Encinal High School’s recent spring production of Shrek the Musical proved to be both entertaining and authentic, capturing the essence of the original story while highlighting the talent and dedication of the student cast. The show ran from March 20-21 and 26-28 at the school’s gym.
Shrek tells the story of an ogre who prefers to live alone in his swamp, but his quiet life gets disrupted when fairy-tale creatures are sent there by Lord Farquaad. To get his swamp back, Shrek goes on a quest to rescue Princess Fiona, and is joined by a talkative donkey named Donkey. Along the journey, Shrek and Fiona grow closer and begin to see beyond appearances. The story challenges typical fairy-tale stories by showing that true beauty comes from within, ending with both characters accepting themselves and each other.
One of the strongest aspects of the play was the acting. Senior, Colby Tong who plays Shrek captured the character’s grumpy personality perfectly while still having great comedic timing. Princess Fiona, played by senior Claire Paaño, was equally impressive, showing a wide range of emotions from being independent to showing vulnerability. Donkey played by sophomore Kylie Franco and Lord Farquaad played by senior Ava Brandt brought a huge amount of energy to the stage, earning a lot of laughter from the audience with their expressive reactions and quick delivery of jokes. Together, all the cast created strong chemistry which made their relationships feel real and engaging.
The set design also played a major role in bringing the story to life. The stage was transformed into multiple locations, including: Shrek’s swamp, Duloc, and the dragon’s lair, all with creative transitions by the backstage run crew that kept the story flowing smoothly. Costumes were another highlight of the show. From Shrek’s iconic green ogre look to the wide variety of fairy-tale creatures, each costume reflected the characters accurately. Lord Farquaad’s costume, in particular, was both funny and cleverly designed, adding to the humor of the performance.
Overall this was more than just a performance, it was a reminder that stories about acceptance and friendship can resonate at any age. With every scene and song, the students brought heart and humor to the stage, leaving the audience inspired and entertained long after the curtain closed.
