Yorkville's Lindsay Spencer sees bit of herself in 'Shrek's Fiona

Lindsay Spencer, 18, of Yorkville plays Fiona in "Shrek: The Musical," her 24th Spotlight Youth Theater production.

Q. Tell us about your background in theater. What are your aspirations?

A. I've been in 24 Spotlight productions as well as additional productions before Spotlight, since age 8, and it has been an absolute joy to be on stage. It's one huge reason why I want to major in musical theater. (That's my dream anyway!)

Q. How did you get involved with Spotlight Youth Theater?

A. A friend of our family's introduced me to Spotlight while teaching me in a theater class, so I ended up doing it and haven't stopped since. I love Spotlight!

Q. What do you like about your character? What do you think audiences will like?

A. Personally, I think Fiona's character is a lot like myself. She's weird. It will definitely be a joy to portray some of my own characteristics on stage. One thing I think the audience will enjoy is her relatable and fun spirit.

Q. What's challenging about your role? How have you overcome that challenge?

A. To be honest, being yourself is one of the hardest things to do. But with great direction and amazing acting techniques taught by our director, it's been easier to really delve into the character.

Q. Are you a fan of the "Shrek" movies? Did you incorporate bits of the movie version into your performance?

A. The "Shrek" movies are one of the reasons I wanted to audition for this show someday. It's quite similar to the movie and we actually have the song "I'm a Believer" at the end of our show, just like the first Shrek movie.

Q. What will surprise audiences about the production?

A. There are many surprises in this production, but I believe the talent of the whole cast will definitely surprise the audience. The ensemble numbers are spectacular and quite strong. Yes, there are 8-year-olds in this cast, so it is even more amazing to see how professional the productions are with such a variety of age ranges - one of the elements that really impresses my family and I.