At 12 years old, actor Riley Calderwood is no stranger to stage or screen.
“I have done several commercials, TV, and movies already and it is always a fun experience,” the Grade 7 Golden Ears Elementary student shared with The News.
Right now, he’s gearing up to play a young ogre and a dwarf when the curtain goes up next week on the Royal City Musical Theatre’s (RCMT’s) spring production of “Shrek: The Musical.”
Riley is very active in film, television, voicework, and commercials and has been involved in the performing arts since he was six years old.
The Haney boy has performed in several shows with Stagecoach Theatre School, Showstoppers Musical Theatre, Lindbjerg Academy, and at his school. Most recently, he played Winthrop in “The Music Man” with Align Entertainment, and before that he played Michael Banks in RCMT’s rendition of “Mary Poppins,” earning himself an Ovation Award nomination for best youth performance.
Currently, he’s rehearsing for a role in a school musical called “Pirates,” as well as two cameo appearances in “Shrek.”
Having seen the Shrek movie a few years back, and since then watched the musical on YouTube, Riley describes himself as a bit of a fan. But he never thought he’d be playing an ogre.
“I am Young Shrek in the opening scenes and then I am a dwarf nearer to the end,” he said, noting he auditioned for the role in October and has been rehearsing with the team twice a week for four hours.
Has it been difficult for him to prepare for his Young Shrek role? Riley said “Not too bad, although I do have to act more like an ogre physically, so I have to work on my walk and posture a bit. My dwarf character has to have a unique physicality as well, so I’m working on that.”
When it comes to being shy at times for his character, that’s not as much of a stretch for Riley.
“[Shrek] lives in a swamp because he likes to be by himself, because deep down he’s shy,” explained the young actor. “I can be a little shy and timid at times, just like my character.”
In fact, he said, in real life he’s sometimes embarrassed by playing “weird characters” such as the ogre, even though his dad says those are the best parts to play.
Riley apparently comes by the acting bug naturally. While his mother, Jodi, is a teacher at his school, and his father, Damon, is a substitute teacher, Riley’s younger (Grade 3) brother, Corey, also attends Golden Ears Elementary and is playing Jojo, the lead in “Suessical” at Showstoppers.
And their dad is involved in theatre, last fall doing a tour of “Billy Bishop Goes to War” in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and B.C.
Riley’s skills are not limited to acting, either. He loves to play soccer, is a yellow-black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, plays the clarinet, takes private piano lessons, and is taking private voice lessons with Elaine Lindbjerg, also singing since he was six.
In “Shrek” he will be singing two songs.
Asked about his future, and if he has ambitions to be a career actor, Riley pondered his answer for a while.
“Maybe… I’m not sure what the future will hold for me, but I think it would be very cool to be a full-time actor in TV and movies.”
When he was six, he spent 10 days on set doing a movie called “The Neighbor in the Window,” where he played the villain’s son.
“I got my own trailer ,and they even had an on-set tutor, so the kids could catch up on their school work,” Riley said, recounting that was pretty cool experience.
Speaking of learning, Riley said he’s picked up a lot from the cast on this show during rehearsals – watching them prepare and perform.
“I’m very grateful that I got cast in the show and I really like being in it and doing rehearsals with everyone else. They are very talented and great singers and actors.”
While he anticipates his immediate family, grandmothers, cousins, and family friends will be in the audience for opening night, Riley encourages others to check out the show, too.
“The show is an amazing, fun production,” he said. “It will make you laugh and make you sympathize and like Shrek by the end.”
Also from Maple Ridge is Amanda Russell, who will be playing the mama ogre in this play, which is based on the 2001 animated film, a musical that follows the beloved characters of Shrek, Donkey, and Princess Fiona on a heartwarming journey of self-acceptance and inclusivity.
The family friendly showing of “Shrek: The Musical” runs April 17 to May 3 at the Massey Theatre in New Westminster.