Southern Coalition for the Arts set up at the Coalfield Jamboree on Tuesday to kick-off Shrektember and give away 100 free tickets to mining families.
LOGAN, W.Va. — Shrektember has officially kicked off in the town of Logan. In a kickoff party held on Tuesday, Southern Coalition for the Arts gave away 100 tickets for Shrek the Musical playing the first two weekends of September.
Coalition Managing Director Jamie Butcher says the kick-off, which fell the day after Labor Day, was to honor the heart of Logan and southern West Virginia: coalminers. The group offered free tickets to the first hundred people through the doors wearing mining stripes, a work uniform or the color green.
During the kick-off event, free barbeque was provided by Fat Jacks and, along with the free tickets to the premiere, vouchers were given away for free Hot Cup drinks and pastries from Rock City Bakery. The group also sold concession, t-shirts and Shrek ears.
A great turn out of people shows just how excited the city is for the premiere showing.
Local businesses are doing their part in “painting the town green.” Hot Cup has created a special drink called Swamp Mud just for Shrektember. The drink is sweet, tasting a bit like butterscotch, and is colored green for effect. The local bakeries are also showing support. Rock City has an entire menu of Shrek themed pastries for customers, and NuEra Bakery teamed with Southern Coalition so that anyone who purchased Shrek ears and wore them to the bakery got a free, Shrek-themed cupcake. Lots of the businesses in town are also taking part in the window decorating contest hosted by the City of Logan.
Mayor Serafino Nolletti, who signed the official proclamation naming the month Shrektember, loves seeing all of the local businesses supporting the arts.
“We have so much talent in Logan County and surrounding counties,” Nolletti said. “I’ve been to some of these high school plays in the last couple of years and there is so much talent there. Having more opportunities for the arts is a great thing. It gets people involved. Gets them out from behind the television screens and computer screens. As a human it’s important to be involved in things.”
Nolletti says the arts are a perfect way to get involved. They create companionship and give those involved a new family. The estimated 50 person ensemble includes a 36 person cast, as well as volunteers for lighting, makeup, costumes, props, etc. Coaltion’s Sara Alberts will make her debut as director during this show. Alberts is excited, and says she knows Logan County will love the show.
“It’s going to be so different from anything they’ve seen done in the Coalfield before…
