Shrekthemusicalismeanttobeamovietostageadaptionofthe2001originalmovie

Shrek.
Thismeansthemusicalhadtoincludetheuniquesenseofcomedy,thehearttouching
moments,thesamemaincharactersandtheirdevelopment,andtheoverallplotoftheshow.So
theactorspersonaltakeonthecharacterandthedeliveryarequitecrucialtoexecutingthe
overallplot.IgottheopportunitytobeinVACTsproductionofShrek.Playingahandfulofparts
suchasaskeletondancer,araptapdancer,aDuloccitizen,andaguardofDulocallowedme
toviewtheplotofthestoryfromdifferentpointsofview.Afterworkingintheproductionfrom
earlyApriltolateJune,Igatheredthreemainpointsonwhatweasacasthadaccomplishedas
charactersonstagetomaketheshoweffective.Howwordchoiceeffectedaudienceresponse,
creatingcharactersthatwereappropriatetothecontexttothecontextofthescene,andwhat
figurativelanguagewasusedeffectivelytocreateapicturefortheaudienceandhelpthem
understandaspecificscene.

Wordchoiceintheatertendstogivelittlefreedomtotheactorsincestickingtothescriptis
usuallywhatsexpected.ButinamusicallikeShrek,deliveryiseverything.Asamaincharacter,
theirdeliveryofeachlineneededtoreflecttheattitudeofthecharacterandtheircharacter
development.Furthermore,ifdoneinthecorrectwayitwouldtriggeraudienceresponse.So
whilewordchoicewasnotintheactorsrangeoffreedom,deliveringalineinacertainway
changedtheatmosphereofthescene.WithdoublecastedShreksandFionas,Igotto
experiencethepairstakeonasceneinadifferentwayfromeachother.Thescenestillreflected
theircharacter,buttheycouldchangeitbytheirdeliveryofbothlinesandbodylanguage.For
instanceintheopeningsceneoftheshow,thevillagerscometogethertoslayShrektheogre.
Shreksneaksupbehindthemandscaresthemoffwithhisterrifyinglooks,butalsowithhis
detailedamusingdescriptionofhowhewouldeatthemall.Brian,thefirstShrek,tookonthis
sceneasmoreofabigheadedogreusinganoverpoweringandconnivingattitude.Ryan,the
secondShrek,madethisscenemoreofaplayfulcomedicscenestillkeepingthattrademark
connivingShrekattitude.BothdeliveriesreflectedthecharacterofShrekjustindifferentways.
Theaudienceunderstoodandlaughedinbothinstancesatthedelivery.

Whiletheleadsdidcarrytheheadofthemusical,theensembleplayedalargeroleincreating
charactersthatwereappropriateinthecontextofeachscene.Theensembleisthekeyto
whetherashowisagoodshoworanoutstandingshow.Theleadshadascripttotellthemwhat
todophysicallyandfaciallyonstageincertainpartsoftheshowjusttogivethemanideaofthe
character.Asanensemble,wehadtoexamineandunderstandeachsceneinrehearsalsto
allowustocreateacharacterandattitudethataddedtothescene.Theresonesceneinthe
beginningoftheshowwheretheguardscaptureandrelocateallfairytalecreatures.Allofus
whowereguardsknewthatDulocdespisedfairytalecreaturesandthatwehadtofeelthe
samewayaboutthem.Sowemadeourfacialexpressionscruelandtoughandmadeourbody
languageintimidatingaswepushedthefairytalecreaturesaround.Thisgavetheaudiencea
concernedfeelingforthefairytalecreatures.Thiswasintendedsincetheguardswereonthe
sideoftheantagonist,Duloc,whilethefairytalecharactersareonthesideof,theprotagonist,
Shrek.ForeachcharacterIplayed,Ihadtothinkofmysituationinthesceneinordertoact
accordingly.DuringthescenewhereDulocproposesthatShrekwillbethechosenonetosave

theprincess,asoneoftheduloccitizensthiswasapointwherewecouldreactindifferent
ways.Ichosetohavesurprisedcountenanceatfirstthatsoongrewintoadeeperinterest.
Othersshowedexpressionsofworry,fear,orexcitement.Inawaythiswasadeepermeaning
offoreshadowing.UsuallywhateverDulocdidorreactedwewoulddothesamesincewewere
underhiscontrol.ButthisatmosphereofmixedemotionsamonghiscitizensshowsthatDuloc
hadlostsomeofhisholdasheadofhistyrantkingdom.

Inthemusicalthereweresetpiecesandcostumestohelpcreateanimageoftheatmosphere
fortheaudience,butthefigurativelanguageinShrekisusedtopainttheimagesthatthe
audiencecantsee.Manyoftheseimagesoccurinthesongs.InthesongWhoIdBe,Shrek
usesimagerytodescribethepeoplehedwanttoberatherthantheuglyogrehesawhimselfto
be.
IguessIdbeahero,Withswordandarmorclashing,Lookingsemidashing,Ashieldwithin
mygrip.OrelseIdbeaviking,Andlivealifeofdaring,Whilesmellinglikeaherring,upona
vikingship.Idsailaway,Idseetheworld,Idreachthefarthestreaches.Idfeelthewind,Id
tastethesaltandsea,Andmaybestorm,somebeaches.ThatswhoIdbe,thatswhoIdbe.
Symbolismisalsousedquiteabit,butveryspecificallyinthesongFreakFlag.Thissongis
sungbyallthefairytalecreatureswhobelievethatsincetheyredifferenttheyshouldshowtheir
pridethroughtheiranthem.
Letyourfreakflagwave,Letyourfreakflagfly!
Thisissymbolizing
peoplewholookorarejustnaturallydifferentinwaysthattheycantcontrol.Sincetheycant
controlit,thesongsuggeststhatinsteadofbeingdownonthemselves,theyshouldraisetheir
FreakFlaghighagainsttheirtormentors.ThroughoutactII,Shrekfeelslikeheisnotgood
enoughforFionaashebeginstofallinlovewithherasshedoeswithhimtoo.ButShrekhears
FionaonenighttellingDonkeythatprincessanduglydontgotogetherexplainingwhyshe
cantmarryhim.Shrekbelievesshestalkingabouthisogrelooks,buttheironyisrevealedto
himattheend.ShewastalkingaboutherselfeventhoughShrekthoughtitwasbecausehe
wasanogrethatshedidntlovehim.Thisironywasusedasabeautifulwaytotietheending
together.