Shrek at HP&P Peels Back the Layers to Reveal Heart and Humor

by Donald Toal

It’s funny to think about how stories get retold sometimes.

It’s admittedly, for this millennial, less funny to think of Shrek as being a story that is now over 25(?!?) years old, longer if you count the original William Steig children’s book that inspired it (which first hit shelves in 1990).  But time makes fools of us all, I suppose.  Regardless of the forward passage of the years, the big green ogre has a heart to his story of satirized fairy tales and thinly veiled corporate punchlines that has allowed him to persist in the pop culture landscape (and, quite frankly, thrive in the landscape of internet comedy).  When Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire first collaborated on a musical adaptation of the Dreamworks flick, they could not have fully imagined the second life that Jason Moore and Rob Ashford’s original production would have, as the material is now an evergreen staple of high school and community productions across the country.

While part of that success is certainly due to the fantastic spectacle and over-the-top characters the book provides, the real secret to its enduring rotation after rotation is undoubtedly its messages of authenticity and letting your freak flag fly high and proud.  It is this aspect that Haddonfield Plays and Players’ current production of Shrek the Musical highlights, peeling back the onion layers to reveal a heartfelt portrayal of many of its classic characters.

Director/Scenic Designer AJ Klein creates a vision that strips down a lot of the extraneous spectacle that defines (and, admittedly, sometimes weighs down) many other productions.  The unit stage built by Ernie Jewell makes full use of the intimate HP&P space, with multiple levels and plenty of room for the cast to play on.  Scenic Painter Lauren Clayton gives all surfaces a vibrant, abstract palette that evokes the watercolor style of Steig’s original illustrations, without defining any one space as a specific setting (save for the castle tower and gate parked center stage).  Chris Miller’s colorful lighting design does enough heavy lifting to assign time and place to the scenery, in tandem with the actors’ placement on stage.  

The other technical elements work in tandem with Klein’s essential vision.  Rentals from Tina’s Costumes, assisted by MJ Smith, work to ensure that each character is instantly recognizable at a glance without being excessively overdesigned.  Wigs by John Rattacasa, Kelly Lynn Flores, and Addision Clark use fun colors and styles to fit the fantasy vibes.  Makeup Design by Amanda Desouza, with assistance from Clark, has a great eye for details with some of the more fanciful faces, with the standouts like Pinocchio and Farquaad serving face in every possible way.  And Props Design by MJ Santry peppers in a few clever pieces (such as Farquaad’s “breakaway” horse) that make for great gags and eyecatching moments.

While some productions of Shrek can get bogged down in the sheer number of moving parts, Stage Manager Sara Viniar, with assistance from Addison Clark, Ashley Engleson, Lizzy Holland, and Natalie Jewell, keeps transitions moving swiftly and without a moment of dead air to be found.  Sound Design from Ryan Mcaullife (with sound op assistance from Engleson) keeps the cast’s vocal performances clearly heard and smoothly blended.

That vocal pizzazz is also to the credit of Music Director JP Zarukin, who refines the rebellious rock sound present in many of the show’s big ballads.  The cast sings with crisp diction and good dynamics, but most importantly with joy and an earnestness that can be deeply felt in the show’s peak moments, such as “Freak Flag” late in the second act (the anthem of every theatre kid ever, probably). This enthusiasm also carries over into Amanda DeSouza’s Choreography, which is buoyed by a sense of fun and play as well as technical ability.  The dancers are at their best when embracing the silliness of the premise or given moment, and this translates into gleeful grace and delightful dances. This reviewer’s personal favorite? The soft-shoeing rodents in “Morning Person,” aided by ratty sockpuppets that immediately bring any millenial’s mind back to Tutter from Bear in the Big Blue House (if you know, you know).

Given that his name is on the title card, the big green one himself has some mighty big shoes to fill.  Scott Garvin as HP&P’s Shrek takes on the challenge with gusto, throwing himself headlong not only into the character’s misanthropic side, but his humanity (ogre-ity?) as well.   Garvin moves with confidence and a bit of swagger, and his exasperation at the silliness he is constantly subjected to brings to mind a dad stuck on an endless road trip.  But it’s the characters softer and quieter moments where his choices and expressions really shine.  Ballads like “When Words Fail” pack as much emotion as possible into each and every line, with the character’s vulnerabilities and fears on full display.  Garvin shares the stage well with his costars, giving as good as he gets without ever stealing the scene.

Abbie Summers’ Fiona also has some fantastic moments as a scene partner; her dynamic with Shrek is believably layered and brimming with chemistry.  The development of their relationship over the course of the show is treated with care and attention to detail as the core of the story, and it shows in Garvin and Summers’ performances.  Summers also fits the princess mold to a tee, with a pitch-perfect vocal instrument that is well-supported and a match for every tone in the score.  As the “faithful steed” Donkey, Garrett Bruce is irrepressibly chipper and just a little bit unhinged, giving motormouth energy and plenty of hijinx to push Shrek’s buttons.  Bruce’s vocal work is also similarly unflagging, maintaining high spirits and crisp sound from start to finish.  The moment where Donkey finally calls Shrek out on his bad attitude is surprisingly fiery and heartfelt, adding weight to their friendship.  Also cranked up to eleven (and possibly breaking the knob in the process) is Julie Byrne’s pint-sized tyrant, Lord Farquaad.  What started on paper as a jab at Michael Eisner (real mature, Jeffrey Katzenberg) becomes the pinnacle of an insecure incel in Byrne’s capable comedic hands.  They make an absolute meal out of each and every scene they’re in, and their delightfully deranged choices leave teeth marks in the metaphorical scenery and belly laughs in the audience.  

Another powerhouse performance is Stephan Burse’s, who puts the drag back in Dragon.  His singing is fully fiery and fierce through and through, and those confident vocals “Forever” weave a spell over the audience (and Donkey).  Kevin Gehringer brings sass and superb vocal control to Pinocchio, blending some beautiful solos with a spot-on shrill delivery and expressive comedy.  And Rachel Grodek brings some wonderfully silly energy to both Gingy and Sugar Plum Fairy, with the former’s character voice packing a surprising range of expression into the little cookie.

The rest of the cast all works hard to pull as much comedy out of their scenes as possible, with many pulling double or triple duties to make it happen.  The crew of Farquaad’s foppish royal guards, including Jordan Bader as the Captain (also Bishop), along with Katy Hutchings (also Pig 1/Bird), Rachel Stapleton (also Pig 2), and MJ Smith as Thelonius (also Pig 3) have a ball playing off their petty little boss, with great reaction takes and back and forth to keep things lively.  Emma Scherz as Teen Fiona (also Ugly Duckling/Blind Mouse) and Cadence Laning as Young Fiona (who also shares performances with Penelope Brinn as Young Fiona/Dwarf) blend wonderfully with Summers in “I Know It’s Today,” with each version of the fiery redhead bringing their own moments of personality to the table.  And the greater group of fairy tale freaks, including Shane Barrett as Papa Bear/Pied Piper, Lori Caplan Clark as Fairy Godmother and the repeatedly injured Duloc Greeter, Amanda Frederick as Wicked Witch, Shannon Sharp as Elf, Kristy Joe Summers as Mama Ogre/Mama Bear/Blind Mouse, and Emily Colón as Peter Pan/Blind Mouse, all bring their own brand of zaniness to their interactions with each other and the principal cast, while keeping pace through every high-octane dance break without missing a beat. (Also credited in the Playbill but not present at this performance is Cameron D. Crawford as Papa Ogre/Big Bad Wolf.)

It occurred to me while sitting in the house at HP&P that it’s very possible (in fact, likely) that this production may be the very first live theatre experience for some young audience members.  If so, it’s just as well that the team at HP&P made sure to hold on to the heart of what makes Shrek such a beloved story, as well as the humor and fun.  As they sing loud and proud, “This Is Our Story.”  And those stories deserve to be told and shared, for all to experience.  This one runs through January 31st–get in the swamp before the outhouse door closes.  Tickets can be purchased at https://www.haddonfieldplayers.com/tickets#/productions-view .