Spotlight on Christian Meany as Shrek

For Christian Meany, the best part about being an actor is the opportunity to become someone new and different with every show.

“I get to completely change who I am every time, to be someone else and do something new,” said Christian.

That’s more true than ever with the current character he’s playing.

Christian takes on the larger than life and ever so green role of Shrek in Patel Conservatory Theater’s production of Shrek the Musical.

“When I was a kid, I saw Shrek, and now I’m getting to be Shrek,” he said. “It’s one of my favorite shows that I’ve ever done. It’s really high energy. You can do whatever you want with  your character.”

Christian, 15, of Valrico, played Donkey in Shrek the Musical with Music Showcase in Brandon. A student at Tampa Catholic High School, he’s performed with Music Showcase since he was eight years old, including as Horton in Seussical the Musical Jr., Aladdin in Aladdin Jr., Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, Jr. and as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof Jr. He also sings with his church choir.

Christian in Fiddler on the Roof

This will be his first show with the Patel Conservatory. He had seen a couple of shows here in the past and enjoyed them. So when looking for new opportunities this summer, he decided to audition for Shrek. He was surprised when he found out he’d been cast as the lead.

“There’s a lot of talented kids here."

Certainly a script like Shrek helps cast members bond pretty quickly. From have a burping contest with Fiona to sharing jokes with Donkey, "I've really gotten to know everyone," he said.

In addition to the light-hearted humor, Christian said director Suzanne Livesay has helped the cast delve deeper into their characters for the more tender moments.

"I definitely think it’s going to be a really good show. It has a lot of emotion, unlike the movie, but it’s still really funny.”

Don’t miss Christian as everyone’s favorite ogre in Shrek The Musical, July 16-26, 2015 at the Patel Conservatory’s TECO Theater.