FROM THE SUFFOLK COUNTY NEWS:
Shrek’s layers are a blooming onion
Ogre-centric musical at CMPAC is all smiles
A great family musical to see at the very start of the holiday season, “Shrek: The Musical” at CM Performing Arts Center, tells the fairy tale of an asocial ogre who comes to mutually see the beauty in others as they discover he is more than just a creature to be feared.
Directed by Anthony Arpino (who also served as scenic designer), the ambitious set is reminiscent of “Into the Woods” where magical animals and fairy tale staple characters gather. Even Shrek’s shack in the swamp is given a homey treatment and invites the audience to see more to him.
Choreographer Sarah Minto managed elaborate dance numbers with upwards of five cast members in almost each dance scene. The transitions into vastly different choreography styles were of particular note and executed so well that the audience could follow along with the humor in the dance moves.
Costume designer Chakira Iliana-Doherty dutifully captured the original Dreamworks characters with impeccable attention to detail.
Music director Carl Hottinger cultivated a fulfilling performance from the pit on opening night, swelling with sound and quietly retreating at the perfect moments in the musical.
In “Freak Flag,” a high energy number towards the end of the second act, there was lots of bravado still left in the singing and dancing that lauded the central message of celebrating acceptance in the story.
In the lead role was James O’Connor as Shrek. In a musical with a lengthy cast list, O’Connor did an amazing job keeping the story central to his character while allowing the other characters to still make their mark. O’Connor’s physicality of the ogre was proud but not overbearing, resigned to his “role” as an outcast.
Cassie Friedman as Princess Fiona was wonderfully elegant with a bit of neuroticism and frat-boy humor. In a scene where she scolds Shrek for not being the stereotypical knight, she shines as a comedic actress.
Eli Andrews as Donkey was a character study of genuflecting to the original Eddie Murphy interpretation of the role (e.g. when he exclaims “Mother!…Hubbard” with the first part in a Samuel L. Jackson voice) and Andrews own vision for the devoted, although perhaps at times unwanted, friend of Shrek. Andrews served as the perfect foil and strongpoint for Shrek, often being the voice of reason and antics at the same time.
Rich Giordano as Lord Farquaad managed to make the unlovable pint-sized king a highpoint of the show who was welcomed enthusiastically in each of his scenes. The proposal scene, where Giordano (who is on his knees the entire production) manages to kick out his already shortened leg was a crowd favorite.
Rebecca Martowski as Dragon took strong command of the castle in her numbers and lent a sultry sound to the story.
Will Brennan as Pinocchio was a standout character whose grating and high-pitched voice Brennan managed to make endearing and even able to sing in key.
And finally, Carissa Navarra as Gingy, the cookie who endures mafia-like enforcement also exhibited excellent voicework and puppetry.
“Shrek: The Musical” can either be a familiar romp for big fans of the original movie or a totally new experience for young audiences starting out in theater. Either way, it’s the magical fun of the season with a strong message that to accept each other’s quirks ultimately means to celebrate yours.
