The modern classic fairy tale about a wonderfully vulgar and terrifyingly lovable ogre is clomping its odoriferous, muddy feet onto the stage of the Athens Theatre in Downtown DeLand and into the hearts of all theatergoers. Filled to the brim with beloved folklore characters created by the Brothers Grimm and more, Shrek, The Musical is not only a tale about outcasts, but a story about how friendship and understanding can reveal the light underneath a gruff and oniony exterior.
After two years of waiting in the wings (as the pandemic prevented this musical from being produced last year), Shrek, The Musical – TYA Version has finally come to squat in DeLand!
Director Craig Uppercue couldn’t be more excited to bring this musical based on the Oscar-winning film by DreamWorks Animation to the Athens Theatre.
“The prince isn’t charming; the princess isn’t a damsel in distress; the sidekick isn’t wanted; and the hero is an ogre. At times, our ideas of beauty and worth are driven by how we imagine life would be in a fairy tale. Shrek, thankfully, turns those ideas upside down and awakens us from our traditional make-believe dreams,” Uppercue said.
Audiences will join Shrek (played by Noah Clark), who finds himself on a life-changing journey alongside a wisecracking Donkey (Iris M. Johnson, who last graced our stage as Liz in Chicago) and feisty princess Fiona (Sarah McKinney). Throw in short-tempered, vertically challenged, bad guy Lord Farquaad (Jonathan Febo), a cookie with a (not-so-chocolate) chip on his shoulder (Julia Dansereau), a deadly dragon pining for love and attention (Marlo Coffin), and a dozen other outcast fairy-tale familiars, and you’ve got the kind of chaos that calls for a real hero.
That hero, Shrek, is ready to save his swamp and entertain you and your whole family now through Sunday, Feb. 13.
The Athens Theatre is also happy to invite hearing-impaired audiences to our special American Sign Language-interpreted performance Friday, Feb. 4.
Located at 124 N. Florida Ave. in Downtown DeLand, the historic Athens Theatre has instituted extensive precautions to ensure the safety of actors and audiences.
Tickets for Shrek, The Musical – TYA Version cost $31 for preferred reserved seating (rows A-E, center); $26 for adults; $24 for senior citizens; $12 for students/children; and $22 per person for groups of eight or more. A $3-per-ticket processing charge will be added to each purchase.
To purchase tickets in advance or to find out more specific information about dates, times and safety precautions, visit the Athens Theatre website at www.AthensDeLand.com. Those looking to purchase tickets with socially distant seating or tickets in the ASL interpreter location, contact the box office at 386-736-1500 or at boxoffice@AthensDeLand.com, and they will be able to find you the perfect spot.
Box-office hours are 1-5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, and 1 1/2 hours before live performances. Messages are received daily, so call today and get ogre to the theater to see one of these swamptastic performances.
