Royal City Musical Theatre presents Shrek the Musical, at New Westminster’s Massey Theatre. The fun-filled family-friendly production, with book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, and music by Jeanine Tesori, brings the 2001 DreamWorks Animation film to life until May 3rd.
Like all good ogres, at age seven Shrek – played on opening night by Riley Calderwood (alternating performances with Preston Matthew Culili) – his parents send him out into the world on his own. As an adult, Tanner Zerr brings the lumbering, grumpy – but lovable – ogre to life, filling him with heart and humour. Shrek just wants a simple life, alone in his swampland, eating unions onions and being unbothered by outsiders. Unexpectedly, a cavalcade of fairy tale creatures descend upon his home, including Pinocchio (Eric Timuss), Peter Pan (Pier Francesco Marchi), Big Bad Wolf (Colton Fyfe), The Wicked Witch (Kadia Kindersley), Fairy Godmother (Amy Jean McElwain), Sugar Plum Fairy (Sarah Houghton), White Rabbit (Jenny Nguyen), Humpty Dumpty (Amanda Spinosa) and many more.
Photo: Moonrider Productions
All have been displaced to his swamp by the dastardly, diminutive Lord Farquaad who is set on ridding his Kingdom of Duloc of all the ‘freaks’. In a wondrously camp turn, Kamyar Pazandeh’s Farquaad delivers many of the musical’s finest sight gags while delivering his finest moustache twirling moments. Being only a lowly Lord, Farquaad must secure a princess’s hand in marriage to become a King of his realm.
To hasten the return of his private sanctuary Shrek agrees to Lord Farquaad’s request to rescue Princess Fiona from her imprisonment in a castle surrounded by lava and guarded by a terrible fire-breathing dragon. He and Donkey, a thick-thighed stray that befriended Shrek on the way to Duloc, set off on their rescue mission. The captivating Chris Francisque elevates Donkey from side-kick to partner-in-crime as he charms his way into Shrek’s good graces and provides many moments of merriment along the way.
Trapped in her castle since age 7, Fiona has wiled away the years waiting for her prince to come and deliver true love’s first kiss to deliver her from a mysterious curse that kept her locked away. Played as a child on opening night by Nora Cowen (alternating with Hannah Durnin), then as a teen by Alicia Malelang (alternating with Kalayna Kozak). As time passes to adulthood, Madison Simms takes over and is princess perfect, lending her bright, light and powerful voice to Fiona. Weary from years of isolation, anxious to free herself from a curse and optimistic that Farquaad is her destiny will she miss what’s right in front of her?
Director Chris Adams deftly leads an epic undertaking to bring this scale of a production to The Massey Theatre. The creative team creates a world of fairy tales, ogres, royalty and flatulence gags that leaves everyone laughing. Dynamic dance numbers choreographed by Tracey Power fill the stage with all thirty cast members who are instantly recognizable as their fairy-tale counterparts thanks to Caitlyn Baird’s costumes. Emily Dotson’s set with Robert Sondergaard’s lighting and Stephanie Barclay’s props carry us from Shrek’s gaseous swamp to Farquaad’s regal residence to the fiery lair of the Dragon (voiced by Alexis Hope). Musical Director Angus Kellett with Sound Designer Rick Colhoun keep a potential cacophony of contrasting character voices clear and crisp.
From the live orchestra’s opening strains, the audience knows we have entered a Big Bright Beautiful World filled with creativity, comedy, heartfelt discovery and most of all a rollicking great time!
Don’t miss your chance to be a believer in happy endings with Shrek the Musical playing until May 3, 2026 at The Massey Theatre, 735 8th Ave, New Westminster. For more information, showtimes and tickets visit royalcitymusicaltheatre.com