ARKADELPHIA -- Ouachita Baptist University's Department of Theatre Arts will present "Shrek the Musical" April 16-19. Performances will be held in Jones Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. each day, in addition to a 2:30 p.m. matinee on April 19. Tickets are $12 each and all ages are welcome.
"The musical tells the story of Shrek, everyone's favorite ogre, who embarks on a quest to save his swamp. Joined by loyal and wisecracking Donkey, this unlikely hero rescues the beautiful and feisty Princess Fiona from her tower guarded by a fire-breathing, lovesick dragon," said Daniel Inouye, associate professor of theater arts and director of the production.
"Through his adventure, Shrek learns the value of true friendship and love, and that some fairy tales should really be updated," Inouye said. "Add to this the diminutive Lord Farquaad, a gang of fairy tale misfits and a cookie with a serious attitude problem, and you have got a must-see musical comedy."
The production is a two-act adaptation of the children's book "Shrek!" by William Steig, and the DreamWorks Animation motion picture "Shrek," with music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire.
"We wanted to do a modern musical that has lots of audience appeal," Inouye said. "Everyone is familiar with the animated films and when we got a chance to produce this musical, it just seemed like a great fit for our students and a show that our audiences would love to see."
Serving alongside Inouye are musical director David Stanley, OBU instructor of music; choreographer Grace Whitaker, a 2011 Ouachita graduate; and technical director Eric Phillips, professor of theater arts and chair of OBU's Department of Theatre Arts.
Will Stotts, a freshman musical theater major from Jonesboro, will play the title role. He said in a news release, "I am looking forward to presenting this hilarious, but also beautiful, story to the audience. It has such a great message, with a whole lot of laughter here and there."
Other principal cast members include Kenderick Scorza, a senior musical theater major from North Little Rock, as Donkey; Benjamin Stidham, a senior musical theater major from Dallas, Texas, as Lord Farquaad; and Cami Willis, a senior musical theater and church media/production arts double major from Flower Mound, Texas, as Princess Fiona.
Tickets may be purchased at the OBU box office on weekdays from 1-5 p.m. or online at http://www.obu.edu.
Call the box office during business hours, 870-245-5555, or email [email protected] for more information.
Entertainment on 04/10/2015