Stage Entertainment This Weekend in Suwanee

The second half of the 2013 entertainment schedule kicks in Friday and Saturday (July 26-27) when Broadway in the Park returns to Suwanee.

This year, the annual event, which is put on by Suwanee Performing Arts, presents Shrek The Musical as well as Shooby Doo, an original musical mystery. Performances begin at 7 p.m. both evenings.

"We always try to pick something that will appeal to audiences of all ages," Director Patty Etherton said in a city news release. "The writing for Shrek is so fresh and wonderful. I laughed out loud and smiled all the way through it."

The production will include about 75 mostly high school and middle school cast members, a stage crew of about 12, and volunteers.

The event is free, but donations will be requested, as the event is Suwanee Performing Arts' largest fund-raiser. Also, for $10, children also can sit in "The Swamp" area close to the stage, where they can interact with performers.

"There's something really magical about opening your heart as a performer and allowing the audience in," Artistic Director Bernie Davis said in the release. "This is a lot of fun for these kids. How many kids can say that they've performed in front of 5,000 of their friends and community members?"

-- Will you attend Broadway in the Park? Tell us about it, and upload your pics and video here.