March 21-23 at 7 p.m. each evening, with a matinee performance on Saturday at 1 p.m. The show (including intermission) runs about two and a half hours. Reserve-seat tickets are $14 and can be purchased here. Tickets are still available, but this show will likely sell out, so reserve yours soon.

Webster Thomas High School is located at 800 Five Mile Line Rd.

Check out this slideshow of photos from the rehearsal:

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 3/5/2024)

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