What’s up, Duloc? Welcome back to another week of From Silver Screen to Spotlight: the only blog that reviews, critiques, and rates movie musicals. I hope you’re not wearing nice clothes today, because we are taking a trip to the swamp. If the title didn’t give it away already, this week I will be reviewing Shrek The Musical based on the 2001 film of the same name. We all know everyone’s favorite ogre; since his first screen appearance, Shrek has gone on to inspire sequels, television shows, and award-winning musicals! Shrek The Musical opened on Broadway on December 14, 2008, at The Broadway Theatre in New York. It ran for a total of 441 performances before closing on January 3, 2010. During its tenure, the show grossed a total of $46.3 million and attracted thousands of fans thanks to its star-studded cast and film popularity. Since closing, Shrek The Musical has gone on to have several national tours, as well as being frequently licensed in regional markets.

But before you grab your pitchforks and torches, one important question remains: should you be a Believer in Shrek The Musical?

Shrek The Movie

Who doesn’t love Shrek?! I remember watching Shrek with my dad for the first time and instantly falling in love with it! I mean, how can you go wrong with a cast like Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz? Shrek is one of those movies that can withstand time. Its imaginative retelling of classic fairytales, eccentric colors, loveable characters, and hilarious jokes have made Shrek a classic among children, adults, and families as a whole. As previously stated, the impact of Shrek stretches beyond one movie; it has become an entire saga with four great and consistent movies. However, since Shrek The Musical tells the story of the first Shrek movie, I will not be discussing Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, or Shrek Forever After.

In case you haven’t seen the movie, Shrek tells the story of a benign ogre Shrek and his sidekick Donkey on their journey to rescue the lovely Princess Fiona from her tower. Sprinkled throughout the movie are characters from a myriad of fairytales, including Pinocchio, Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and of course, The Gingerbread Man. And in true fairytale fashion, Shrek and Fiona fall in love, share true love’s kiss, and live happily ever after.

Shrek is an amazing movie. Not only has it birthed countless hilarious jokes and memes, but it is to this day DreamWorks Animation Studio’s third highest-grossing movie (the number one and two spots belong to Shrek 2 and Shrek the Third). Mike Myers brilliantly brings the Scottish ogre to life along with Cameron Diaz (Fiona), Eddie Murphy (Donkey), and John Lithgow (Lord Farquaad). As a whole, this entire cast is flawless, especially Murphy and Myers. Thanks to Myers, I cannot hear a Scottish accent and not immediately think of Shrek. And to this day, I can still watch Eddie Murphy’s Donkey and find something to laugh about. Not to mention, Shrek has quite literally branded “All Star” and “I’m a Believer” as its own, original songs. No matter how old I get, I will still love Shrek and quote Shrek to my friends and family. As I have continued to express, it is just a timeless movie that will never grow old. Overall, Shrek is arguably one of the most beloved and best-animated films ever. For the full cast and crew, check out: https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0126029/fullcredits/cast

Shrek The Musical

If you’re anything like my middle school friends, you are probably shocked to find that Shrek was turned into a musical. I know, I know. It sounds entirely silly and stupid to adapt Shrek into a musical, but I assure you that you too will become a believer by the end of this blog post. In my opinion, I think Shrek The Musical is incredibly underrated. A lot of people tend to make fun of this musical, but it’s actually really good! I have seen Shrek The Musical a few times now (once professionally and several times on the amateur level), and I have loved it every time. For a musical like Shrek The Musical to be successful, it is imperative that the musical delivers in talent, energy, costume design, scenic design, and score, and Shrek The Musical exceeds expectations! The cast, for instance, bears some of Broadway’s brightest like Sutton Foster (Princess Fiona), Brian d’Arcy James (Shrek), Christopher Sieber (Lord Farquaad), and Daniel Breaker (Donkey). In fact, Foster, d’Arcy James, and Sieber all received Tony nominations for their stellar performances. These four actors truly exemplify what Broadway is! They have taken the iconic parts originated by Myers, Diaz, Murphy, and Lithgow and transformed these roles into their own creation. I especially love Sieber’s performance as Farquaad who performs the entire show on his knees! Additionally, his comedic timing, combined with the role’s physicality, leaves audiences rolling in their seats. However, the ensemble of Shrek The Musical is what truly separates this musical from the rest! Of all the shows I have reviewed on this blog thus far, Shrek undoubtedly has the best ensemble. Everyone from the three blind mice to the three bears is campy, energetic, silly, and committed—perfect for Shrek. I particularly love the actress who plays both the Sugar Plum Fairy and Gingy as she masterfully manipulates her voice to reach a squeaky frequency. If I could name every single individual in the ensemble, I would. Their level of characterization and commitment just blew me away and continues to blow me away every time I see the show.

For a trailer of the Broadway production, check out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2VQ2pfXbyI

Score

The book for the musical is identical to the movie, so there is not much to comment on that department. The score, on the other hand, is lively, upbeat, and heartfelt. Like “All Star” and “I’m a Believer,” it is incredibly catchy and sure to have your dancing (the cast even performs “I’m a Believer” at the end of the show). From a great opening to a show-stopping finale, Shrek The Musical leaves no musical stone unturned. Most of all, the songs are incredibly funny! I know I have been reusing this word a lot throughout the blog, but it’s 100% true! When composing music, there is a very fine line between a funny lyric and a cringy statement. Musicals like Mean Girls, for instance, are riddled with cringey lyrics and songs, but Shrek makes the jokes feel natural. To put it simply, the score is just fun! As in most musicals, there are sadder, more sentimental songs like “Who I’d Be” and “When Words Fail” that add nuance and complexity to the story. But otherwise, the score is animated, whimsical, entertaining, and vibrant. Some notable songs include: “Big Bright Beautiful World,” “I Know It’s Today,” “What’s Up, Duloc,” “Who I’d Be,” “Morning Person,” “I Think I Got You Beat,” and “Freak Flag.”

For the entire soundtrack, check out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dXmsQuEC60&list=PL47A5A0F76D91CEB3

Costume and Makeup

Like the score, the costumes are lively, vibrant, and incredibly diverse! Because Shrek The Musical features a variety of fairytale characters, several of the costumes are of fairytale characters like Mama Bear, Papa Bear, The Big Bad Wolf, Peter Pan, and more. Of the fairytale characters, my favorite is Pinocchio (and yes, his nose does grow). The Duloc Dancers, on the other hand, sport a bright blue and red costume adorned with a hard, hair-like helmet. Princess Fiona wears her iconic green dress while Shrek, brilliantly recreated by designer Tim Hatley, is dressed in his classic ogre garb from the movie. In fact, Hatley won the Tony Award for Best Costumes in 2009. Likewise, the makeup in this musical is simply astonishing. Characters like Donkey and The Dragon have intricate stage makeup that completely transforms their human faces into the animals they are portraying. I also love how the dressers and makeup artists can transform Fiona into an ogre in a matter of mere seconds. It is truly Broadway magic!

Set Design and Props

The Broadway production of Shrek The Musical has some of the most elaborate props and set designs I have ever seen. As a matter of fact, the original Broadway production cost $24 million, making it the most expensive musical to open on Broadway at the time. Like the movie, the musical features various settings like the grimy swamp which Shrek calls home to the shinning castle of Duloc. One may think this would be a challenge for the musical but think again! The musical captures every scene from the movie brilliantly! I mean, the forest looks like a forest, the dungeon looks like a dungeon, and Duloc looks like a shiny castle. Every scene is more elaborate and intricate than the last, making one wonder how the set designers were able to pull it off. Moreover, the props and puppets contribute greatly to the overall effect of the show, particularly the Dragon and Gingy puppets. Every time I watch Shrek The Musical, my mouth just drops at how elaborate the set is. Thankfully, the entire Broadway production (with the original cast) was filmed and put on Netflix, so I implore you to check out the set yourself! I will, of course, add pictures, but the grandness of the set is one that is better to just see than describe.

Which swamp is better?

           Shrek The Musical is severely underrated among the theatre community. The show is fun, goofy, campy, and perfect for people of all ages. Most of all, it stays true to the original source material without being a carbon copy. But which swamp is better? I will preface and say that both versions are phenomenal. The grandeur of the set makes the entire experience of the musical so much more immersive than the movie, but it is often overshadowed and forgotten about given the popularity of the movie. Therefore, the movie edges out the musical by a hair, but only by a hair. Although the show closed 12 years ago on Broadway, the legacy of the musical still reigns. As mentioned earlier, the show has gone on to be licensed by several amateur theatre companies since its closure. In fact, my roommate just played Fiona in a local production of Shrek The Musical back in April! And thanks to the pro-shot on Netflix, anyone can experience the magic that is Shrek The Musical! I highly recommend checking out Shrek The Musical as it is truly a hidden gem!

Here is the trailer for the Netflix version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPSPj3kx3Cc