I had planned on seeing the opening performance of the Music Theater Works production of Shrek the Musical. I’d also planned to bring my niece, Rebecca, and her kids, Winston and Maeve. Unfortunately, all four of us got sick! Many thanks to MTW who graciously allowed us to see the show on closing weekend.
**** Recommended Shrek is a tongue-in-cheek, irreverent, slightly twisted, very Green take on all the fairy tales you heard as a child. It’s fun, it’s funny, it’s colorful and very over-the-top! At approximately 2 ½ hours, it might run a little long for younger children. 4 Spotlights.
When a young ogre named Shrek turned seven, his parents told him how much they loved him and then they threw him out to find his own swamp, where he lived quietly – and quite alone – until he grew up. Meanwhile, the evil Lord Farquaad (Michael Metcalf) has evicted fairy tale characters from the Kingdom of Duloc. With nowhere else to go, they end up in Shrek’s swamp, disrupting his peace and quiet. After Pinocchio (Michela Shapiro) explained what happened, Shrek was off to have it out with Lord F. Along the way, Shrek rescues a talkative – and very annoying – Donkey (Eustace J. Williams) who tags along, refusing to be left behind
Meanwhile, a little princess named Fiona (Omi Lichtenstein) is cursed and imprisoned in a tower. Since she believes in fairy tales, she knows that someone will come along and let her out, as she sings in I Know It’s Today. When the tower spins, Fiona grows up. The now teenaged Fiona (Shaya Harris) is still hoping to get out. When the tower spins again, the grown-up Fiona (Dani Pike) appears. She’s kind of stir-crazy, maybe a little bi-polar, but she still believes someone will get her out.
The diminutive Lord Farquaad really wants to be king, but he needs to marry a princess. Lucky for him (not so much for her), he heard about a princess locked in a tower. When an irate Shrek confronts him, he sends him off to rescue the princess, promising him the deed to his swamp if he’s successful – a promise he has no intention of keeping!
As Shrek, followed by that annoying Donkey, journey toward the Tower, they encounter a fire-breathing female Dragon (Maddison Denault) who threatens to eat them. When Donkey manages to charm her, she sings Forever with him.
When Fiona is finally rescued, she’s dismayed to see an ogre. However, when he says Lord Farquaad sent him, she decides that he might be willing to give her ‘true love’s kiss’. As Shrek, Fiona and Donkey set out for the Kingdom of Duloc, Shrek and Fiona find out that they have a lot in common, I Think I’ve Got You Beat, even indulging in one of young boyhood’s favorite occupations – a burping/farting contest!
By the way, Fiona’s got a secret, too. In the end, they all live happily ever after, except for Lord F., who is destroyed by the dragon.
In addition to Pinocchio, the other fairy tale characters are: the Three Little Pigs (Andrew John Baker, Alexander Christie, Lizzie Mowry); the Wicked Witch (Christin Boulette), who isn’t so very wicked; the Ugly Duckling (Teah Kiang Mirabelli); Peter Pan (Steven Lavine); Alice (Kristin Brintnall), White Rabbit (Liora Lahav), Papa Bear (Jake Elkins), Fairy Godmother (Rachel Livingston), the Wizard (Ethan Lupp), Wolf (Adam Raso) and Gingy (Crystal Claros).
All of the fairy tale characters also played Lord F’s guards and/or the Duloc dancers. Brian Acker played the Captain of the Guard, Joel Arreola played the Bishop who was supposed to officiate at the wedding of Lord F and Fiona, Christopher Johnson played Grumpy, Lord F’s father, and finally, Peter Ruger played a Deer in the forest.
Congrats to Director Johanna McKenzie Miller and Choreographer Laura Savage – the production is practically perfect. Lord Farquaad and the Duloc dancers - boys and girls in blond wigs wearing bright red and blue ensembles – performing What’s Up Duloc – blew me away, while Lord F’s entrance on horseback cracked me up. Another favorite laugh – Donkey guiding the Three Blind Mice (Savannah Sinclair, Jazmine Tamayo, Jenece Upton) around as they all sang Make a Move.
Winston and Maeve agreed that their favorite character was Pinocchio, although Donkey came in a close second.
The Music Theater Works production of Shrek the Musical ran through December 31st at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. Next up for Music Theater Works: 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, March 7th through 30th.