Shrek the Musical opened to a sold-out weekend at Newport World Resorts, drawing more than 5,000 theatergoers across three consecutive full-house performances.
Audiences, some dressed as fairy-tale characters, packed the Newport Performing Arts Theater for the show’s launch as it began its run heading into the December holiday season. The musical opened Oct. 31 and will continue through the holidays.
Full House Theater Company, the production arm of Newport World Resorts, returned to family-focused programming with the show. Co-artistic director Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo said the company had not staged a children’s musical since Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 2017.
“So, ushering in Christmas and Halloween, which is really geared for children, we decided to bring back a musical that is good for families. Shrek was the obvious choice,” she said.
The staging features prosthetics, wigs, costumes, and puppetry designed to create an immersive atmosphere. Director Dexter Santos said a newly designed dragon serves as one of the production’s key highlights. His aim, he said, is to make audiences feel “like they are entering a theme park.”
The cast follows the original Broadway script while building character depth, actor Jamie Wilson said.
“The script is our bible,” he said. Fellow cast member Topper Fabregas, who plays Donkey, said the humor appeals to both children and adults, adding that the show offers “a feast and such a riot.”
The production also carries a message about inclusion, highlighted in the musical number “Freak Flag.” Actor Alfredo Reyes, who portrays Lord Farquaad, said the song “celebrates diversity and every single person has a place where they belong.”
Shrek the Musical is based on the DreamWorks animated film and the book by William Steig, with book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire and music by Jeanine Tesori. It was originally produced on Broadway by DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions and is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International.
Additional November dates have been opened. Tickets are available through Ticketworld, the Newport World Resorts Box Office, and Helixpay. Prices range from P1,500 to P4,500.
