They can’t wait to meet musical theatre star Lucy Durack.
Some of them have already shared the stage with opera singers and leading actors such as Hugo Weaving. And they’ve all had to keep a secret for two months (although a couple of trusted girlfriends were sworn to secrecy).
Now five Sydney performers can finally reveal they’ll be sharing the role of Young Princess Fiona in Shrek The Musical, starring opposite Ben Mingay as the green ogre himself and, of course, the beautiful Durack as the adult Princess Fiona.
The show opens on January 1 at Sydney Lyric Theatre.
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The lucky youngsters are Mia Honeysett, eight, of West Pennant Hills; Amelia Heaven, 10, of Grays Point; Amelie Rose, 11, of Allambie Heights; and Audrey Brodie of Liverpool and Holly Simon of Rodd Point, both 12.
The show is based on the 2001 animated film Shrek, which was in turn based on William Steig’s 1990 book Shrek! All five girls were thrilled to be cast.
“I cried happy tears, not sad tears,” Amelia said.
“I did this little girl dance for my mum,” Mia said.
None of them mind that their character eventually turns green.
“It’s kind of cool,” Holly said.
Holly performed in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof with Sydney Theatre Company, and both she and Amelie were in Opera Australia’s La Boheme this year. The other girls have been in many amateur theatre productions before now turning professional.
Shrek The Musical in Sydney is being produced by John Frost in association with DreamWorks. It was written by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire to a score by Jeanine Tesori.