When audiences watch the animated elements of the new film “Wicked” bloom on the big screen starting next week, they’ll have an Academy Award-winning New Holland native to thank.
David Shirk, a 1985 graduate of Garden Spot High School, is the animation supervisor for the film that’s an adaptation of the popular “Wicked” musical. That show has been running on Broadway for 21 years.
Shirk is an animation supervisor for Industrial Light & Magic, the San Francisco-based special-effects company founded by George Lucas and owned by the Walt Disney Co.
The musical film, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, is the first of a two-part adaptation of the stage musical — in turn loosely based on a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire. The musical tells the origin story of the good and wicked witches of “The Wizard of Oz” — Elphaba and Glinda — from their schoolgirl friendship to their diverging paths in life.
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Garden Spot alumnus David Shirk, back row, center, was part of the visual effect team that won Oscars in 2014 for work on the film “Gravity.” Accepting Oscars, in this file photo from the Associated Press, are from left, Neil Corbould, Tim Webber, Shirk and Chris Lawrence.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Shirk was part of the team that won the best visual effects Academy Award in 2014 for their work on the 2013 film “Gravity.” He was also nominated for a visual-effects Oscar for the 2018 film “Ready Player One,” and was an animation supervisor for the 2020 Oscar-winning film “Mank” and for the 2022 Disney+ streaming series “Obi-Wan Kenobi.”
Shirk, who acted in shows with Garden Spot Performing Arts in high school, told LNP | LancasterOnline after his 2014 Oscar win that he was always interested in art and animation, and that his family encouraged his creativity.
According to LNP archives, Shirk was the station manager for Garden Spot High School radio station KGSH, won awards in the Scholastic Art Show and worked at Yoder’s Country Market in New Holland.
“Early access” screenings of “Wicked” begin the evening of Wednesday, Nov. 20, at Reel Cinemas Lancaster, Penn Cinema and Regal Manor 16. Regular daytime and evening screenings start Thursday, Nov. 21. You can see the official trailer below.