{"id":289628,"date":"2026-05-30T01:12:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-30T01:12:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/289628\/"},"modified":"2026-05-30T01:12:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-30T01:12:10","slug":"cypress-lake-high-students-performing-two-youth-shows-saturday-at-fort-myers-fringe-festival-wgcu-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/289628\/","title":{"rendered":"Cypress Lake High students performing two youth shows Saturday at Fort Myers Fringe Festival | WGCU News"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the third consecutive year, Cypress Lake High School students will take part in the Fort Myers Fringe Festival. Program director Carmen Crussard says there\u2019s more than mere tradition involved.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really important for them to get out into the community, to get exposure in the community and just kind of welcome in new audiences and also just get more performance experience,\u201d Crussard said.<\/p>\n

\"Fort<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Fort Myers Fringe Festival<\/p>\n

\/<\/p>\n

Bill Taylor, Fort Myers Fringe Festival<\/p>\n

Six Cypress Lake High students will do two performances of ‘Why Won’t Zee Quack?’ on Saturday morning during Fort Myers Fringe Festival. <\/p>\n

The first of their two Fringe productions is \u201cWhy Won\u2019t Zee Quack?\u201d a children\u2019s show by local playwright Wayne Keller about a nonverbal duck.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a show about a family of ducks and one duck named Zee who is nonverbal,\u201d said Keller.<\/p>\n

Zee\u2019s siblings don\u2019t understand his inability to articulate his thoughts and feelings \u2014 or even answer simple, straightforward questions.<\/p>\n

The story was inspired by the playwright\u2019s son, Zander, who\u2019s on the autism spectrum. The ducks are a metaphor for the way people with disabilities \u2014 and their parents \u2014 are often ostracized when they venture out into the world. While Keller notes that society is making progress, many still are virtually excluded from social groups and gatherings.<\/p>\n

Keller delivers this message with humor and a Dr. Seuss-inspired rhyme about what people should \u2026 and should not feed to ducks in the wild.<\/p>\n

\"Fort<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Fort Myers Fringe Festival<\/p>\n

\/<\/p>\n

Bill Taylor, Fort Myers Fringe Festival<\/p>\n

Cypress Lake will also perform a modern retelling of ‘Elektra.’<\/p>\n

Cypress Lake will also perform a modern retelling of “Elektra.”<\/p>\n

This version calls into question whether the events actually happened or were, instead, the hallucination of a mentally ill young woman. First time student director Katie Cook explains her vision for this psychological thriller.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy vision with \u2018Elektra’ was really to have the thoughts of Elektra in her mind closing in on her throughout it, so at a lot of points in the show we have the chorus closing in on Elektra and being part of her mind and her thoughts and really controlling her throughout the show,\u201d Cook explained.<\/p>\n

Cypress Lake is one of the top high school theater programs in Southwest Florida. Its production of \u201cNatasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812\u201d was recently named best musical at the 2026 High School Musical Theatre Awards.<\/p>\n

Their talent and training are on full display in \u201cElektra.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy Won\u2019t Zee Quack?\u201d is Saturday at 10 and 11:30 a.m.<\/p>\n

\u201cElektra, a Modern Retelling\u201d is at 1 and 2:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

Both are in the Off Broadway Palm theater at Broadway Palm.<\/p>\n

\"All<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Fort Myers Fringe Festival<\/p>\n

\/<\/p>\n

Bill Taylor, Fort Myers Fringe Festival<\/p>\n

All Fort Myers Fringe shows take place in the Off Broadway Palm except ‘Josephine, A Dream Burlesque,’ which is at Florida Repertory Theatre on Sunday evening.<\/p>\n

MORE INFORMATION:<\/p>\n

About Cypress Lake High theatre program<\/p>\n

The theatre program at Cypress Lake High School reflects the formidable skills and considerable experience of theatre director and teacher Carmen Crussard, who also directs the Alliance Youth Theatre. For this year\u2019s High School Musical Theatre Awards, Crussard chose “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812\u201d as its competition piece.<\/p>\n

As WGCU noted in its spotlight of this show<\/a>, three aspects of this musical made it a huge risk as a musical theater competition piece for high school students. First is its genre- defying musical score, characterized by some as an electro-pop opera or, as lead actress Gigi Lieze-Adams said, \u201c18th century meets techno music.\u201d Next, it\u2019s based on a scandalous slice of Leo Tolstoy\u2019s \u201cWar and Peace.\u201d Finally, the story required a multi-tiered set, dozens of period costumes that possessed a rave, punk flair, and hundreds of lighting cues.<\/p>\n

The gamble paid off, both during its run and the cast\u2019s performance of a medley of songs from the show during the Musical Theatre Awards. The judges chose \u201cNastasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812\u201d as this year\u2019s Outstanding Overall Production, as well as winner in the Outstanding Performance by an Orchestra category.<\/p>\n

In addition, Gigi Lieze-Adams was named Outstanding Performer in a Female-Identifying Role, with Reagan Fournier, Gabriel Cruz and Christian Varela taking away runner-up honors as Outstanding Performer in a Supporting Female-Identifying Role, Outstanding Performer in a Male-Identifying Role and Outstanding Performer in Supporting Male-Identifying Role for their portrayals of Mary, Anatole and Balaga, respectively. In addition, Sasha Hirshberg received the Outstanding Student Technical Achievement Award for her costume design for \u201cNatasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812\u201d and Gigi Lieze-Adams was Outstanding Performer in the role of Natasha.<\/p>\n

More about \u2018Why Won\u2019t Zee Quack?<\/p>\n

In a world where every duckling is expected to quack, a quiet youngling, Zee, dares to be different. \u201cWhy Won’t Zee Quack?\u201d is a heartwarming tale about a non-verbal duckling who, despite being teased by his noisier siblings, ultimately becomes their unlikely hero. When danger strikes, it\u2019s his unique way of seeing the world \u2014 and his silent courage \u2014that saves the day. This charming play celebrates the power of individuality, the strength in differences, and the truth that every voice matters\u2026 even the ones we can\u2019t hear.<\/p>\n

When he\u2019s not tending bar at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, Wayne Keller is writing plays. Last year, Theatre Conspiracy performed the world premiere of his comedy, \u201cSharing the Same Umbrella\u201d in the Off Broadway Palm. It won BroadwayWorld\u2019s award for Best New Play.<\/p>\n

The prolific playwright pens more than 10 new plays per year.<\/p>\n

He also writes children\u2019s theater.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy son has special needs, and so I’ve come up with whole worlds that kind of serve as parables for my son,\u201d said Keller. \u201cWhy Won\u2019t Zee Quack?\u201d is the first of a series on six such stories.<\/p>\n

Having children of his own, Keller has read and watched a great deal of kids’ stories.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen so many terrible kid shows, but when you get something like a \u2018SpongeBob,\u2019 you’re like, \u2018You know what? I’m writing this for the kids, but I also have to keep the parents in mind too because they\u2019re likely to be watching it too.\u2019 So I write parables about different values and life lessons, but I won’t come across heavy-handed, and at the same time, I try to bring up the intelligence level and not stoop down to beneath them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although he\u2019s been writing plays for more than 20 years, Keller got his start in film. He quickly discovered that it\u2019s expensive and extremely time-intensive to convert a screenplay into a movie.<\/p>\n

\u201cWorking at Broadway Palm, I have been able to network with so many fabulous people, and it’s just been a domino effect of \u2018Hey, you should talk to this person, you should talk to that person.\u2019 That\u2019s how I met Lucy [Sundby] and how I met [Theatre Conspiracy Artistic Director] Bill [Taylor]. So it’s always networking and you just never know who you can work with.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another person Keller\u2019s met along the way is Rachael Endrizzi. She\u2019s an actor, director and teaching artist.<\/p>\n

Her acting resume includes both theater and film. Her stage credits include a number of productions in the Off Broadway Palm, including Bridget in “Nana Does Vegas\u201d (Off Broadway Palm, 2021), Anna in \u201c\u2018Til Theft Do Us Part\u201d (Off Broadway Palm, 2021), Linoleum in \u201cGreat American Trailer Park Musical\u201d (Off Broadway Palm, 2020) and \u201cA Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Show\u201d (Off Broadway Palm, 2019). She also recently directed “The 39 Steps” for Theatre Conspiracy.<\/p>\n

Through her Spark Theatre Company, she developed and produced \u201cWhy Won\u2019t Zee Quack?\u201d in Elyria, Ohio, where\u2019s she\u2019s subsequently traveled the show to 18 area schools. As a result, more than 3,500 students have gotten to see the story of Zee and his family. [A number of Southwest Florida theaters also take children\u2019s shows into area schools, including Naples Performing Arts Center, The Naples Players and Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota. Others, including Broadway Palm and Florida Repertory Theatre stage shows especially for preschool and elementary school children.]<\/p>\n

He\u2019s also partnered with Julian Sundby to create a cartoon based on the book that can be found on YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe came up with a little tune, got a professional narrator and condensed the story so that it\u2019s almost like a trailer of what you\u2019ll see in the stage play,\u201d said Keller.<\/p>\n

Keller hopes that \u201cWhy Won\u2019t Zee Quack?” and its sequels sensitize people to the challenges faced by children and the parents of children with disabilities when they go out in public.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope that people will pause a little bit when they see different parents with their children out in public and be a little bit more compassionate, be a little bit more patient and understanding,\u201d Keller said. \u201cIt is very easy for special needs kids to be frustrated and every child is different. So parents with special needs children really appreciate people\u2019s patience and understanding when we\u2019re out in public.\u201d<\/p>\n

His idea was to create a non-threatening story that enables other children and their parents to walk in the shoes of special needs children and their parents.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you get down to it, special needs persons have just some of the most beautiful hearts that you’ll ever come across,\u201d Keller added. \u201cYou just have to have your eyes open and see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Cypress Lake will perform \u201cZee\u201d twice on Saturday, the 11:30 show is already sold out. That\u2019s because the theater has been booked by the Challenger Baseball League.<\/p>\n

\u201cChallenger Baseball is a fantastic organization right here in Lee County,\u201d said Keller. \u201cWe have kids of different ages and all kinds of different special needs. It doesn’t matter what they are, every child gets to play. This is all about inclusion. No balls and no strikes, just smiles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seats are still available for the 10 o’clock show, and are only $5.<\/p>\n

Cast of \u2018Why Won\u2019t Zee Quack?\u2019<\/p>\n

Mama:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ella Maas
Dee:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tristan Michael
Stuffy:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Miracle Joston
Shiny:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Reagan Strachan
Zee:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Isaiah Beneche
Owl:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Harper Schofield
Stage Manager:\u00a0 Addy Myers<\/p>\n

Maas played the title role in Cypress Lake High\u2019s March production of Sarah Ruhl\u2019s \u201cEurydice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reagan Strachan was runner-up at the 2026 High School Musical Theatre Awards for Outstanding Performer in a Supporting Female-Identifying Role for her portrayal of Mary in \u201cNatasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cast of \u2018Elektra\u2019<\/p>\n

Elektra:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Reagan Strachan
Orestes:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cristian Davis Varela Morales
Doctor:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Parker Madison Hemmer
Young Elektra:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Maria
Young Orestes:\u00a0 Olivia Lynn Kanady
Agamemnon:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Harper Jane Schofield
Clytemnestra:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Parker Madison Hemmer
Chorus: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Alana Laurie Banker, Isaiah Pierre Beneche, Brooke Barcelona Cashen, Quinn Shelley Hall, Heza Abera Kajeguhakwa, Ella Deborah Maas, Adelynn Hope Myers, Zivah Marie Sholomith, Ashanti Cherisa Watkins
Nurse:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Genevieve, Sasha Belle Hirshberg, Claire Adelaide Lain, Olivia Nicole Schiller,<\/p>\n

\u201cElektra is a very hard part to take on because Electra is in this mental institution and she has so much going on in her head,\u201d noted student director Katie Cook. \u201cBut Reagan is amazing in the role. Her performance is very strong and definitely worth coming out to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Support for WGCU\u2019s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For the third consecutive year, Cypress Lake High School students will take part in the Fort Myers Fringe…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":289629,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[209,211,210],"class_list":["post-289628","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cape-coral","tag-cape-coral","tag-cape-coral-headlines","tag-cape-coral-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/289628","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=289628"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/289628\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/289629"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=289628"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=289628"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=289628"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}