REVIEW: SHREK THE MUSICAL—Performance Riverside @ Landis Performing Arts Center

Like its central characters, SHREK THE MUSICAL embraces itself for what it is: a polished, rosy-eyed, enormously clever family musical.

RIVERSIDE, CA—FEBRUARY 7, 2026

Brazenly sending up fairy tale traditions while exemplifying them, this high-spirited and frolicsome lark offers entertainment equally to viewers from 4 to 104.

It’s the story of an ogre's odyssey from contented oblivion to unexpected love. So, it seems appropriate that about halfway through this entrancing fairytale-themed, technicolor costume party (called SHREK THE MUSICAL, produced by the award-winning Performance Riverside and now playing at the Landis Performing Arts Center on the RCC campus through February 15), it suddenly becomes a love story that gives us a startling glimpse of true happiness.

That vision arrives when the selfsame adversarial hero and heroine of this wondrous once-upon-a-time-screen-to-stage musical, adapted from the popular 2001 animated film, recognizes they just might have something in common. Never mind that this something appears to be a shared affinity for breaking wind and gurking like a sailor.

Abby Maddox as Teen Fiona, Kristen Daniels as Fiona and Nica Oddo as Young Fiona in Performance Riverside's current production of SHREK THE MUSICAL, Now Playing through February 15th

As personified in a breezy song called “I Think I Got You Beat,” Shrek the ogre and Fiona the princess find a chemistry that’s more than merely gaseous. In the best tradition of Broadway’s usual wacky affairs of the heart, they transform glowery friction and a burbling hostility into freaky genuine charm and dewy-eyed romance.

By the end of the song, it’s infatuation. And when their voices reunite for the “Finale” in act two, it genuinely reflects true love shared between their characters. But no wonder Shrek falls in love with her. Fiona is pure fun. And when Shrek responds to her, you realize that there’s a winner inside that fright suit.

You probably already know the plot if you've seen the DreamWorks Animation movie starring Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy, or read the children’s book by William Steig, or perhaps have diminutive friends living in your basement with access to your stash of DVD’s. If not, here's a quick overview without revealing too many spoilers:

Illir Burns as Donkey, and Andrew Flory as Shrek in Performance Riverside's current production of SHREK THE MUSICAL, Now Playing through February 15th

The Pulitzer Prize-winning David Lindsay-Abaire (“Rabbit Hole,” “Good People”), who wrote the book and lyrics, tells the story of a young ogre (played by wide-eyed, precocious Luca Genazzini) who is kicked out into the world at the budding age of seven, which appears to be the custom of ogres. At the same time Shrek is being sent into the world, we find seven-year-old Princess Fiona (a very cute Nica Oddo — who already has an incredible resume) being sent by her parents to a solitary life in a high castle tower — again as seemed to be customary in those days.

A couple of decades pass and suddenly Shrek’s tranquil life in the swamp is shattered by a host of classic fairytale characters (Pinocchio, The Three Little Pigs, Peter Pan, Puss ‘N Boots, Humpty Dumpty, The Big Bad Wolf...you get the picture) booted out of Duloc by its clearly disturbed and vertically challenged ruler, Lord Farquaad (Ryan Perry Marks), and invading the swamp of Shrek.

Ryan Perry Marks as Lord Farquaad in Performance Riverside's current production of SHREK THE MUSICAL, Now Playing through February 15th

Not fond of all the unwelcomed company, Shrek (Andrew Flory) treks to Farquaad's castle, along with new motor-mouth friend Donkey (Illir Burns) to plead with the narcissistic and puckish ruler, but gets shanghaied instead. The immensely arrogant and short-tempered potentate does agree to give Shrek the deed to his swamp, but only if he rescues the sassy (and available) princess Fiona (the effervescent Kristen Daniels) who’s not always so cooperative, presently imprisoned in that tower fortress by a fire-breathing dragon, and bring her back to marry the diminutive monarch so that he can officially be the king of Duloc.

Unbeknown to Farquaad, however, when Fiona was thrown into the tower, she was also cursed. Her life-long fate is she is transformed each day at sunset into an ogre herself — a spell that can only be reversed with her true love’s first kiss.

Kristen Daniels as Fiona in Performance Riverside's current production of SHREK THE MUSICAL, Now Playing through February 15th

Directed by Department Chair Jodi Julian (who is in her 16th season at Performance Riverside), and with a score resplendent with soaring interludes by Jeanine Tesori (“Thoroughly Modern Millie,” “Caroline or Change”), the show is conducted by Kevin Mayse with much gusto and flourish, contributing in large part to what makes the show so exultantly triumphant. Morals about inner beauty and self-esteem are amplified into power ballads with lyrics explaining that “what makes us special makes us strong.” Then there are the countless pop-cultural jokes and “Fractured Fairy Tales”-like spoofery that are the currency of SHREK… which pass at break-neck speed, provoking a constant chuckling roar from the audience.

Andrew Flory as Shrek in Performance Riverside's current production of SHREK THE MUSICAL, Now Playing through February 15th

Another big part of the pizzazz on stage is due to implementing proven Broadway scenic, costume, color and puppet design aspects, not to mention those familiar, hummable numbers, all of which is set in motion by Performance Riverside’s expert production team. One of Fiona’s big showstoppers, for instance, the second-act curtain raiser, “Morning Person,” where Ms. Daniels’ Fiona delivers the delicious joys of the day with a bi-polar sunny optimism that destroys literally everything in her path, i.e., accidentally crushing a small white-tail deer while in song, or decibel-bursting a chirping bird in its nest is ardently anticipated by every ticket holder.

Moments later, what begins as something demure, Ms. Daniels’ feisty princess comes upon a pied piper with some entranced but troublesome rat subjects that quickly ends in an Ann Miller-like tap-dancing-rat-chorus-line complete with some fancy footwork and vigorous vocal belting by our Princess Fiona.

In fact, Ms. Daniels nails the attitude of the strangely unorthodox fairytale princess effortlessly. A performer of eight-cylinder energy, bona-fide wit and eye-searing presence, not only is Kristen Daniels' singing scintillating, but her bubbly personality fills the theatre, and she immediately bonds with on-lookers young and old.

Carter Friedhof as Pinocchio and Company in Performance Riverside's current production of SHREK THE MUSICAL, Now Playing through February 15th

Director Julian’s transitions and use of three-way entries also make “I Know It’s Today” a magical number as the adorable Nica Oddo plays Young Fiona, and gifted songster Abby Maddox depicts Teen Fiona, helping Ms. Daniels shift through her years in the tower in perfect jaw-dropping harmony.

As the title character Shrek, the misanthropic lime-green ogre who learns to love (depicted by the talented Mr. Flory), he becomes so real, even though encumbered with an ample supply of padding and prosthetics, that your instinct is to rush the stage and tap his head to see if he’s really in there.

Andrew Flory’s portrayal brings both a slight, yet durable accent as well as a robust set of pipes to the role. His ability to articulate with precision all through “Who I’d Be” while maintaining his character’s accent is impressive. This song and “When Words Fail” are imbued with a great sense of passion, echoing up from deep inside a vulnerable cavern in Shrek’s heart. In the forceful number, “Build Me a Wall,” Mr. Foly really layers his anger, but then wows the crowd with a striking belt and sustain at the end.

Also starring is Shrek’s constant companion — the fetlock-limped, sassy sidekick Donkey, played exquisitely by Illir Burns — who appears to be having such a great time in his furry coveralls that it reminds one of a cross between Eddie Murphy and a hirsute Michael Jackson at Wembley. With cheeky little ad-libs between scenes, Mr. Burns steals the spotlight multiple times and with more eye-rolling and smart talk than you’ll find on a school bus full of 10-year-olds.

Saucy and savvy, he really lays into the vocal calisthenics of the fast-paced number, “Don’t Let Me Go,” and his jazzy bigtime up-tempo Motown-style number (complete with dark Ray-Ban glasses and performed with a Greek chorus of the Three Blind Mice) “Make a Move” really puts the icing on the cake. Busting insane dance moves all over the place, and using metaphors like “grab the bull by the horns,” Mr. Burns makes this Donkey’s signature number without a doubt.

The evil, psychologically maimed Lord Farquaad, (Mr. Ryan Perry Marks in an over-the-top, aisle-rolling performance) walks on his knees the entire show with tiny fake legs dangling before him — a very funny sight gag employing countless inventive variations. Men of Mr. Mark’s personality, charm and talent are in short supply, making him a solid fit for the diminutive Lord Farquaad.

His rich robust voice for “The Ballad of Farquaad” creates a house full of energy, but it’s his animated performance in the hot-shot dancing number, “What’s Up, Duloc,” that makes Mr. Mark’s portrayal of his obnoxious, egomaniac character all the more memorable, milking applause and attention with a mix of flouncing petulance and abusive power.

Considering the whole phalanx of bedtime-story regalia, roughly 40 in all, each character deserves the highest praise (and, unlike previous tours and productions, this troupe was outfitted in full, colorful costumes). Led by a reedy-voiced, woodsy-layered Carter Friedhof as Pinocchio, this real-boy wannabe has a sarcastic spirit that translates well into his singing voice for “Story of My Life” — a mantra sounded out by the whole ensemble.

Also featured strongly is The Sugar Plum Fairy (Bella Ramirez), looking her fairy-tale best in sparkly electric pastel shades, and who also handles Gingy, managing a perfect falsetto voice for the gingerbread man character. Ms. Ramirez' bold pipes and trills really shake the house down for “Freak Flag” as she leads the amazing cast in this empowering number. Many of the musical’s funniest lines are lifted directly from the movie (Gingy, for example, in defying his captor’s tortuous intent, snarls “Eat me!”).

Another huge standout is the passionate Victoria Villamil who is starting a revolution all her own as the Dragon. Her feature number, “Forever,” with a radiant soulful sound fiery enough to shame the boiling lava of the dragon’s keep, Ms. Villamil really belts out her vocal prowess, packing a powerful punch all through the song. With sass, class, and a whole lot of brass, Ms. Villamil reigns supreme in this cameo role, channeling the Dragon’s mouth movements perfectly while expert puppeteers replicate fluid sweeps and frightening moves all across the fiery stage.

Once in a while, Broadway comes up with a show that’s just not like the others. Countless musicals of recent decades have set out to spin a gently subversive fairy tale with a contemporary edge, but few have succeeded as wildly as SHREK THE MUSICAL — a true romantic tale, focusing on unconventional love, self-acceptance, and finding beauty in imperfections, proving that "true love" is really not about appearance at all, is it?

PERFORMANCE RIVERSIDE PRESENTS: DREAMWORKS’ SHREK THE MUSICAL; Directed by JODI JULIAN; Choreography by BRENDA JILL CASTILLO; Book and Lyrics by DAVID LINDSAY-ABAIRE; Music by JEANIE TESORI; “I’m a Believer” by NEIL DIAMOND; “Welcome to Duloc” (2001) Music by MIKE HIMELSTEIN, Lyrics by ERIC DARNELL; Originally Produced on Broadway by DREAMWORKS THEATRICALS and NEAL STREET PRODUCTIONS; Based on THE DREAMWORKS ANIMATION MOTION PICTURE and BOOK by WILLIAM STEIG; Original Production Directed by JASON MOORE and ROB ASHFORD; Wigs and Makeup/Costume Designer MARCI ALBERTI; Sound Designer DORIE COUTURE; Costume Coordinator MONICA HART; Lighting Designer GAVAN WYRICK; Conductor KEVIN MAYSE; Musical Director JOHN TEBAY; Accompanist DAVID GALVAN; Puppet Master JASON BUUCK; Puppeteers JACOB CARTER, CHAD SAYLOR, ANDY JORGESON, JAY DOTSON; Prop Master LIEN TRAN; Digital Media Producer JASON GRAHAM; Production Stage Manager SAM ANDERSON; Assistant Stage Managers GABRIELLE ROBE, BRENDA JILL CASTRO.                                                                                                                            

STARRING:  ANDREW FLORY (“Rent;” ABC’s “Modern Family”); KRISTEN DANIELS (Natl Tour: “Tina, the Tina Turner Musical;” “Xanadu”; RYAN PERRY MARKS (Natl Tour: “Peter Pan;” “Saturday Night Fever”); ILLIR BURNS (“Newsies”); CARTER FRIEDHOF (“Newsies;” “Matilda”); BELLA RAMIREZ (“In the Heights;” “Seussical”; and TALLULAH THE DRAGON

WITH:  TORE ANCONA; TRENT CHARLES; BIANA CUELLAR; ISABEL DIFANI; KEAGAN DOYLE; EL FRIEDHOF; GWEN GELABERT; LUCA GENAZZINI; MADISON GUERENA; RYAN HEMMERLING; CARSON HERMAN; JULIO HERNANDEZ; AVA LANTZ; LATRELL LOGAN; ALPHONSE LOLONG; NATHAN LOPEZ; ABBY MADDOX; KAYLEEN MARADIAGA; OSVALDO MENDOZA; BREANNE NIELSON; NICA ODDO; MADDEN PICO; LUIS RAMIREZ; EMILIO RASILLA; CHRISTIAN RAYA; GUADALUPE RIVERA; SAVANNAH RUMBAUGH; ALEXIS SANCHEZ; CHRISTIAN SANCHEZ; JOSEPH SANTISTEVAN; RACHEL SOLORIO; KARLI STRATE; TIEN SUMANTI; COLIN THOMAS; VICTORIA VILLAMIL; ANDI VILLARREAL; SAM WASS; LILY ZAVALA.

SHREK THE MUSICAL WILL PERFORM FEBRUARY 6th through February 15th, 2026 at LANDIS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, RIVERSIDE CITY COLLEGE; Running time: 2 hours 30 minutes. For Tickets and further information, see rccboxoffice.com

CHRIS DANIELS

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT REVIEWER

THE SHOW REPORT

Photography Courtesy of Stephen Day