Lipscomb Theatre brings beloved 'Shrek the Musical' to life Nov. 6-15
Big laughs, iconic characters and a heartfelt story about friendship and finding where you belong.
Robin Ghosh |
When Lawson Karber and Sh'Ahr Blackburn take the stage as Shrek and Donkey this November, they won't have to look far for inspiration for their characters' unlikely friendship.
Close friends since freshman year, Karber and Blackburn say their offstage dynamic reflects that of their iconic characters.
"Our chemistry is honestly Donkey and Shrek already," Blackburn said.
That chemistry is at the center of Lipscomb Theatre's upcoming production of Shrek the Musical, running Nov. 6-15 in Collins Alumni Auditorium. Based on the beloved DreamWorks animated film, the musical follows a gruff ogre who becomes an unlikely hero on a journey of friendship and belonging.
For Kari Smith, co-chair of Lipscomb's Department of Theatre and director of the production, bringing Shrek back to campus is an opportunity to revisit a beloved story with a new generation of student performers.
Kari Smith
Lipscomb last staged the musical in 2014, but Smith said its popularity has only grown among today's college students.
"They love the characters and the humor," Smith said. "It just sort of feels nostalgic to our current students."
Beyond its familiar characters and comedy, Shrek offers a wide range of performance opportunities. Its choreography includes tap, jazz and traditional musical theatre, while the score shifts between pop, R&B, folk and classic Broadway.
Christopher Bailey, department co-chair and music director for the production, said that stylistic diversity is a crucial part of preparing students for professional careers.
Over the past four years, Lipscomb's major musicals have included Big Fish, Cats, Matilda and now Shrek, exposing students to very different musical contexts.
“If a student is graduating this year and those were their four big musicals here, they got a taste of almost every genre the industry is hiring for,” Bailey said.
Christopher Bailey
That range also allows students to develop the vocal technique and stamina necessary to perform demanding material night after night.
Behind the scenes, students are involved in every aspect of bringing the world of Shrek to life, from costume construction and makeup design to choreography, stage management and puppetry. Among the show's most intricate elements is a dragon puppet requiring six performers to operate alongside the student portraying the Dragon.
Smith said that exposure to different aspects of theater production is essential to developing well-rounded artists.
"Even if they're not puppeteering, they're watching the process of the puppeteering," Smith said. "Whether they're in the big tap number or not, they're watching the process of that being created."
Some of the production's most dedicated performers, however, may never appear onstage.
Bailey pointed to the student swings, who must master multiple roles, including choreography, costume changes and stage movements, to jump in when needed. During rehearsals, he often sees them practicing different roles offstage while the cast performs.
"A swing goes into the process with a sense of humility, about being a part of the collective goal, versus time in the limelight," Bailey said.
That collaborative spirit is central to the mission of Lipscomb's George Shinn College of Entertainment & the Arts.
Mike Fernandez, dean of the college, said musical theater represents one of the most comprehensive examples of artists working across disciplines to create a memorable experience.
"It's not just that we're collaborating," Fernandez said. "It's that there's excellence in the storytelling, excellence in the performances and excellence in the design. All of those elements come together to create a cohesive and compelling theatrical experience."
For the students at the heart of that experience, bringing Shrek and Donkey to life presents both technical and personal challenges.
Karber has spent rehearsals developing Shrek's unique physicality and Scottish accent while tackling the vocal demands of the role.
“I'm a baritone, and it's teetering between that and tenor a lot of the show,” Karber said. “It's been interesting flexing a new part of my voice, especially with the accent, because I'm singing with the accent. It's like patting your head and rubbing your belly all at once.”
Blackburn, meanwhile, has embraced the challenge of portraying a character audiences know and love while bringing his own humanity to the performance.
“I just want to bring the likability to Donkey,” Blackburn said. “If I can bring that, then everyone will be like, ‘Oh, that's the Donkey I grew up with.’”
Although Shrek is a fairy-tale ogre, Karber believes the character's struggles are still deeply recognizable.
"There's something so relatable about Shrek," Karber said. "Everyone can understand what it’s like to feel like an outsider."
For Blackburn, a senior musical theater major, the story's message is particularly meaningful.
"Shrek is just about accepting who you are," Blackburn said. "Being you is good enough. You don't have to prove anything to anyone else."
That message of belonging resonates with students beyond the stage. Blackburn credits the encouragement of Lipscomb's theater faculty with helping him develop confidence in his abilities and his future as a theatre professional.
“These are people who aren't my parents or family members, but who genuinely believe in me,” Blackburn said, “and truly believe I could do this as a career.”
While Shrek the Musical promises plenty of comedy and spectacle, the team hopes audiences will also experience the heart beneath the humor.
"There are some very beautiful moments within a show and a script that doesn't take itself too seriously," Bailey said.
For Smith, the production ultimately reflects what makes live theater so meaningful.
"Theater should make you think while also entertaining you," she said.
Shrek the Musical runs Nov. 6-15 at Collins Alumni Auditorium, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6, 7, 13 and 14, and 2:30 p.m. Nov. 8 and 15.