By Tim Croner

Staff Reporter

Everyone knows the basic ingredients of a fairy tale: there is the damsel in distress, the knight in shining armor, the happy ending.

But what happens when this recipe is altered? If one happens to add a dirty ogre, a talking donkey and a 4-foot-tall villain, the result is “Shrek, the Musical.”

After a brief run in Seattle, “Shrek” opened on Broadway in December 2008.  The show is based off the film of the same name, the first in the popular DreamWorks animation series.

The strongest performance in the show comes from Brian d’Arcy James, who, despite being hidden under 30 pounds of green latex costume, manages to turn in a mature, emotionally-charged performance. He creates a Shrek not seen in the film; he has layers of vulnerability and passion that would be difficult to convey through any other medium.  His powerful voice greatly lends itself to the character.

Sutton Foster proves that she deserves her status as one of Broadway’s biggest stars with her performance as the fiery Princess Fiona. This is a role that not only allows Foster to showcase her tremendous skills in singing and dancing, but also shows she can take a role familiar to so many people and reinvent it into a complete, fleshed-out character.  Like d’Arcy James’ Shrek, her Fiona has layers: she is sweet, feisty, delicate and determined.

Christopher Sieber is another notable performer in the show.  As the miniature villain, Lord Farquaad, Sieber expertly utilizes his comedic timing and over-the-top delivery.  His costume, which requires him to walk on his knees for the entire show, only adds to the hilarity of his cartoonish character.

The performances in the show certainly eclipse the design, which often feels overblown. The sets are effective, but sometimes appear too fake. The performances benefitted from the construction of the stage, which included a turntable with rotating lifts and a walkway around the show’s orchestra. The costumes were hit or miss; some, like Shrek’s costume and make-up, worked beautifully, while others felt uninspired.

Although many screen-to-stage adaptations have been hitting Broadway for several years, “Shrek” stands out from the rest.  It is not simply a movie translated into a stage show; the story has been altered to fit into the mold of this new medium.  The songs, with music by Jeanine Tesori and lyrics by David-Lindsay Abaire, contribute to the story in exponential ways, and allow the characters to express their emotions. The Act I finale, “Who I’d Be” is one of the best examples of that, and is one of the best pieces of evidence as to why “Shrek” works so well on a Broadway stage.

Despite the emotional power of the show’s score, “Shrek” does not pretend to be something it is not.  The creators and the actors know that the show’s job is to entertain the audience just as much as it is to connect with them.  But the beauty of “Shrek” is that it has the power to do both.  It is a fairy tale, albeit an unconventional one.  But between its powerhouse performances and delightful score, it is a show that leaves its audiences feeling like they too can live their own happily ever after.

Tim Croner can be reached at tcroner@stoganews.com.

By Tim Croner
Staff Reporter

Buying Tickets

There are several different ways to purchase tickets for a Broadway show. The easiest way is through the Internet. Ticketmaster.com sells tickets for certain shows, but Telecharge.com is the best website to visit when buying tickets. Web sites such as broadwaybox.com and playbill.com offer discounts for many shows on Broadway. Also, almost every show has some sort of student or general rush policy, through which tickets are sold for $25 to $35 the day of the performance. Also, the TKTS booth, which is located in Duffy Square, features half-price tickets for many shows that can be purchased a few hours before the curtain rises.

Getting to New York City

The suburbs of Philadelphia are a great place to live as an avid or casual theatre fan, mostly because day trips to New York are an easy possibility. The train is one of the easiest ways to get to New York. The round trip ticket from the Trenton Transit  Center in New Jersey to Penn Station in Manhattan is $21.50. To get to Trenton, you can either drive or take the train from Philadelphia. The train fare from the suburbs into Philadelphia, and then from Philadelphia into Trenton is $9. Some people prefer to drive the entire way to New York City, which can take around two to two and a
half hours, depending on the weather and traffic conditions. However, if you’re planning to drive, be prepared - driving in the middle of Times Square can be messy.

Navigating the Theatre District

Like many cities, New York is set up on a grid system, making it relatively easy to navigate. Most of the Broadway theatres are between 41st and 54th street and Sixth and Eighth Avenue, making them all easy to locate. In addition to the many Broadway houses, the Theater District has several other attractions to offer tourists. Times Square is located right in the middle of the district, and Rockefeller Center is located on Fifth Avenue, near Radio City Music Hall. Shopping is also easy, with Fifth Avenue and its many stores only a short walk away. In many situations, the best bet for efficient transportation is walking. The walk from Penn Station to Times Square isn’t very long, and can often seem even shorter when the view of the city is being taken in.

Theatre Etiquette

Seeing a Broadway show is more than just going to the theatre; it’s an experience. There are several precautions that you should take when seeing a show. First, make sure your phone is turned off during the show. The signals from the phone can interfere with the sound equipment of the show, especially if wireless microphones are being used. Second, don’t have your camera out during the show. At a Broadway show, it’s not appropriate. Taking pictures and filming the show is not only distracting, but it’s also illegal. Most importantly, remain composed throughout the show. Also, it’s polite to clap at appropriate moments, such as after a song has finished or during a character’s entrance. However, don’t go overboard with the accolades. Repeated clapping and shouting is distracting and often looked down upon by the actors.

By Tim Croner
Staff Reporter

Most people think of showy spectacles and flashy costumes when they think of Broadway.  The notions that arise with the label “Broadway musical” are currently being challenged eight nights a week at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, in Broadway’s newest hit “In the Heights.”

“In the Heights” premiered off-Broadway in 2007, and moved to Broadway in Feb. 2008. The show, which earned four 2008 Tony Awards, including Best New Musical, follows the events of a neighborhood in Washington Heights during the Fourth of July.

The story is simple enough, and, despite the fact that it is set in a relatively unknown neighborhood, the show is surprisingly accessible. Many of the characters in “In the Heights,” like Usnavi, the bodega owner, or Vanessa, the salon employee, yearn to go on to something bigger, to a place they can finally call home.

The Rosarios, Kevin and Camilla, bring an exciting family dynamic to the show, as they struggle to make ends meet and put their only daughter, Nina, through college. At the same time, Nina is forced to face her own broken dreams when her financial situation forces her to drop out of school.

The true feat of “In the Heights” is its electric score, written by the show’s creator and star, Lin-Manuel Miranda. The songs, which feature a sound more similar to something you would find on the radio rather than in a Broadway theatre pulse with hip-hop and salsa beats.

But one shouldn’t be fooled by the unique sound of the music; every song, with Spanish lyrics woven in, allows the characters to express their woes about the unbearable heat, their feelings about the familiar neighborhood and their dreams about finally finding a place to call home.

The cast propels the show above and beyond its already astounding potential. Lin-Manuel Miranda stars as Usnavi, a narrator of sorts, who tells the story of his fellow neighbors while simultaneously trying to find his way in the world. Miranda’s connection with the story is apparent, as he delivers every scene with high energy.

Mandy Gonzalez plays Nina, and her strong vocals made her two songs, “Breathe” and “Everything I Know” the best in the show. Olga Merediz was a standout as Abuela Claudia, who constantly reminds the neighborhood to have “paciencia y fe” (“patience and faith”), and Robin de Jesús provided some excellent comic relief as Usanvi’s cousin Sonny.

Andy Blankenbuehler’s stimulating choreography fit in with the show’s contemporary score as well as its urban setting, and it was one of the few shows on Broadway where the choreography actually contributed to the telling of the story. The set was realistic; it honestly felt like a slice of neighborhood life in northern Manhattan. The lighting was impressive, heightening the mood and impact of the show.  The colors used in the lighting illustrated the effects of the summer sun, and the blackout and fireworks during the finale of the first act were outstanding.

“In the Heights” is a definite departure from the typical Broadway musical, but it is also a welcome one.  The score is fresh and contemporary; the acting is raw and inspired.

And at its core, “In the Heights” is a story about home.  It’s a story about finding out who you are and where you belong. It’s a story that everyone can relate to, a story that everyone needs to hear. While it may break away the expectations set for a musical, it is also a reassuring glimpse into the future of Broadway, a future where many will continue to be entertained, enlightened and inspired by the art of storytelling through song and dance.

Tim Croner can be reached at tcroner@stoga.news.com.

Printed originally on p.19 of the Feb. 13, 2009 issue of The Spoke.