Shrek Is Not like Us. He’s Green, but He Sings Well

 Haven Burton as Princess Fiona with her Ensemble

 Alvin Mingo, Jr. as Shrek's friend the Donkey

Photos by Joan Marcus

Being green is not easy, whether you are an environmentalist, a frog or an ogre. The green ogre Shrek, now singing at the Orpheum Theatre in SHN’s Touring Broadway production of Shrek The Musical, makes a compellingly sympathetic case for being part of “The Other,” those who do not easily mesh with polite society.

Eric Petersen in the title role delivers a winning character with strong vocalizations. As he seeks the hand of Princess Fiona his supporting cast of fairy-tale personae is superbly choreographed and vividly brought to life, but none so starkly as Shrek’s only real friend the Donkey.

The Ogre Gets the Girl

Petersen artfully tells his sad tale with his baritenor voice. When he sings along with “Big Bright Beautiful World,” a song full of optimism, his vaguely British accent lends credence to his immense stage presence. He holds audience attention without hesitation and is the star of the show, regardless of his hideous nature.

Petersen portrays the loner in a cabin in the woods, the misshapen creature no one comes near because of his funny ears and his colorful skin, or some other superficial aspect. Too bad no one ever tried to know him for the wonderful, kind, compassionate being he is. The Donkey doesn’t care about his looks. Asses are as unloved as ogres; two of a kind.

Eventually, despite his appearance, he wins over Fiona (Haven Burton singing in a convincingly innocent little-girl voice). Her acceptance of the outsider is the climax of this musical which appeals to adults and families alike. Fairy tales can come true.

The struggle of the play is about Shrek’s efforts to convince Fiona that he is genuine, not just a stereotyped monster. Fiona eventually turns green with envy when she finds he is not so awfully different and has much love to give.

Madison Mullahey plays Young Shrek with all her heart, as well as also playing the Young Fiona and a Dwarf. Shrek parents Mama Ogre (Carrie Compere also plays Tweedledum from Lewis Carroll) and Papa Ogre (Brian Gonzales as also a Knight, a Bishop, a Pied Piper overrun by his mice, and Straw the pig) seem to love their baby ogre.

A Grand Production

Alvin Mingo, Jr. plays the Donkey in a body suit with ears and hooves. Costume Designer Tim Hatley, who also designed the elaborate and whimsical scenery, gave great license to Mingo and he ran with it. His interpretation of a flighty beast of burden is a wonderfully fey show in itself, immensely suitable for children and jaded grownups alike.

The grand staging of this fantasy allegory produced by Dreamworks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions involves highly descriptive costuming and lively, unadorned choreography. The twenty-one member ensemble moves easily between characterizations, from blind mice to knights in shining armor. They explore their parts with enthusiasm.

Fairy-tale creatures cavort through a colorful world of fantastic story-book settings. The huge rod-puppet dragon is fascinating, and everybody sympathizes with the hideously different creature who might be better than us. If the producers of this play had set out to create a two-hour childrens moralistic fable about tolerance and acceptance, they succeeded admirably.

Shrek The Musical continues through January 2, 2011 at Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market Street, San Francisco. Tickets ($30 to $99) are available online at https://tickets.shnsf.com/Online/ or by phone at 888.SHN.1799.

For other reviews please see Doctor Theater and Bay Times.