Taking over the Gertrude C. Ford Center for Performing Arts on Tuesday, March 26, “Shrek the Musical” is the stage retelling of the popular story of Shrek, Fiona, Donkey and all of their fairytale companions.
As he did in the DreamWorks Pictures animated film, outcast ogre Shrek aims to rescue Princess Fiona from the tower in which her parents imprisoned her due to a curse. “Shrek the Musical,” based on the film and its sequels, opened on Broadway in 2008, and a national tour followed.
In the national tour coming to the Ford Center, Tori Kocher plays Dragon, the ferocious beast that guards Princess Fiona’s tower.
“We all start out as storytellers, sort of like we’re playing ourselves,” Kocher said. “And then we change into our other characters.”
This role comes with one of the more complicated costume pieces.
“I put on some scales, I put on a wig and a headpiece. I put on a dress, wings and a big tail,” Kocher said.
The show has been adjusted from its original script, which contained some insensitive language, to be more inclusive and to match the central theme of acceptance in the show.
“If you’ve ever seen the pro-shot (version) that was on Netflix for a while, or the Broadway version, or on YouTube or wherever, it is going to look a lot different,” Kocher said. “It has been revamped. We worked with the original writer and composer to change some things that could be harmful to some communities or just needed to be updated.”
Well-known musical numbers such as “I Know It’s Today” and “Morning Person” reveal Princess Fiona’s inner emotions to the audience, while “Big Bright Beautiful World” and “Travel Song” introduce Shrek’s colorful personality and background.
This funny, upbeat musical offers something for audiences of all ages.
“Our director has a favorite line,” Kocher said. “‘What makes us special, makes us strong.’ And the lesson in that is to find what makes you unique and embrace it rather than changing it to what you think other people think or say you should be.”
“Freak Flag,” an anthem in which that line is repeated often, is performed by the fairy tale outcast characters of the ensemble and encourages the audience to embrace what makes each person unique, simultaneously promoting acceptance and tolerance regardless of background or magical attributes.
“Shrek the Musical” carries the message of love and inclusivity, while also incorporating humorous — and sometimes crude — language to keep audiences entertained and giggling.
Junior music education major Justin Morgan plans to attend “Shrek the Musical.”
“I am excited to see ‘Shrek the Musical’ because I’ve never seen a Broadway production before. I have been hearing the hype around the musical, and I love supporting the arts,” Morgan said.
Kocher encouraged everyone in the Oxford-university community to see the production.
“There are so many scenes that you can recognize from the movies,” Kocher said. “I just love to see the audience members having a good time.”
