Shrek Comes to the Stage in Ocean City

The Greater Ocean City Theatre Company presents “Shrek the Musical,” a song-and dance-filled stage adaptation of the Oscar-winning DreamWorks animated film, Aug. 11-13.

It is the second musical in the 2015 Broadway Series, which features the Ocean City POPS Orchestra.

Show times are Aug. 11, 12 and 13, 7:30 p.m. at the Hughes Performing Arts Center of Ocean City High School.

For their eighth official season, Ocean City Theatre Company re-creates the fantasy Kingdom of Far Far Away—with many hilarious, irreverent twists.

Instead of a knight riding a noble steed, the hero is Shrek, a swamp-dwelling ogre teamed up with a chatterbox donkey. And the princess? She’s the slightly temperamental Fiona. After Shrek rescues Fiona from a dragon-guarded tower, the two fall in love before she reveals there’s more to her than meets the eye. Other fairytale misfits add surprises: from a Gingerbread Man with an attitude to Three Blind Mice channeling their inner Dreamgirls.

The family-friendly show features 19 songs including “I’m A Believer”, “Build A Wall”, “I Know Its Today”, “Travel Song”, and “I’ve Think I Got You Beat.”

The songs come from Jeanine Tesori, who wrote the music, and David Lindsay-Abaire, who wrote the book and lyrics.

“Shrek the Musical” also draws from a 1990 children’s book by famed New Yorker cartoonist William Steig. Like the first 2001 “Shrek” film, the musical stays true to Steig’s fractured fairytale vision where dragons are friendly, swamps are better than castles, and the true hero isn’t handsome or noble but a grouchy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside ogre who is more or less content with himself and his life in a swamp.

After “Shrek the Musical” premiered in 2008, as the most expensive show ever produced on Broadway, it played for more than a year and earned numerous Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations. The Ocean City production will feature spectacular effects, a 14’ dragon puppet, colorful sets, amazing make up, and costumes that replicate the Broadway production.

For Ocean City Theatre Company’s production, Michael Hartman directs, Colleen Kreisel choreographs, and Jonathan Kreamer oversees the music direction.

The 24-member cast features professional performers from New York Cityand three local youth actors. Mark Edwards will return to the OCTC stage to perform the title role of Shrek.

Edwards won over OCTC audiences with his portrayal of Harold Hill in The Music Man, male singer in Swing! and most recently the 2014 Holiday Spectacular. He recently completed the national tours of Camelot and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Making their OCTC debut are Kari Lochstoer (Fiona) and John Turner (Donkey).

The genius talents of John Anker Bow will shine once again as he tackles the role of Lord Farquaad. Youth performers include Julia Wilson, Maggie Avellino, and Scott Avellino.

Tickets are $20-$25. For tickets, call 609-525-9248 or visit www.ocnj.us/boxoffice

The attached image was provided by the Ocean City Theatre Company: NYC based performer Mark Edwards will portray everyone’s favorite green hero in Ocean City’s SHREK the Musical.