Shrek Recap
By GRACE DENNEEN '21
The curtains open to reveal a young, and very green, Shrek and his two parents confidently walking onstage. The three sing a song in perfect harmony as they send Shrek away to live on his own. The beautifully crafted stage and the trio’s intense makeup and convincing costumes immediately draw the audience’s attention. The play’s creation blends many factors together to create a masterpiece for many to watch and enjoy. The production of Shrek, beautifully put together by Milton students and faculty this past weekend, demonstrated the blend of cast talent and tech talent needed to create a flawless piece of musical theater.
Of course, the whole cast of Shrek was immensely talented. Each scene’s strong acting and obviously intensely rehearsed singing and choreography drew me into the bizarre world of the show. Ricky Lin and Sophie Clivio, playing Shrek and Fiona, both displayed amazing voices that complimented each other and helped create a cohesive show. The ensembles of the show worked well together also; each member was well rehearsed and in sync with the rest of the group. The Fairy Tale creatures, made up of characters from Pinocchio to Humpty Dumpty, created a strong and powerful ensemble as well as a strong environment for the show. Their job was challenging because the group of them had to develop their characters in both an individual and group oriented way. The acting by each member of the cast helped immerse each audience member in the enchanting world of Shrek. Each character had a specific body language, differing each character from every other character in a unique way. The body language also contributed to the humor of the show. The show was filled with slapstick humor, and the commitment of each actor to those moments made the show especially funny and entertaining. The little pieces of the show, whether it was the guards bumping into each other, or the leg of Lord Farquaad staying on the horse after he had dismounted, made the show stand out from the others I have seen in my life.
Though the acting was phenomenal on its own, the set, costume, and lighting design really pushed Shrek over the top. The amazing sets portrayed the world of Shrek in a very creative way, including Fiona’s beautiful castle, the Dragon’s lair, Lord Farquaad’s gigantic palace, Shrek’s swamp, and others. Set design is a challenging task because in order to create a successful set, one must create pieces that accurately represent the show at hand and are easily maneuvered around the stage. The set designer achieved this goal, and the student tech crew built the set pieces very well. The dragon is just one example of an inventive prop, which must have been challenging to learn to use. Along with the set, the costumes and makeup were extremely impressive. They transformed each student into a true fairy-tale character; many of the students were unrecognizable in their pounds of fabric and makeup. The intricate costumes made each character stand out.
Some of the best moments of the show were when the tech efforts and cast combined to create a complex and intriguing moment. One of my personal favorites was when Fiona danced in front of a backdrop, and actors stood behind it with just their tap shoes visible, representing mice. This picture created on the stage was very creative and exciting to watch, just one example of many in Shrek! I hope that everyone was able to attend the show because it was one to remember. The cast and crew worked so hard to make it the best it could be (they had rehearsal from 5:30 - 10 during tech week!) and it definitely paid off. The show was like an onion: it had layers. We, as the audience, see what’s presented onstage, but so much more happens behind the scenes. The cast and crew worked together extremely hard to create a beautiful, funny, and entertaining show.