Shrek- the Musical

 
The quality of theatre in our small town region continues to amaze me. Tonight I went to Shrek the Musical at the Ramsdell Theater in Manistee. The only fault I really have to find with it was that the volume was so loud I had trouble understanding the words a lot of the time. But I tend to have trouble with that at a lot of places. Here are a few scenes.

If you've never seen the movie or the play, I highly recommend it. The story is like a fractured fairy tale, but it's not just (or even truly) for kids. It's a story of how real life isn't a fairy tale, but it can turn out with a happy ending for everyone, even an ogre, if we practice love and acceptance. And, it's hilarious as a spoof.

Here, the fairy tale characters find themselves in Shrek's swamp after being evicted from the woods owned by Lord Farquad.



Lord Farquad is a foppish, bossy little dude. His mother was a princess and his father was a miner (Grumpy the Dwarf). He can become King if he marries a princess. And he knows where to find one. The Princess Fiona has been imprisoned in a tower by a dragon. He just has to find someone who can successfully conquer the dragon and bring Fiona to him. Shrek agrees to do this in exchange for the actual deed to his swamp so he can get rid of all those crazy people. Of course, he's stuck with his sidekick, Donkey, who never shuts up.



The dragon is fierce, but Donkey out-talks her (yes it's a girl dragon) while Shrek climbs the tower and rescues Fiona.



On the way back to Farquad's castle, Shrek and Fiona discover they have feelings for each other, but there are problems. Shrek is well, an ogre, and has no clue how to express his feelings. The Three Blind Mice encourage him to "Make a Move."



Fiona knows that the fairy tale is supposed to turn out with her marrying the Prince. But she confides in Donkey that she has a really serious issue. A curse was once placed on her and every night at sundown she becomes a horrible ugly person, and the curse can only be broken by a kiss of true love. Then she will remain in her true form for the rest of her life. Shrek overhears part of this but mistakenly thinks she has called him horrible and ugly. Hurt and angry, he delivers her to Farquad, and collects the deed to his swamp. The wedding is hastily planned because Fiona knows she has to make it legal before sundown!

But, Shrek shows up and kisses Fiona. Much to her surprise and his delight, it turns out that Fiona's true form is green and chubby with little ears, just like Shrek! However, Lord Farquad is not so happy.



Shrek and Fiona find true love and learn that "beautiful ain't always pretty."



And Donkey will always be there to help. And to keep on talking.



The finale- Shrek, Donkey and Fiona- with Peter Pan, the Shoemaker's Elf, Fairy Godmother, the Ugly Duckling, the Mad Hatter, the Three Little Pigs, the Three Bears, the castle Guards, the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Gingerbread Man (Gingy), the White Rabbit, Humpty Dumpty, Pinocchio, and Grumpy the Dwarf.

	See Theater
if you like this blog, click the +1   or