SHREK the musical
at Falls Church High School

Reviewed on December 3, 2016

Paul Hardin
W. T. Woodson High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

Ogres and donkeys and dragons…oh my! In Falls Church High School's Shrek the Musical, the epic story of true love took the stage. Based on the well-known DreamWorks movie and the book by William Steig, Shrek reminds us that despite the adversities and injustices of life, it's still a "big, bright beautiful world".

The musical follows the journey of Shrek (Carson Hopkins), who desperately wishes to remain in isolation in his home at the swamp, away from the cruel outside world. However, his dream is far from a reality. A vibrant cast of fairy tale creatures arrives at the swamp, banished for their quirks and irregularities. Shrek sets off to save his swamp and embarks on an incredible journey that will change his life forever. Along the way, he meets a vivacious and very friendly Donkey (Patrick Kearney), the short and cranky Lord Farquaad (Adam Ashley), and he rescues Fiona (Eileanora Clock), a princess turned ogress, who turns out to be his true love.

Helping to transport the audience to a fairy tale world, many actors demonstrated their craft for accents. Shrek's impressive Scottish accent added to his character overall, however, at times it impeded his singing capabilities, affecting articulation and vowel placement. The energetic and excited Princess Fiona introduced herself in the iconic song "I Know It's Today", where Samaria Dellorso as Teen Fiona was a standout. While Shrek and Fiona struggled to connect early on, by the second act the chemistry between the two increased, adding an extra layer of enjoyment. The fiery Dragon (Jia Syed) graced the audience with a rich, full tone in her song "Forever".

The show's ensemble, whether running from the guards, chasing after the fairy tale characters, or dancing around the swamp, showed real energy, but several actors shifted in and out of the scene, not always reacting and being involved. The ensemble impressed with their flag throwing skills during "Freak Flag", in which the Sugar Plum Fairy (Danielle Phan) sang a powerful declaration to the virtues of being different.

The sound crew worked with an astounding 24 mics in this show, which is a difficult task. When some actors' mics were not working, the actors succeeded in allowing a wonderful orchestra to shine through and demonstrated good timing for bodily function sounds during "I Got You Beat".

In a day and age where discrimination and injustice continue center stage, Shrek's message of acceptance reminds us to treat everyone, whether human, ogre, or anything in between, with kindness and an open mind. We must remember that everyone has layers, and just like Shrek, when we slowly peel them back, we realize that the scariest, strangest, and most diverse people are just like us deep down inside.

Celia Richardson
Albert Einstein High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

We all know the stories of Pinocchio and The Three Little Pigs... Or, at least we thought we did. But what happens when a whole ensemble of misfit fairy tale characters is evicted from the Land of Duloc and ends up in the swamp of an abrasive, yet lovable ogre named Shrek? The unlikely hero goes on an epic quest to rescue a princess with a secret, and an unexpected romance begins to brew. Forget everything you know about fairy tales and enter the world of Falls Church High School's production of Shrek the Musical!

Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire's musical chronicles the marvelous adventures of Shrek, an ogre that roared and belched his way into the hearts of audiences everywhere in the 2001 DreamWorks movie Shrek and the 1990 picture book of the same name written by William Steig, both which the musical draws from. Premiering in 2008 in Seattle, the musical's dynamic characters, energetic nature, and impressive vocal demonstrations earned it a Broadway run beginning that same year, 12 Drama Desk nominations, 8 Tony nominations, and a Grammy. Since its close on Broadway in 2010, the colorful show has seen major reworking and numerous productions around the globe.

This quirky show found itself a temporary home at Fall Church High School, starring Carson Hopkins as Shrek and Eileanora Clock as Princess Fiona. Both did an excellent job of portraying the quirks of their characters, being able to make an ogre and a princess appear oddly relatable. Hopkins' gentle and soft-spoken nature successfully illustrated Shrek's easygoing side, especially in numbers such as "Who I'd Be" and "When Words Fail". Comedic actor Adam Ashley in the pint-sized role of Lord Farquaad had the audience in stitches with his sassy stage presence and his physicality, especially since he had to adapt to being on his knees for much of the show to portray Lord Farquaad's atypical height. Despite the fantastic performances of the leading cast, the real show stealers were arguably a group of unexpected featured performers, notably Tate Wroblewski as Pinocchio, Jia Syed's smooth vocals as the Dragon, and Danielle Phan's skilled ventriloquism and incredibly powerful voice as The Gingerbread Man. All three had great stage presence and worked well within the confines of their roles.

These strong performances were only enhanced by the skillful crew work. Though there were occasional microphone issues, the company would not let it affect the flow of the production and the sound crew found its footing eventually--impressive considering a total of 24 microphones were used, unusual for a high school production. Standout choreography, led by Darius Bryant, effectively contributed to the fun nature of the show, and the skillful execution had the audience in awe. Standout numbers include the dance break in "Morning Person" and the intricate flag twirling in "Freak Flag."

A combination of heartfelt numbers, a strong cast, and impressive technical accomplishments, Falls Church High School's fantastic production of Shrek the Musical is worth seeing whether you are already a Shrek lover or have yet to become a fan.

Nandi Ndoro
The Madeira School
Submitted for publication to FCPS Community News

Caroling ogres, blabbering donkeys and loving dragons--it's time to let your freak flag fly! In Falls Church High School's production of Shrek the Musical, these divergent characters join together in a shrek-tacular fairytale!

Adapted from the 2001 DreamWorks film, Shrek the Musical was written and composed by David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori. The production was featured on Broadway from 2008 to 2010 and later made it's way to the West End theater in London, England. The musical spotlights a stubborn ogre who is forced to save a princess as part of a deal for keeping his swamp. However, much to his surprise, he falls in love with the enchanting princess and experiences his own "happily ever after".

Throughout the performance, Carson Hopkins expertly portrayed the stubborn creature of habit, Shrek. Faced with a signature Scottish accent and ferocious roar, Hopkins ardently rose to the occasion and stunned the audience with his flair for Shrek's nuances. Hopkins also displayed his powerhouse vocals while depicting Shrek's vulnerability and multitude of layers in songs such as "Who I'd Be" and "When Words Fail", captivating the audience as this unlikely hero.

Elieanora Clock adeptly animated the "mess of contradictions" of Princess Fiona. Employing her expert soprano voice, the actress was able to highlight the signature desperation yet romanticism of the ogress in songs like "I Know It's Today" and "Morning Person". She was an excellent pairing to Hopkins, who with his unyielding stubbornness partnered fantastically with her endearing sass. The duo did an excellent job of highlighting the moments where Fiona and Shrek first fall in love, effectively melting the hearts of audience.

The ensemble was also an undeniable force and an integral part of the entire production. Playing various roles such as Guards and Fairytale Creatures, the ensemble not only guided Shrek and Princess Fiona into accepting themselves, but also demonstrated their own aplomb as well. In "Story of My Life", these skilled actors brought together the magic and individuality of the fairytale creatures we have grown to know and love. As Pinocchio and Sugar Plum Fairy/Gingy, Tate Wroblewski and Danielle Phan respectively, showed their expert vocals throughout the production. Although there were a few problems with pitch, the ensemble inspired the audience in powerful tracks such as "Freak Flag".

The set, makeup and costume design were major components of the production, using puppetry and large set pieces (Shrek's outhouse and cobwebbed trees) as the foundation of the show. The Dragon (voiced by Jia Syed), a large, fiery red puppet, wowed the audience with it's mechanics and special effects. While the minute details of each character's costume, such as Pinocchio's extendable nose and Donkey's attachable hooves, tied together the theme of accepting both one's flaws and magical characteristics.

Natasha Shukla
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

Falls Church High School's production of Shrek the Musical reminds us that when we can't get along, sometimes the solution isn't as simple as "building a wall." With Shrek and the fairytale creatures of Duloc, we learn that recognizing our differences and letting our freak flag wave makes us stronger together than we can ever be apart.

Shrek's story was first told in 1990 in William Steig's picture book, where it inspired the 2001 smash hit movie of the same name. From there, Shrek made his way to the mainstage on Broadway in 2008 in Shrek the Musical. When Lord Farquaad banishes all the fairy tale creatures to Shrek's swamp, Shrek is outraged. Willing to do whatever he needs to get them out, Shrek embarks on a heroic journey to rescue Princess Fiona for Lord Farquaad, but finds himself falling in love with her along the way.

Shrek, the title character, was played by the boisterous Carson Hopkins. He portrayed a tender-hearted Shrek, juxtaposed by his ferocious ogre roar. Donkey (Patrick Kearney) matched Shrek's energy and timing well, and despite the fact that he had hooves for hands, he had a tight grip on his comedic delivery.

Danielle Phan was an immediate standout, displaying impressive vocal manipulation when alternating between two fan favorites, Gingy and the Sugarplum Fairy. Her range of character voices and ability to lead an ensemble with her contagious energy made it impossible for the audience to keep their eyes off of her.

Adam Ashley played Lord Farquaad, the tiny nobleman with a massive personality, with an unparalleled charisma. He revitalized both the ensemble and the audience whenever he was onstage.

Dragon, played by Jia Syed, brought the house down with her powerhouse vocals. Her show-stopping number, "Forever," was absolutely cathartic. She captured the character of a fierce, unstoppable woman as well as a soft-hearted lover, a combination that added worlds of dimension to the show.

Many characters, if not all of them, opted to use accents or character voices. While this choice strengthened each actor's characterization, some actors lacked consistency when singing. Alternatively, the strength of their accent compromised the quality of their singing when it was clear the actor had more impressive technical skills than displayed. Despite this, the Fairytale Creatures ensemble came together as a bold, cohesive unit in their last number, "Freak Flag."

It is worth noting that FCHS's production overcame quite a few hiccups, including their director being out for a week due to illness. All in all, FCHS's production reminds us of the endearing qualities we treasure so much about high school theatre.

Jessie Yu
Oakton High School
Submitted for publication to Falls Church News Press

Every good fairytale needs a princess, a dragon, a villain, and a hero in the form of a terrifying ogre traveling with a compulsively chatty donkey as his only friend, right? Falls Church High School brought these characters together with their production of "Shrek The Musical".

Adapted from the DreamWorks film that took 2001 by storm, "Shrek The Musical" took to the stage in 2008 with original music by Jeanine Tesori. Following the renowned story of an antisocial ogre who finds himself on a quest to save a princess, the musical demonstrates that everyone has layers, and it's crucial to look past physical appearances and differences in order to truly get to know someone.

Carson Hopkins took on the titular role with stride, embodying the familiar character through an impressive accent that he maintained throughout the show. Hopkins portrayed Shrek's arc from a crude, brusque recluse to a hesitant friend and lover with realistic vulnerability and emotional vocals in numbers such as "Who I'd Be" and "When Words Fail". The quirky chemistry that developed between him and Fiona, played by Eileanora Clock, carried the romance of the plot with endearing humor.

Meanwhile, Patrick Kearney elevated his sidekick status as Donkey with gregarious clinginess that grew on both the audience and a softening Shrek. Scampering about and rolling all over the stage, Kearney kept the energy up and jokes going. Another notable performance that had the audience erupting into laughter was by Adam Ashley as the arrogant Lord Farquaad. Certainly not short on talent, Ashley delivered the petulant caricature of a dictator with ostentatious mannerisms and movements—all while on his knees.

Although there were some technical difficulties with sound and at times the orchestra would occasionally overpower the actors onstage, overall, the musical performances were successfully entertaining. As the voice of the Dragon, Jia Sayed filled the auditorium with her soulful rendition of "Donkey Pot Pie/Forever". Danielle Phan as Gingy and the Sugar Plum Fairy also brought strong vocals to the show, inspiring both the fairy tale creatures and the audience with her brief yet powerful solo.

The visual aspects were what really brought this show together. The multilevel set was elaborately decorated to transform the stage from a muggy swamp to a gaudy castle and back again. The larger-than-life dragon's head was evidently crafted with meticulous care, and added a thrilling aspect to the scene of Fiona's wedding with Farquaad, when it appeared and blanketed the stage with billowing smoke. For a high school production, the makeup for Shrek was remarkable, fully turning Hopkins into the beloved creature of the DreamWorks films.

Showing that conventional heroes are ogre-rated and that anyone can find love, the cast and crew of Falls Church High School created a production that was big, bright, and beautiful for everyone to enjoy.

Lindsey Jacobson
Oakton High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

It's a "Big Bright Beautiful World" in the province of Duloc…unless you are a raging ogre sent on a quest to get back his swamp from the flamboyant, yet despicable Lord Farquaad. Along his journey, he meets an excessively chatty donkey, and together they set out to rescue the "bodacious brunette," Princess Fiona from her dragon-guarded tower. The Freak Flags were flying at Falls Church High School's ogre-ly hysterical production of "Shrek The Musical."

Based on the 2001 DreamWorks film of the same name, "Shrek the Musical" ran on Broadway from 2008-2010, amassing eight Tony Award nominations, and winning the award for Best Costume Design. Featuring music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, the musical adaptation brings to life the beloved story of an untraditional hero rescuing a princess, and how they defy all odds, and fall in love.

Carson Hopkins anchored the production as the verdigris title character. His seamless accent and complete ownership of the stage wonderfully encompassed the famous character. As his opposite was Eileanora Clock as Princess Fiona. Her charming vocals and her flawless portrayal as the sassy "mess of contradictions in a dress," especially in numbers such as "I Think I Got You Beat" played perfectly in harmony with Hopkins.

Ferocious in both demeanor and in vocals, Jia Syed wowed as the fiery Dragon. Syed gave a stellar performance in her soulful vocalization of "Forever." Her impressive range and her impeccable vocal riffs left the audience in awe. Without missing a beat, the four Dragon puppeteers maneuvered the faux beast around the stage with stunning reality. A standout performance, short in stature, but not short of talent, was Adam Ashley as Lord Farquaad. Featuring a grandiose disposition, and remarkable physicality, all while singing, dancing, and walking on his knees, Ashley didn't let clothing malfunctions make him stop short, and powered through to create a highly memorable performance.

The special effects, led by Julian Hockenberry and Andrew Thomas, proved to be an integral part of telling the story. Although the cast faced challenges involving microphones, the special effects team kept balance with a beautiful use of fog and an extraordinarily intricate dragon puppet. The design of the dragon's head, and the complex mechanics inside of it for the puppeteer to master proved noteworthy, and despite its short-lived time on stage, proved most memorable.

Falls Church High School's one-of-a-kind production of the iconic story will not soon be forgotten. "Shrek The Musical" was a "dream come true."

Mavis Manaloto
W. T. Woodson High School
Submitted for publication to Fairfax County Times

Once upon a time, in a land not too far away from here, Falls Church High School brought to life a "Big Bright Beautiful World" complete with ogres, a talking donkey, a not-so-tall lord, and numerous fairytale characters in their production of Shrek The Musical.

Based on the 2001 DreamWorks film and originally by the 1990 book by William Steig, this musical originally began with a tryout in Seattle in 2008 before making its way to Broadway later that year. The original Broadway production was nominated for eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, winning one for Best Costume Design. With music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, Shrek the Musical tells the tale of the ogre Shrek who must save the feisty yet cursed Princess Fiona for Lord Farquaad in order to have the fairytale creatures removed from his swamp. Along the way, Shrek encounters an enthusiastic donkey and a singing dragon, and must face his most difficult and unexpected challenge of all: love.

FCHS's production featured a cast of 30+ students who executed a number of tricks in amusing musical numbers, such as synchronized flag spinning in "Freak Flag" and tap dancing in "Morning Person." The pit orchestra consistently provided a full sound and had incredible timing to support the singers onstage.

Carson Hopkins brought the disgustingly unpleasant, yet lovable Shrek to life with his brilliantly steady Scottish accent, which carried over splendidly in songs such as "Big Bright Beautiful World" and "Build A Wall." Hopkins remarkably juxtaposed Shrek's natural nastiness with his unforeseen vulnerability in "Who I'd Be" and "When Words Fail." Shrek's talkative traveling pal was portrayed by Patrick Kearney, whose silly Donkey was complete with clomps around the stage and an animated essence. Lord Farquaad, fabulously portrayed by Adam Ashley, impressively tackled the task of remaining on his knees throughout the show to execute his stubby nature. Eileanora Clock kept the poised, sassy manner of the princess.

The talent showcased by the main cast was also found in the supporting cast. Jia Syed's powerhouse vocals as the Dragon shone through in "Forever." Danielle Phan exhibited entertaining puppeteering skills and a uniquely shrill voice as Gingy. While the ensemble occasionally lacked energy and engagement, their individual characters stood out in the anthem "Freak Flag" and "Story of My Life."

Despite the sporadic faulty microphone, Stephanie Murphy's sound effects were well-timed in the song "I Think I Got You Beat." Special effects for the show included an artistic four-piece dragon, as well as fog to enhance the fire-breathing dragon's nature.

Shrek the Musical at Falls Church High School taught the audience through this unconventional, fun-filled musical not to judge others based on their ogre-like exterior, for it is their qualities on the inside that really matter.