Coming from someone who has acted out Shakespeare in a drawn on beard and played a flying blacklight cat, “Shrek the Musical” is still by far one of the strangest and most entertaining musical theatre productions of which I have ever been a part. I have seen the show go from all extremes of theatre, ranging from huge Rockette kicklines, to giant puppets, to a green prosthetic face that will make me into the green man himself.  Having seen the constant work over the past few months on behalf of this production, I can guarantee that this show will satisfy every aspect of what makes a musical a success.

I remember when the first musical production I was in was Wonderful Town, where the most extravagant setting was some fake storefront windows and LED lights. But this year, Shrek has redefined the meaning of extravagant. From Farquaad’s castle to Shrek’s muddy abode, each set piece bigger and better than the last. Even more extravagant eye candy for this show is the wonderful array of costumes and prosthetics that make each individual character stand out in their own unique way, including Shrek’s green face, Farquaad’s tiny legs, and Pinocchio’s nose.

Even if every single set, costume piece, and prosthetic was nonexistent, the show would still be well worth the watch.  Day after day I have seen each actor on stage improve, whether it be Fiona’s fantastic singing, Donkey’s slapstick behavior, or Farquaad’s absurd personality and temper tantrums, every aspect of each performer becomes exponentially funnier and more awe inspiring.  Having been in this theatre program for all four years of my high school career, I can honestly say that “Shrek the Musical” is a must see.

*This article has been written by Brendan Cullinane, who plays Shrek himself in the JCHS Production of “Shrek the Musical.”