Roving Pittsburgher Report - Ogre Love Conquers All A Review of Shrek the Musical, Feb. 6th 2014 Performance

Ogre Love Conquers All
A Review of Shrek the Musical, Feb. 6th 2014 Performance
From: Roving Pittsburgher and PositivePittsburghLiveMagazine.com
Written By: Stephanie Curtice | Feb. 07, 2014

We all grew up with those classic fairy tales of damsels in distress saved by a handsome prince, where love triumphs over the wicked, and everyone was perfect, pretty, and happy. Well Shrek the Musical, which opened February 6th at Pittsburgh’s Byham Theater, was a perfect toe-tapping love story just like that – well mostly.

Shrek the Musical
(photo courtesy: Pittsburgh Cultural Trust)

The dashing hero Shrek (Billy Mason) is not quite prince charming, because you know it ain’t easy being green. The shunned ogre was content to live in the quiet of his swamp. That was until it was invaded by misfit fairy tale characters, banished from the kingdom of Duloc by the droll Lord Farquaad (Tim Hartman). The pint-sized ruler offers a challenge for Shrek to regain his stinky swamp. All he needed to do was rescue Farquaad’s bride-to-be from a dragon protected tower.

With the help of his charmingly witty and relentless noble steed, Donkey, Shrek rescues the beautiful maiden Fiona (Emily Lynne Miller) narrowly escaping the pink dragon, a singing diva. At first unimpressed with the efforts of the outcast ogre, Fiona warms up to Shrek and a few commonalities break wind for an unexpected romance. But, Fiona bearing her own curse and is not who she seems. Now in love with Fiona, Shrek tries to break up her wedding to Farquaad. Meanwhile, the renegade fairy tale characters storm the castle in their own revolt against the mini monarch. Happy ever after comes for all as they fly their "Freak Flag" with pride and Fiona's true identity is revealed by power of true love’s kiss.

Shrek the Musical
(photo courtesy: Pittsburgh Cultural Trust)

Now even before the show I was wondering what differences there would be from the movie. Shrek the Musical was adapted from the popular 2001 animated film by DreamWorks and the children’s book by William Steig. It was directed by Colleen Petrucci, with a score by Jeanine Tesori and a book and lyrics by the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire. Like the movie it was laden with numerous pop culture jokes and fairy tale spoofs. But it additionally had spoof references to other musicals like Les Miserables, Gypsy, The Lion King, Wicked, and Chorus Line including one classic style tap dancing number, “I Think I Got You Beat.”

The show featured a Pittsburgh native too. Tim Hartman, who played the vertically challenged Lord Farquaad, hilariously hammed it up for the hometown, all while scooting around on his knees the whole show. Shrek the Musical was full of fun, upbeat music, comical spoofs, witty jokes, a great message of acceptance, and incredible costumes, like Pinocchio’s trademark growing nose. The singing was outstanding and the acting superb. I know its still cold out, but don’t just pop in the DVD. Go out, take the kids to see Shrek the Musical live, you won’t be sorry. The family friendly show is one you and your kids won’t want to miss!

Special shout out to my 7th grade neighbor Ishmael, who joined me at the show.  His favorites were Donkey for the laughs, great singing and accent by Shrek, and special effects like Pinocchio's growing nose.  He gave the show two thumbs up too!

Additional Performances:

Feb 7th and 8th  |   7:30 PM
Feb 9th  |   2:00 PM
Feb 14th and 15th  |   7:30 PM
Feb 16th  |   2:00 PM

By: Stephanie Curtice

Good News and Cultural Reporter

PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com

RovingPittsburgher.blogspot.com

TheNewGirlintheBurgh.blogspot.com

(c) PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com 2014

Oh What a Story! The Jersey Boys

A hard hitting emotionally charged musical chronicle.  That’s what I would call “Jersey Boys.”  As a product of the fifties and sixties as I sang along and bobbed my head to the Four Seasons I was not really aware of the torment that went with the talent of these four legends.  There is comedy and show stopping delivery of the music of your life and of your children’s and your children’s children judging from the age range of the audience.

Featured image from Trust Arts

  

And the cast is as convincing as the music, the harmony and the choreography.  Colby Foytik as Tommy DeVito the troubled teen who starts and tries to run the group captures the essence of the stylized Jersey persona.  Jason Kappus as Bob Gaudio could convince the pope that he is the naïve youngster who just happens to have a head for business   Brandon Andrus as Nick Massi, provides loads of comic relief with his gangly mannerisms as the loveable baritone whose pat line is:  “I think it’s time for me to start my own group.”   And of course, Brian Weinstock as Frankie Valli, talented, loyal to a fault, humble, emotionally conflicted—his falsetto, his mannerisms and his size even convince the audience that he is the real deal.

“Oh What a Night” should be retitled, “Oh What a Story!”   The Four Seasons ride from obscurity and confusion to stardom is the stuff the American dream is made of.  And you have got to love the local color in the accents and mannerisms of the Garden State’s musical exports, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.  These guys became pop icons and legends before they were thirty with hit songs like ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’, ‘Sheree’, ‘Working My Way Back to You’, ‘Rag Doll’, ‘Oh What a Night’, ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’ and ‘Walk Like a Man’.  

And the length of the renditions just keeps you wanting more.  My date-- a fifties through seventies music aficionado knew the whole story behind every song and what the group was called at the time.  I knew the tunes.  I and the sold out house on September 7.

 

Even the scenery and special effects takes you on a timed trip through the Four Seasons adventure from the boys under the street lamp to Frankie Valli with his big band and horn section at the epitome of his career and talent with big lights and even bigger effects.

Whether this is your first time like me or if you are among the millions of return audience you will be amazed by the story, the legacy, the harmony and the high index of entertainment value of these “Jersey Boys.”

You can bob your head, tap your feet and sing along through September 23, 2012 at the Benedum Theatre and trust me the “Jersey Boys” is just as elegant and opulent as the theatre where it plays. I personally came away entertained but also spent knowing the torment and tribulation, the tears and triumph that went into the success of the Four Seasons on their way to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

JERSEY BOYS is part of the PNC Broadway Across America – Pittsburgh series presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh Symphony and Broadway Across America.

Directed by two-time Tony^®Award-winner Des McAnuff, JERSEY BOYS is written by Academy Award-winner Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe and choreography by Sergio Trujillo.

The 2006 Grammy Award® for Best Musical Show Album, the 2009 Olivier Award for Best New Musical and the 2010 Helpmann Award for Best Musical (Australia).

JERSEY BOYS is the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi.  This is the story of how a group of blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest, most played and listened to sensations of a generation and beyond. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide - before being inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.

Radio Host and Serial Blogger, Joanne Quinn-Smith is the host of PositivelyPittsburghLive™ Internet Talkcast and TechnoGrannyShow™  On her shows, Joanne has interviewed over 1800 guests.  As an advocate for small Business, she was awarded the National Small Business Administration Journalist of the Year Award.  She is also the publisher of PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com which is a 2010 National Stevie Award finalist for best Media Website or Blog. PPL Mag features the GOOD NEWS, about Pittsburgh  and is  Pittsburgh’s First internet radio and TV network. The Creative Energy Officer of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates, Joanne also teaches her online media platform building to small businesses in a client personalized, “Web2.0 Gorilla Branding Training™”.  Connect with Joanne at:  http://joannequinnsmith.com