A GROUP of talented youngsters are getting ready to put on a show that has been a long time coming in Chester.

The cast of Shrek the Musical were delighted to hear that, following the easing of Covid restrictions in July, they’ll finally be able to stage their show at Storyhouse to full audiences this month.

Castaway Theatre, the group behind the production, had originally scheduled the show for September 2020. It had to be rescheduled for a second time earlier this year, much to the dismay of the 60+ young performers involved.

Castaway was founded in 1999 as a registered charity. Its aim is to offer the next wave of young theatrical talent from the North West the chance to perform in large-scale musicals at a professional venue, supported by a professional creative and technical team.

The cast are now back in rehearsals, putting the finishing touches to what promises to be a spectacular production when it takes to the stage from September 16-19.

Artistic director Karen Partington said: “It’s so exciting to be back in the rehearsal room with the cast – they have all been true professionals over the last 12 months with the constant setbacks and false starts we’ve endured.

"During lockdown we rehearsed on Zoom to keep the cast enthusiastic and engaged. We’ve been back rehearsing over the last few weeks socially distanced, which brought its own set of challenges given the large cast we have.

"It’s such a relief that these future young stars will finally get the chance to perform to a full audience and see their hard work pay off!”

This is the first time that Shrek the Musical has been available to perform in the UK, outside of London’s West End and professional tours. It’s a feel-good musical suitable for all the family.

Tickets are are available from https://www.storyhouse.com/event/shrek and start from £16.