‘Shrek’ stomps onto Perry theater stage
Cast members rehearse for an upcoming performance of "Shrek" in Perry.
What’s green, mean and ornery all over?
“Shrek.”
And he’s making his way to the Heritage Theatre stage.
The Perry theater is staging “Shrek The Musical,” a funny, feel-good show based on the 2001 film “Shrek” Aug. 21 through Sept. 12.
“Besides all the funny things that happen, we have a really great moral in the end because of course the fairytale creatures get kicked out of Duloc and realize it’s OK to be you and unique and different,” said director JuDean Parkinson. “It’s a cool message to go on with the craziness.”
Parkinson said there’s a line in the show that embodies the message of the play so much they put it on the backs to the cast and crew T-shirts — “What makes us special makes us strong.”
“We take our uniqueness and we add it to the collective and that’s what makes us strong,” she said.
Troy Hone, who plays Shrek, said he got goosebumps when asked about what he likes most about the story of “Shrek.”
“I loved the movie when I saw it, (and) what I like most about it was how Fiona sees Shrek for his inner self and not his ogre exterior and then vice versa at the end — when she turns into an ogre that doesn’t matter to him because he has always seen her for what she is on the inside as well,” Hone, of North Ogden said.
Meg Campbell Clawson, who plays Fiona, said her favorite part of the show is also its message, that says it’s not what you look like but who you are that matters, based off of a line Shrek sings at the end of the show, “But now we know that beautiful ain’t always pretty.”
Campbell Clawson, of Garland, said she was thrilled when she got the part of Fiona.
“Sutton Foster played her on Broadway and she’s one of my idols and it’s such a fun part. I’ve always looked for an opportunity to play it,” she said.
She also said there’s a lot of room to experiment with Fiona’s character.
“I love that she’s quirky in that she tries so hard to be the proper princess but she can’t hide what she really is which is a little weird and different, not the cookie-cutter princess you usually see,” Campbell Clawson said.
Hone said he was dragged to his audition “kicking and screaming,” but went because his wife and daughter said Shrek was the perfect role for him. He had just finished a part in Heritage’s run of “Lend Me a Tenor” and was worried about the time commitment.
But both his wife and daughter wanted to audition too, and thought it would be a fun show to do together, Hone said. Their pleadings worked, and Hone got the part. Plus, his wife was cast as a villager and his daughter as a fire dancer and villager. His son is even in on the family fun and is doing stage crew.
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Hone’s favorite part of playing Shrek?
“That I no longer have to apologize for my temper and flatulence and my ogreness,” he said.
Even though Hone doesn’t like musical theater, he loves “Shrek The Musical,” he said.
“It’s a great family-friendly show with a great message, a lot of laughs, just a good feel-good show,” Hone said. “(There’s) lots of good songs, funny quirky characters — you’ll leave with a smile and in a lot better place than when you walked in to see it.”
Campbell Clawson said the show’s follows the movie pretty closely.
“It’s going to be a great time,” she said. “There’s a lot of laughs, a lot of moments that will touch your heart and it’s great for the whole family. If you like the movie you’ll definitely like the show.”
“Shrek The Musical” shows at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Monday Aug. 21 through Sept. 12, with a 2 p.m. matinee Sept. 5 and 12. Tickets are available online at https://www.heritagetheatreutah.com.
Contact reporter Sonja Carlson at 801-625-4229 or scarlson@standard.net. Follow her on Twitter @sonjacSE and like her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SonjaCarlsonSE.
PREVIEW
- WHAT: ‘Shrek The Musical'
- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Monday Aug. 21 through Sept 12, with 2 p.m. matinee Sept. 5 and 12
- WHERE: Heritage Community Theatre, 2505 S. U.S. 89, Perry
- TICKETS: $9-$10; https://www.heritagetheatreutah.com, 435-723-8392