This past weekend the Brownwood High School Theatre Department had the honor of performing “Shrek: The Musical.” The story is based on the 2001 animated movie of the same name, and was written by David Lindsay-Abaire, along with Jeanine Tesori as the composer. It’s the story of an ogre, along with his talkative Donkey companion, on a quest to reclaim his swamp by saving Princess Fiona from a guarded tower.
The first thing you see walking into the theater is a giant storybook with the title ‘Shrek’ plastered over it, giving you an immediate feeling of excitement that you got after watching the movie long ago. As the lights go out, Shrek comes out of the book, played by Langston Barnes, who shows us how annoyed someone could be if they lived a life of being chased by pitchforks and constantly having unwanted guests try and take over their land. So safe to say Langston’s portrayal is spot on.
Donkey is played by Deja Martin. The role is typically played by a man, but Deja brings a sass and vibe with her rendition that it makes you believe her portrayal is the better choice. Fiona, played by Kailee Bessent, shines in both her vocal and acting chops, showing them all off in the second act opening with the song ‘Morning Person.’ Lord Farquaad in the musical is supposed to be the most charismatic and silliest, and Alden Cecil felt like the perfect casting choice. His character design is a sight to see as well, never leaving your mind after walking out of the theater.
Costumes looked fantastic on everyone. The set pieces looked good as well, giving you the atmosphere of the Fairy-Tale world. One thing that hasn’t left my mind is the design of the dragon guarding the castle. It was a design so precise and so slick that it would make you say, ‘Wow, this was made by high schoolers? That looks amazing!’ Also, the dragon was sung and played by Mya McVicker, who gives you a fun soul piece admitting her love for Donkey.
If I had a true critique, I would say the show would’ve benefited with live music rather than recordings, but it is a high school musical, and the students did a pretty good job with what they were given. There were also a few mic issues, but those were fixed quickly and professionally when needed. If those are my only complaints, however, I can safely say the good completely outweighed the bad.
Pam Kasinger (Theater Director), Audrey McKillip (Assistant Theater Director) and Jennifer Reeves (Choral Director) put on a fun show and gave all their students a time to shine and made it a great experience for family and friends. In the future, this will be the spot where we provide information about upcoming productions, with time and dates, but as this show is now over, we will say that the production was a success, and the cast and crew should be proud bringing Shrek to life for all of us here in Brownwood.
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Brae Foust, along with being a DJ for KOXE and Sports Broadcaster for local area sports, is a classically trained Baritone who graduated with a degree in Music Education from Texas Tech University. He has performed regionally with the Texas Tech Opera Theatre, Amarillo Opera, and Lubbock Moonlight Musicals. Additionally, he has performed around the country, including Lincoln Center in New York City.