Previews: New Tampa Players' SHREK THE MUSICAL at New Tampa Performing Arts Center

The New Tampa Players' production of SHREK THE MUSICAL is coming to the New Tampa Performing Arts Center on Friday, October 20. SHREK is a timeless tale of humor, heart, and memorable characters. It follows the adventures of the unlikely hero Shrek, an ogre who embarks on a quest to rescue Princess Fiona. With its witty and enchanting storyline, the musical will surely enthrall audiences of all ages and promises to transport the audience to the whimsical world of Far Far Away.

Directed by Karissa Barber and choreographed by Victoria Zisi, SHREK offers a perfect blend of humor, romance, and adventure, all set to a memorable musical score. This Friday night through October 29, make your way to the New Tampa Performing Arts Center to witness this spectacular performance that is bound to leave you with a smile and a song in your heart.

Barber offered insights into the casting process, highlighting the importance of finding actors who possess vocal agility, acting ability, stage presence, and the ability to show vulnerability.

Said Barber, "Casting a show is about balancing the talent that shows up to audition and the needs of the piece you are producing. For Shrek, Fiona & Donkey, I was looking for the usual things you need for musical theatre actors: vocal agility, acting ability, and stage presence, but something unique I was also looking for was vulnerability. Those three characters go on a journey together and grow throughout the process from self-focused survival to deepening their community through selfless action. In order to connect with the audience honestly, the actors who play Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey need to pose the ability to show vulnerability throughout the show. Our 3 actors are generous in their acting to let us into the heart of each of the characters beautifully."

Zisi shared her creative process, including her unique approach of immersing herself in the music to craft dances. She has been having fun creating the routines while irritating her neighbors.

"My choreography style is annoying my neighbors by putting one song on loop for an hour or two at a time, getting a feel and moving how the music leads me.  The music gets inside me, and the dance just comes out of me," she explained. "Usually, I also have a movement pattern inside me for each song/character that influences what steps take shape."

She gave examples of "Freak Flag" being very loose, free, and energetic because individuals are now celebrating the release of a burden of conformity that still hangs over them in "Story of My Life." 

" 'I'm a Believer' is just a party - we want the audience to catch our joy and celebrate with us!  Duloc is very stiff, or as I sense it, "terrified marionettes," because we must conform or else," Zisi explained.

Brianna Filippelli, who plays Princess Fiona, expressed her deep connection to the character and the story of Shrek.

"Shrek has always held a special place in my heart ever since I saw the movie in theaters as a little girl. I always resonated with Fiona. She holds herself to these expectations of what she thinks she should be, but that isn't always how things turn out. I think the messages and themes are so beautiful. When I saw the musical for the first time, Fiona became an absolute bucket-list-level dream role for me. I am so grateful for this opportunity to bring her to life. I also love NTP and will come back as many times as they will have me.  

"Fiona's transformation is not just physical, though that might be the most obvious change. Fiona's always had these expectations for exactly how her life should be and lives it by the book. Through meeting Shrek and Donkey, she realizes that is not her story. Her story is much more beautiful. I relate a lot to that, and I have used a lot of my life experiences to inform my choices when it comes to Fiona and this gorgeous arc she has. I look at Fiona physically. When we first meet her, she is this perfectly poised princess, always striking a princess-y pose and speaking as though she stepped right out of a classic love poem. Once she meets Shrek and realizes her Prince Charming is not what he seems, she relaxes and shows us this beautifully goofy lady who might even surprise you with a burp or two!"

Portraying the comedic Donkey, Evan Lomba relishes that "SHREK THE MUSICAL" strikes a perfect balance between humor and a strong message.

"This show is such a breath of fresh air," he remarked. "It doesn't take itself too seriously while also relaying such a strong message, and as an actor, that's always intrigued me. There are so many wild and zany characters in this show, and it's easy to get their intentions lost in the mix, but I think our production does a very good job of bringing the heart to the forefront of the story while also making room for laughs."

Lomba said that he's had a blast playing the character.

"I've always resonated with Donkey, and in a way, I kind of feel like I'm living a childhood dream come true. I'm very lucky as my director has given me the room to bring a lot of myself into Donkey while also taking inspiration from both the films and the Broadway musical. I'm so excited for you to meet his sassy, sweet, parfait-loving self."

During the run of New Tampa Player's production of SHREK THE MUSICAL, be prepared to be transported to a world where fairy tales come to life and dreams can come true.

SHREK THE MUSICAL is October 20-22, 27-29 at New Tampa Performing Arts Center, 8550 Hunters Village Road, Tampa. Buy tickets and learn more at https://www.newtampaplayers.org/season

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