Review: Shrek, the Musical

This Musical Might Be Able to Stay in the Green
By Lauren Yarger
Despite the economic climate that will bring down the curtain for 12 Broadway shows next month, at least one production looks like it might have a chance to stay in the green – and we don’t mean just ogre makeup and swamp sets.

It’s Shrek, one of the most solidly cast and humorous musicals to hit the Great White Way in some time. Based on William Steig’s book “Shrek!” and the hit animated movie of the same name, Shrek follows the adventures of a green ogre (Brian d’Arcy James) who finds his swamp hideaway overrun by fairytale characters thrown out of their homeland by Lord Farquaad (Christopher Sieber) who wants to be king. There’s just one problem, he doesn’t have a princess to marry to make it possible for him to sit on the throne. Shrek sets off on a quest to bring back Princess Fiona (Sutton Foster) as Farquaad’s bride and to reclaim his swamp as a reward.

Along the way, he befriends a talking donkey (Daniel Breaker), battles a huge dragon (Tim Hatley designed the fabulous sets, costumes and puppets with illusion consultation from Marshall Magoon) and falls in love with Fiona who has a secret of her own. Hatley brings to life a swamp full of fairytale characters with the high-pitched, whining, lying Pinocchio (John Tartaglia, who also gives voice to Hatley’s huge magic mirror and doubles as the dragon puppeteer) stealing many scenes.

Hatley’s larger-than-life sets create the swamp as well as Farquaad’s castle and include moving pieces that help create a sense of time passing as the characters travel between them. The hit costume is Farquaad’s, which transforms the 6-foot-plus Sieber into the vertically challenged lord and brings sputters of laugher, especially when expertly used to advantage in Josh Prince’s choreography.


The cast, under the director of Jason Moore, shines. D’Arcy is transformed into a replica of the cartoon character (Naomi Donne, makeup design; David Brian Brown, wig/hair design), complete with a Scottish accent à la Mike Meyers (who provided the ogre’s voice in the film). Some added exposition from David Lindsay-Abaire (book and lyrics) about how Shrek’s parents abandoned him when he was 7 gives us some insight in to his irritation with people.

“You’re ugly, son, so that means life is harder.”

D’Arcy let’s us see through the gruff and frightening exterior to the heart of the character—which ultimately is the message of Shrek.


Sutton Foster, cast in the first role since Thoroughly Modern Millie that finally lets her strut her stuff, sings, dances and even belches and passes gas in “I Think I Got You Beat,” a bizarre love song with Shrek which makes the parents wince and the kids giggle. Foster makes the awkward Fiona charming. Fiona’s “I Know It’s Today,” a song sung with her younger selves (Rachel Resheff and Leah Greenhaus who alternate performances and Marissa O’Donnell) is beautiful and a highlight of Jeanine Tesori’s score.

Sieber skillfully plays Farquaad with just enough pomp to keep a running gag funny and the ensemble is one of the strongest I’ve ever seen. Every fairytale character who steps out for a line of dialogue or song is top notch.

The book sticks close to the movie script. In keeping the Donkey, however, Lindsay-Abaire might have stuck a little too close. Breaker certainly is capable and has a lovely singing voice, but the character is superfluous. The movie version features comedian Eddie Murphy’s voice bringing his own personality to the character. Here, we’re either thinking Breaker is imitating Murphy or falling short in the attempt. It would have been better to eliminate a part that is a vehicle for comedic genius on film, but which fails to find its place amidst a stage already full of entertaining characters..

The book also relies on the fact that the audience has seen the movie. Those who hadn’t were trying to figure out what was going on, particularly with regards to Fiona’s secret, by asking questions of their fellow audience members at intermission.

Despite the need for a few tweaks, the musical is entertaining for both young and old and may be one of the few shows that have a chance of bringing in some green through the economic downturn.

Christians might also like to know:
• Minor language
• One of the fairytale characters ends up being a cross dresser