Why do so many community theater groups do Shrek? Because it’s a perfect community theater show--it has a huge number of featured roles, it has name recognition, it’s got a good family-friendly message, theaters can re-use a lot of costumes they already have… Honestly, there are a lot of reasons. Why do community theaters end up doing it at the same time? Well, that’s just how things go in a city with a lot of community theaters. But each production is a unique creation, and even familiar shows can surprise you, like River Valley Theatre Company’s Shrek did for me.
Shrek is the story of an ogre who knows the fairy tales--pretty people get to live happily ever after, and the weirdos and freaks don’t. But with the help of an exuberant talking donkey (and some other weirdos and freaks) he and a princess learn that they can forge their own fairy tale. Jared Mogen played the titular ogre in RVTC’s production, and from the beginning his Shrek struck me as more cheerful than I’m used to; Mogen leaned into the side of Shrek that laughs at his own jokes and has made a life in the swamp that he’s actually very happy with.
Shrek’s house was one of the highlights of Jen Maxa’s set design--it had a lovely pieced-together look and was believably something Shrek himself had created. I was also impressed to see an actual bridge for the scene where Shrek and Donkey cross the bridge to the dragon’s tower, because it’s not an essential set piece but is very cool to have. Imagine my disappointment when Shrek and Donkey did not actually cross the bridge! They climbed up and walked out, but returned the same way. I’m sure there was a practical reason, but it was a letdown nonetheless. Another feature in the set design that caught my notice was the stained glass church wall in the final scene, which was an attractive and smart use of the space.
Cortez Owens was delightful as the donkey. He really captured the goofy grin of the cartoon character, and that and his wide-eyed stare were the perfect foil for Mogen’s Shrek. "Don't Let Me Go" was a fun and entertaining performance, especially the impressive high note in the end. As Fiona, Heather Pallas was an excellent singer, and she, Owens, and Mogen had great chemistry together. There was a lovely sense of camaraderie between the three of them. “I Think I Got You Beat” was a particularly engaging number, thanks in large part to creative staging that put Donkey literally in the middle of the action. For Pallas, “I Know It’s Today,” which featured Emma Mulder and Arianna Nelson as the younger Fionas, was another number that worked very well; there was a real sense of connection between each actress’ version of the character and in the development from child Fiona to adult Fiona.
I’ve commented before about how difficult it is to do the guards’ songs well. Directors Megan Gooden and Megan Mulder took a unique take in Farquaad’s first scene by having him enter the room and get increasingly impatient as the guards keep singing. It was very funny, and it also set the tone for the character in an interesting way. Scott Swanson’s Farquaad was angry, power-hungry, and totally confident in his machinations--appropriate for a guy who intends to murder his bride once she’s provided him with a crown (a detail that passes by so quickly in the musical that I wonder if everyone realizes it’s there). Swanson also brought some great physical work to the character--his workout sequence with Thelonius (a demented Brian Klosa) was hilarious.
Another fun surprise in RVTC’s production was the dragon. The puppet was huge and imposing, and its arrival on stage was a great theatrical moment. Janelle Swanson as the dragon was an 80s pop rock queen and I. LOVED. IT. Swanson's look and characterization worked very well together and gave the dragon a bit of gothic menace that was very fun.
There were a lot of nice things going on with costuming, which was done by Megan Mulder, Kristy Limberg, Paige Berndt, Megan Goihl, and Laura Theis. Humpty Dumpty’s outfit was one I particularly liked (subtle but effective). I found Farquaad’s “casual” look in his first scene very interesting, and his workout gear was very funny.
Tyler Eliason was very good as the disgruntled Pinocchio. Sher Unruh-Friesen was manically cheerful as the Sugar Plum Fairy and I wish she’d had a Gingy puppet whose mouth could move more. Some other nice featured moments came from Kieley Nugent as Humpty Dumpty and Jenna Leonard as the Ugly Duckling. I was surprised (and impressed to see Melanie Schmidt (Tweedle Dee) unicycle through "Freak Flag." I have to say that of all the ways to get a prop offstage, having an actor grab the prop while riding a unicycle across the stage is the best one I’ve ever seen.
This production had “canned” music instead of live, and while that works fine for some shows, Shrek is a tricky one. There are multiple moments when the music pauses for humorous tension, and other times when a character speaks over music; these would be easy enough with live music but with a pre-recorded soundtrack requires a lot more work from the singers. Under music director Bradley Beahan, the cast was well-prepared and performed well despite these tricky spots, but there were moments when the pre-recorded music worked against them.
Danielle Nelson’s choreography was fun, and I especially enjoyed “Make a Move” (featuring Cortez Owens, Greta Caliri, Erin Gassner, and Elizabeth Ramsey). However, the most memorable moment for me was during the “Story of My Life Tag,” a tiny and insignificant song that Nelson gave sped up choreography that made the scene hilarious.
Directors Megan Gooden and Megan Mulder did a great job bringing out interesting character choices and building in small rewarding moments (like when young Shrek stopped Fiona from interrupting the story by pushing her off stage). RVTC’s Shrek brought in fun, unique details that made the show a treat for newcomers and the over-familiar (me) alike. This show brought in a large audience and had them on their feet clapping by the last number. Shakopee may be a long drive for many people in the Twin Cities, but Shrek proves that it’s worth the trip.
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