"Shrek The Musical,” an irreverent storybook tale in two side-splitting acts will be performed for the first time by Whitefish Theatre Company by a cast of people you might know from around town transformed into the unconventional green hero, spunky redheaded princess, wisecracking donkey and ill-tempered lord.  

On Monday, several cast members sat down at the O'Shaughnessy Center before an evening rehearsal to discuss the production and the creative outlet community theater provides in the valley. Down on the stage, an oversized storybook opens to where most fairytales begin — “Once upon a time ...” 

“There’s lots of magic, there’s lots of crazy elements. So, it’s probably the hardest, biggest show we’ve done here, but it’s turning out great,” director Kim Krueger said. 

Behind the forest backdrop, surprises await, including a majestic dragon puppet created by Justin Ghostlight.  

“I feel like it’s a showstopper after showstopper after showstopper,” said Malcom Sharbutt, who plays Shrek. “Just when you think that the scene can’t get bigger it does.” 

“Shrek The Musical” is a Tony Award-winning production by David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori, based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film. Musical numbers featured in the production include, “I’m A Believer,” “Big Bright Beautiful World” and “I Know It’s Today.” 

Krueger recalled watching the musical a long time ago, and the effect it had never quite left her. 

“I just bawled. I’m going to bawl now, I could bawl my eyes out because it was just such a beautiful, cool [story],” she said. 

The group agreed that the musical adaptation goes in-depth with the stories of the lead and side characters alike. 

“It humanizes these characters so much so. Not just Fiona and Donkey, but all the fairytale creatures — they all have a story. Everybody in this play has a story behind them,” Krueger said. 

“It’s not just a fun animated, silly movie,” Sharbutt added. “It’s about finding your people and not fitting in and all the angst that goes into that.” 

Bria Anderson, cast as Princess Fiona, pointed to the musical numbers as a mode of expression she thinks the audience will connect with. 

“Each song really allows each character to reveal their inner monologues, their inner thoughts and backstories. You really get a deeper connection to how they feel and where they are in the moment,” Anderson said. “Not only do you see what they’re doing and thinking, but you connect. You can see yourself.” 

"But then on top of it, it’s super funny,” she noted with a smile. 

Other cast members nod, noting the tender moments are sandwiched by the humor (psst... namely of the fart and burping kind). 

Later, when Billy Fernandez, who plays Lord Farquaad, arrives at rehearsal he also mentions the juxtaposition of humor and tenderness in “Shrek.” 

“It has these outrageously funny and irreverent moments ... that when it comes back and peels back to sensitivity and tenderness it is a one-two punch because you weren’t expecting it,” he said, 

WHEN IT comes to playing the iconic characters who have won the hearts and funny bones of moviegoers and internet memes — how did the cast interpret their roles? 

Anderson said she's infused a bit of her personality into the source material to balance that of the actress in the Broadway performance. 

Mikey Winn, who was cast as Donkey, said he brings the personality trait of “little brother spastic energy” to the role. 

“It’s exciting to step into iconic characters, but also there’s that weird pressure ... you want to make it your own, but you also want to do it justice,” he said. 

Billy Fernandez, who's been in theater for about 30 years, works to avoid the pitfalls of imitating another actor playing a part. 

“I love being creative so it’s definitely my own,” he said. 

COMMUNITY THEATER plays its own special role as an artistic outlet for seasoned actors, people trying acting for the first time and their audiences. 

“I think the biggest, most important part of community theater is, no matter what’s going on in the world — you can either be in a show or come to a show — and for a few hours, you get taken out of your everyday life and what else is happening — and you get to just go to another place ... another land and have a shared experience,” Krueger said, tearing up. 

For many people who have performed with Whitefish Theatre Company, cast members become an extended family.  

“It’s really a family that we built here ... that’s what theater is,” said Sharbutt whose background includes training in London and performances in New York and LA. “What you go through together, it’s so intense and you’re so vulnerable, and you have to depend on each other so much.” 

Community theater is a space that joins people who may not encounter each other otherwise, Winn said. 

“We’re working with like veterans, doctors, nurses, accountants, just people from all walks of life that you wouldn’t have run into in your every day life and have the opportunity to forge a friendship with and in this space you can and you do. Then, being from a small community, you do run into each other on the street,” he said laughing. 

For the Fernandez’, this particular performance is a family affair. Billy Fernandez’ wife Jayna, plays the White Rabbit and Tapping Rat. Their daughter Faith plays one of Lord Farquaad’s guards and the dish and the spoon, and their younger daughter, Felicity, helps in the costume shop because she was under the minimum age to audition. 

Local theater is a common thread woven through the Fernandez family history. It was how Billy and Jayna met. Billy Fernandez acted on the stage alongside his father as a child, initially to quell his stage fright. Other than one performance when Faith was a toddler, this is their second time on stage as a family. 

Jayna Fernandez said “Shrek” is one of her daughters’ favorite movies and when she told them about it, they were excited to audition.  

What makes the Shrek musical special? 

“You see the struggle they have to go through living under Farquaad’s rule,” Faith Fernandez said. 

“And then they finally stick out and stand up for each other and stand up for themselves,” Felicity Fernandez added. 

Acceptance and being comfortable in your own skin were other takeaways the family took from the story of Shrek. 

“Like what Felicity said earlier is not looking at people from the outside because everybody looks different and acts different and has their own story ... accept yourself for who you are, and not to be ashamed of who you were created to be,” Jayna Fernandez said. 

Billy Fernandez noted a song from the show that exemplifies this message. 

“The fairy tale creatures have this beautiful, strong ballad that, and one of their lyrics is 'What makes us special, makes us strong!’ And that's, I think, definitely an overarching theme of the show too. It's in the middle of a song called ‘Freak flag.’ Like, let your freak flag fly. It's embracing who you are in your own skin, rather than what you know you're expecting to be. And that lyric is just so powerful.” 

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com. 

If you go 

What: “Shrek the Musical”  

When: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27 and 28 in addition to March 1, 7 and 8.  A matinee at 4 p.m. is March 2.  

Where: O’Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish 

Cost: Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $10 for students. Tickets may be purchased online at www.whitefishtheatreco.org, at the box office at 1 Central Ave. in Whitefish, or by calling 862-5371. 

    A scene from Whitefish Theatre Co.’s presentation of “Shrek The Musical.” (Photo courtesy of Matt Wetzler at Thewmatt Photography)
  

    A scene from Whitefish Theatre Co.’s presentation of “Shrek The Musical.” (Photo courtesy of Matt Wetzler at Thewmatt Photography)
  

    Mikey Winn as Donkey, right, reacts as Malcolm Sharbutt playing Shrek says his line in “Shrek The Musical” produced by the Whitefish Theatre Co. (Photo courtesy of Matt Wetzler at Thewmatt Photography)
  

    Billy Fernandez as Lord Farquaad commands the attention of the audience in “Shrek The Musical” produced by the Whitefish Theatre Co. (Photo courtesy of Matt Wetzler at Thewmatt Photography)
  

    Malcolm Sharbutt as Shrek and Billy Fernandez as Lord Farquaad share a scene in Whitefish Theatre Co.’s “Shrek The Musical.” (Photo courtesy of Matt Wetzler at Thewmatt Photography)
  

    Bria Anderson as Princess Fiona reads from “Sleeping Beauty” during “Shrek The Musical.” (Photo courtesy of Matt Wetzler at Thewmatt Photography)
  

    A scene from Whitefish Theatre Co.’s presentation of “Shrek The Musical.” (Photo courtesy of Matt Wetzler at Thewmatt Photography)