Friday, July 15, 2011
SHREK The Musical Makes a Splahy Entrance at the Pantages Theatre
Once upon a time in a kingdom known as Duloc, there was a big green curmudgeonly ogre named Shrek who lived alone in a swamp, and all was well…at least until the day Lord Farquaad banished Pinocchio, Tinkerbell, and all the rest of the fairytale characters to the very same swamp, making for one ginormously ticked off ogre.
David Lindsay-Abaire’s book and lyrics are screamingly funny, with twisted storybook cameos by more fairy tale characters than you can count. Pay attention musical trivia buffs for you’ll hear a wealth of inside jokes that provide some great gut-busting laughs when you recognize them. There are winks to Dreamgirls, Wicked, Gypsy, Les Mis, Rent, Once Upon a Mattress and even Disney’s own The Lion King, but it’s all in good, lighthearted fun.
Jeanine Tesori’s music is everything you would hope for in a fantasy fairytale like SHREK, from the big, bright, beautiful storytelling opening number appropriately titled “Big Bright Beautiful World,” to the rollicking introduction of that “towering colossus of moxie” Lord Farquaad in “What’s Up Duloc.” I loved the three Princess Fionas singing in “I Know it’s Today” and that she progresses from day 23 to day number 8, 423 in the tower waiting to share true love's kiss with her terribly late prince.
Funniest of all are comedy songs like “Morning Person”, in which an exuberant Fiona sings, dances, and accidentally destroys innocent creatures of the forest (it even features a to-die-for tap sequence with a chorus line of handsome rats), and “I Think I Got You Beat” which becomes a one-upmanship contest between Shrek and Fiona of gassy proportions.
And though Shrek is a big, scary monster to those in Duloc who only take him at face value, by the time he sings his Act I finale “Who I’d Be,” he has more than worked his way into your heart. His explanation to Donkey that ogres are like onions is absolutely true and this ogre has only to peel away the layers until they reveal the diamond underneath.
Co-direction for this appealing national tour is by the Broadway team of Jason Moore and Rob Ashford, with choreography by Josh Prince and music direction by Andy Grobengieser.
SHREK is a big, splashy, colorful feast for the eyes and ears that carries with it lovely lessons about truth, acceptance, and the value of having friends. It is the perfect choice for a summer musical for the whole family.
SHREK the Musical will play the Pantages Theatre for three weeks only through July 31st. Click Here for tickets and more information.
Photo Credit: ©2010 DreamWorks Theatricals, Joan Marcus
**This was also the first time that the theatre invited patrons to purchase tickets to sit in what they called the "Social Swamp" on July 12th and be able to tweet and post messages to Facebook. It was a full section that night and the running commentary on twitter was especially fun to read. Kudos on a great idea, Pantages!
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Labels: pantages
