Shrek "First Look" Today in Seattle (a few SPOILERS

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 1:28am

While it was nice to hear some of the music they were very clear that they were not going to talke about any of the design, obviously a big deal to many. The creators and producers did say that they weren't looking to put the movie on stage, were going for backstory and the feel of the book, etc. Moore was very clearly that this would be enjoyable for adults as well, so it may not be the 3 year old fare we all though. Christopher Sieber sand 2 of his songs from the show, Sutton Foster introduced Tesori and Lindsay-Abaire via video and D'Arcy James and Gregory introduced Sieber via video. Tesori's music was beautiful and funny, especially her song for Donkey. I did find Lindsay-Abaire's lyrics a tad bland with him avoided rhyme at all costs (something I assumed a fairy tale musical would embrace). Shrek does have a scottish accent (at least Abaire spoke in one during the Donkey song). Sieber brought down the house with his two songs (one about his father being grumpy of 7 dwarfs fame and the other a fun number about how great he (and his country) are) and was charming, performing his first number on his knees on top of his shoes. This was the only design element revealed (that he'd be in a contraption) but this was already leaked in The Post many months ago.

If you have any questions about what was said about the show, I'd be happy to try an answer them. Keep in mind, again, they said nothing of the design other than it would be innovative, that the characters would look "familiar to us, and we'd be happy with it. So, not really anything. And anyone doubting Tesori isn't the right composer for the piece should be assured, her work is great. She's quite a funny lady too, several times saying very dark jokes that most of the audience didn't get. I'm more worried about Abare's lyrics. They even admitted he was just hired to write the book and Tesori wanted to have him write the lyrics because she enjoyed working with first time lyric writer Tony Kushner. While I'm a huge fan of Caroline, or Change and adore what Kushner brought to his lyrics, I don't know if Shrek is the best show for a first time book and lyric writer to takele doubly. And I'm not saying his lyrics were terrible, just not superb. They seemed very tentative to me. Still, his ideas about the show were spot on so perhaps it will all work when the great cast performs the show.

[Not Barker, Todd.]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 1:38am

Thanks!

[thinton]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 11:37am

Thanks! I'm really looking forward to seeing this in August. Could you give us a rundown of all the songs they mentioned and/or performed? Who sings them, what they are about, what their style of music is, etc.

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 11:53am

That's great!

As long as they get rid of the "wacky misunderstanding" plot device near the end of the film, I'll be a happy boy.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 12:39pm

Thanks!

Did they explain the "contraption" he'd be in?

[FMills]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 1:08pm

I was also at the event, and had a great time. I must admit I was firmly in the "what a horrible idea" camp going into the sneak peek, but came out much more excited by the idea of it.

The creative team clearly has a great take on the material and little interest in recreating a carbon-copy of the movie. That eased my worries a lot. And then when I heard the songs, it became clear these people weren't doing the Beauty and the Beast thing I was so afraid of. They took the familiar characters and story from the book and the movie, and spun them in a more interesting theatrical way. Congrats to them. Unless of course we only saw the good parts, and the rest sucks. I guess only time will tell.

I thought Bobby gave a great run-down of the event, but I have to disagree on one thing - I personally found the lyrics pretty terrific. Very funny without being glib, and I found a lot of the rhymes really clever (did you really not hear rhymes Bobby? Maybe it was the sound system, because it all scanned well to me) especially during the Chris Sieber numbers. And the audience laughed a whole lot. As an amateur lyricist myself, I was a bit envious, which is usually a good indication that I'm liking a show. "Oh, I wish I had written that."

My favorite song was actually the first one they performed. The composer and lyricist sang the opening number, which was mostly Shrek's parents singing to him when he's seven years old. It's his birthday, and they're kicking him out because it's an ogre tradition. The song is very funny and totally heart-breaking at the same time. What I loved best was that you know from the top this is NOT the movie, and it's not just a kiddie-musical. The show has a darker more ironic streak running through it, without losing its spirit or accessibility for kids.

The creative team talked a lot in between the numbers, and they were very funny and bantery in a natural way. You could tell they genuinely like each other and enjoy working together on the material. It showed in the songs.

And Christopher Sieber was genius. Very very funny. I'm so excited to see him half his size and in full costume.

Anyway, I guess maybe I could be a convert. If the rest of the show is as good as what I saw yesterday, it might not suck after all. But we shall see.

Count me as guardedly optimistic.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 1:21pm

FMills, do you happen to remember any of the song titles?

[FMills]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 1:35pm

Hmm. There weren't any song titles in the program, so I could only guess. The opening had a hook something like "Big Beautiful World" or something similar to that. Then the composer sang Donkey's first song, which was called "I Could Get Used to This." Then the two Lord Farquad songs. One was a very funny song about his tortured relationship with his grumpy father (a dwarf) but I have no idea what it was called. And the final song he sang was about how wonderful his perfect kingdom was - either it was called "Dulock" or "Things Are Looking Up." As I said though, these are only guesses based on what seemed to be the hooks they kept returning to in the lyric.

[withoutlovewithoutU]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 1:55pm

haha whenever I think of the Dunlop scene is Shrek I think "Shine your shoes wipe your..... face!"
Sorry, back on track.
Before reading this I had no real desire to see this show, but now I am actually curious about this now. It seems to have a beyond fabulous cast and it seem that maybe this might be a really fun show.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:15pm

Bobby and FMills, thanks for the comments.
I'm not surprised to hear that Tesori's music is excellent. And yes, Bobby, she is an incredibly funny woman. I love seeing her in interviews because her humor is brilliant!
I don't have any questions, you were pretty thorough. I can only imagine how great Christopher Sieber must have been! I think this will be a great show, especially if as you say, the creative team has no intention to re-create the film on stage.

[TIGGOSAURUS]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:19pm

With Christopher Sieber and Sutton Foster already on board, I'm willing to be convinced this could actually work really well, despite tons of initial reservations.

Thanks for reporting back in detail.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:38pm

Song Titles/Plot:

"Big, Bright Beautiful World": for YOung Shrek (age 7), his parents, adult Shrek. Shrek begins the show at age 7 with his parents giving him life lessons about the world being cruel. They send him on his way, he ends up at a fair where he doesn't get a balloon, torch yielding villagers, then the stage transforms into the swamp. Gorgeous melody with lyrics that often (in a good way) contradict the lush sound.

"I Could Get Used to This" for Donkey with Shrek speaking. Donkey falls out of the air, Shrek saves him, and Donkey runs around Shrek's place saying all the fun things they can do now that they're best friends. This was a new draft of the song written for CHESTOR GREGORY after he entered the show. Very soul inspired song.

"Daddy Was Grumpy" for Farquaad: His "history" number about his Dad and Mom. Basically explained why he's so screwed up.

"Things are Looking Up (in Dulock)" for Farquaad and Townspeople. Fun little dance number.

Again, the contraption was mentioned but Sieber was hushed before he could say too much by Moore who seemed either protective of his concepts or bound by a Dreamworks blood promise.

And I do want to say this: Dreamworks is very supportive of their team, wanting them to take risks and think outside of the movie. They aren't trying to be Disney. They're trying to put on a great show. THe producers were very intent that this isn't an aim to put a movie on stage.


Updated On: 4/28/08 at 02:38 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:44pm

This was a new draft of the song written for Curtis Hollbrook after he entered the show. Very soul inspired song.

Isn't Chester Gregory II playing Donkey, Bobby? I didn't know Curtis Holbrook was involved in this.

"Things are Looking Up (in Dulock)" for Farquaad and Townspeople. Fun little dance number.

Who is choreographing the show, btw?

Thanks for all this info!

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:45pm

Omg, yes, Chestory Gregory. I get those two confused.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:48pm

The choreographer is making his Broadway debut.

Josh Prince. He's been in Little Me and Saturday Night Fever.

http://www.ibdb.com/person.asp?ID=70386

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:52pm

Hehe, you got me all excited there for a second because I really like Curtis.
I don't know why I thought Sergio Trujillo was choreographing this...wishful thinking I guess. Hopefully Prince will be great.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:54pm

They said dance will be a major part of the show. I dont' know why I get those two confused bearing they look nothing like each other.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:56pm

LOL, no they don't, but for whatever it's worth, I did get a kick out of it

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 3:08pm

From what I have now heard, it sounds like Jeanine has really fixed up the score.

I love Ms. Tesori and had no doubts about her writing the music but a couple of her first songs (in the intial development process) were just so odd and extremely dark. Darker than the stuff at today's presentation

I'm extremely excited about this. Dreamworks is clearly dealing with the theatrical process much differently than Disney.... and that's a good thing.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 3:28pm

Yes, they are. In fact, a lot of people brought their kids to the event and I didn't hear one kid laugh throughout. It is a show that kids will like but I think you need to have a wicked sort of humor to get it all in full.

Moore even mentioned his casting was dependent on his ensemble having "a bit of twisted damage" to them.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 3:40pm

Hehe, that makes a lot of sense re the casting.
I just think the three leads: Foster, D'Arcy James, and Sieber all have great comedy-acting skills. I do hope Foster gets to do some of her fun dancing if this is indeed a dance-heavy piece.

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 3:59pm

I just hope the Duloc theme song (with the toy people) is still in!

Any costume/set sketches or anything revealed?

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 4:23pm

NO!

[gilliane]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 4:48pm

Sieber's the main reason I'm planning on seeing this, so I'm happy to see it should be worth it.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 6:06pm

Do you know if John Tartaglia is going to be involved in any musical numbers?