
Life Lessons - Behind the Scenes of SHREK the MUSICAL
by 3-D Theatricals.
While other media correspondents may wish to write about the show cast and the celebrities involved with an entertainment project, I have chosen to give readers insight to the “behind the scenes” of one of the most robust regional theaters in the United States – 3-D Theatricals. My hope is that I may inspire some of you to put down your electronics to enjoy live theater. To give you an incentive… I am offering an opportunity to enter a giveaway for tickets – four of them to a wonderful family production of SHREK- The Musical!
It takes a village to make what happens on a stage seem effortless and par excellence! Let's go behind the scenes and discover the making of SHREK- the Musical!

Meet Gigi Meese
"Pure joy", is how Gigi Meese, Director of Community Relations for 3-D Theatricals described this production of SHREK - The Musical.
Gigi was kind enough to carve out time at the end of a busy day to chat with me about the history and marketing aspects of 3-D Theatricals. I loved speaking with Gigi, learning about her unique name, how she met Leslie Caron and also her hopes for one day seeing Man of the LaMancha as a season musical selection.
Related: See video at the very end about her meeting the actress who immortalized the musical, Gigi - Leslie Caron.
What I learned about this theater, set, costumes, team and more-
I was surprised to learn that the team behind the scenes is smaller than I expected. They all have double and triple duties . Does that upset anyone? – Seemingly not. In fact, this group embraces the challenges as many have been with 3-D Theatricals for years. And, they truly are family – literally!
3-D Theatricals hasn’t just popped on the scene overnight. In fact, the company has a history of starting in Fullerton, California and then adding Redondo Beach as a venue. In the last year, however, they have exclusively performed at the Cerritos Performing Arts Center. This is a gorgeous playhouse with a stage that can can be “in the round” and a traditional stage. It is simply a lovely place with an “old world” theater feel in a newer building. The box seats (and there are many) are simply charming.
Related: Cerritos Performing Arts Center seating chart
Gigi also described the 3-D Theatricals audience. They are diverse in age and travel from many zip codes. I piqued my interviewees interest when asked if there was an opportunity for a sign language interpreted production (you know how I love inclusion and access). We spoke a bit about this subject and now I bet there will be soon!
“Everything you see is on the stage”, said Gigi – meaning that a large part of the monies spent are used to keep the authenticity of the SHREK production.
And the quality shows as they have obtained authentic and original sets and costumes with local craftsmen employed to make sure everything looks A+.
Let’s chat about the CAST. They are OUTSTANDING! Regional theater is a career – not a hobby. And, after witnessing a practice session, I can tell you that 3-D Theatrical indeed brought to Cerritos very talented directors and performers.
Marketing for a production this massive with a very good sized theater can prove to be a challenge. But, Gigi relayed that they have heavily entered the digital age with marketing efforts largely on social media and Google. This has proven, thus far, to be a good formula as ticket sales are on the rise. The company would like to see a higher conversion to subscription sales to keep revenue streams up. Note that the subscription rate for the season is very reasonable and ticket prices for individual seats start at $20.
Watch for illegal ticket sales – Gigi wanted me to share. Apparently, there are some very “legitimate looking, but illegal” ticket sales happening. How to know you have a “real” ticket? Order only from the website or box office.
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Meet TJ Dawson – The 3D-Theatrical “Captain”
First admission, I have known TJ Dawson for a little bit over a year. He has energy to burn. So, it came as no surprise when I found out that the Executive Officer and Artistic Director of this company also is … wait for it… SHREK!
Once I learned that little nugget I ended up asking TJ to video answer some questions I had. I combined the questions in to one video – so sit back and the insights TJ shared. Plus, there may be surprise or two he reveals –
Practice Makes Perfect - Sneak Peek in to the Rehearsal of SHREK - the Musical
So - What are you waiting for? Get your tickets HERE and enter the GIVEAWAY! 🙂
When the curtains rises on August 9th there will be an ensemble cast that has rehearsed countless hours gracing the stage. I hope that I have enticed you with enough fun information that you will want to order tickets now. In fact, I’ll make it easy for you…
To order tickets (single or bulk) go here : CLICK FOR TICKETS
To enter my contest (see rules below) simply COMMENT on my FACEBOOK POST. If you win you will be contacted via FACEBOOK MESSENGER. CLICK HERE TO ENTER
THE FINE PRINT:
** Note entering is for an opportunity to win 4 TICKETS to see SHREK the MUSICAL via 3D-Theatrical Summer of 2019 production. You may not exchange these four tickets for any other production. You must call the box office to get the tickets for the night or matinee you wish. Travel, food, and drinks are not covered. (*Parking is free) You may not be a relative of mine (sorry kids!) These tickets may not be exchanged for cash or credit.
Winner is randomly chosen via a digital random selector. Winner will be announced on Wednesday, August 7th before midnight, Eastern Time. Must submit a comment on FACEBOOK (see above) before 11:59pm on August 7, 2019 to be eligible to enter. ONE COMMENT PER PERSON.