Come one, come all! Below is the character descriptions, plot summary, and soundtrack link for Shrek the Musical Jr.
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
Storytellers – Wonderful roles for performers with natural stage presence and big, clear voices. These characters are important for setting up the world and moving the story forward.
Shrek – He may be a big, scary, green ogre to the rest of the world, but as the story reveals, he’s really just a big fellow with a big heart. It is great if Shrek is a solid singer and excellent actor with comedic chops.
Fiona – She may appear to be an ideal princess straight from the fairy tale books, but there is more to her than that stereotypical image. She is an audacious young lady with a wonderful sense of humor and – surprisingly – manners akin to those of a teenage boy. This needs to be a performer who can do it all: act, sing and dance.
Young Fiona – Young Fiona and Teen Fiona are younger versions of Fiona and should have solid singing voices.
Teen Fiona – Young Fiona and Teen Fiona are younger versions of Fiona and should have solid singing voices.
Lord Farquaad – A very short man with huge ambition! He is solely interested in gaining as much power as possible. This is a role for a good singer, but most importantly, a comedian who isn’t afraid of making bold choices or looking silly.
Donkey – A brash, loud, fast-talking animal with no concept of “quiet time.” This role needs a performer who can sing well and has a whole lot of presence and character. They should complement Shrek as his loyal and ever-faithful sidekick.
Dragon – A role that requires a lot of soul and spunk. She is a ferocious fire-breathing dragon but finds a surprising love in Donkey. A performer who has tremendous presence and a good pop singing voice.
Mama Ogre – Good roles for a dynamic duo that can kick off the show with a lot of energy and presence. Should be good singers.
Papa Ogre – Good roles for a dynamic duo that can kick off the show with a lot of energy and presence. Should be good singers.
Little Ogre – A role just right for a smaller, younger performer who is new to the stage. He may not have lines but he is very important to the storytelling.
Pinocchio – The wooden boy who cannot tell a lie without his nose growing. Pinocchio begins in a sour mood about his second-class status but ends the story as a natural leader among the Fairy Tale Creatures. This is a performer with a lot of personality who can sing well.
The Three Little Pigs – Pig 1, Pig 2 And Pig 3. The classic three little pigs with a German twist.
Ugly Duckling – He may be bitter about his unfortunate appearance, but he does find camaraderie among his fellow fairy tale outcasts. This is a fun comedic role for a performer.
The Three Bears – Mama Bear, Papa Bear, and Baby Bear. Great cameo roles for young performers who have little performing experience but make a complementary group.
Wicked Witch – A great role for a young performer destined to be a character actress. She has a big personality!
Big Bad Wolf – He doesn’t need to be a scary, threatening big-bad-wolf type. At this point, he’s a pretty tame wolf. This is a fun role for a newcomer to the stage.
Gingy – A great cameo role for a young performer who is as earnest as can be. Gingy is based on the Gingerbread Man who runs away like a fugitive from his baking captors. Need a performer with great energy to play this role.
Peter Pan – The boy who never grew up, and he continues to act the part in this story. Looking for a performer who will have fun physicalizing the character.
Captain Of The Guard – This role is just right for an actor with some inherent strength and authority. He or she doesn’t have to have a lot of stage experience; just need a big, booming voice and someone who isn’t scared to put all the Fairy Tale Creatures in their place.
Knights – The Dragon’s background singers who all tried at some point to save Fiona from her tower but were held hostage by the Dragon. Performers who can sing well and have some soul just like the Dragon.
Dwarf – Farquaad’s comparably short and grumpy father. This is a perfect cameo role for a young performer.
Ensemble – The Fairy Tale Creatures make up the heart of the show. These characters are taken from the story books but have a bit of a comedic twist. Other standout ensemble roles include: The Guards, Duloc Performers, Puss in Boots, Rooster, Pied Piper, Rats and the Bishop. Ensemble roles like Birds, Trees, Deer, Woodland Creatures and Fairy Tale Creatures help make up the backbone of the musical.
SUMMARY
Shrek the Musical is a one-of-a-kind, hilarious fairy tale in which curses are reversed, monsters get the girls, donkeys and dragons find love, and princesses are beautiful in all shapes and sizes. Grumpy, gruff, green ogre Shrek lives alone in his swamp. The world is fearful and mocking of him, and he is more than happy to leave the world to itself, in turn. Suddenly, his hermit existence is thrown open, when a group of homeless fairytale characters — Pinocchio, the Gingerbread Man, the Three Little Pigs, and more — burst upon his swamp, seeking refuge from the persecution of the cruel, vertically-challenged Lord Farquaad. Shrek seeks out Farquaad, who offers him a deal: if Shrek rescues the Princess Fiona (whom Farquaad wishes to marry for her crown), then Farquaad will ensure the return of Shrek’s swamp by returning the Fairytale Creatures to their homes. In a desperate attempt to regain his swamp’s hermetic peace, Shrek enters the world for the first time in his life. He travels to Princess Fiona’s prison, rescues her from a fire-breathing dragon, and then – scariest of all – is forced to get to know the princess as he tries to bring her back to evil Farquaad to the determinedly unsocial ogre’s dismay, Fiona is very different from what he expected a princess to be. She may even provoke Shrek’s most novel experience yet: Love. With dazzling sets, whimsical puppetry, high-energy dance numbers, and laughs by the minute, Shrek the Musical transforms the contemporary children’s book and popular animated feature film into a stage musical that is sure to entertain and make audiences believers in happy endings for all!
LINK TO SOUNDTRACK (JUNIOR VERSION):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1m04KVklyHSkYGqtKxSihEr_PFnQs6D3
