Ogres to rise tonight
Shrek will rock the Empire
FOR those who thought love was only true in fairy tales, it’s time to prepare for a musical experience never seen before in Toowoomba.
The Toowoomba Philharmonic Society production of Shrek The Musical will raise its curtains for the first of four performances at the Empire Theatre tonight.
Director Simon Mason said it would be like nothing Toowoomba had experienced before.
“It’s going to take you back to the Dreamworks animation, it’ll be full of nostalgia,” Mr Mason said.
“This show is just going to be such a spectacle, because of the work of the fantastic design and creative teams, vocal coaches, choreographers and all elements coming together.
“Watching it come together this week has been joyous.”
Mr Mason said while the musical used the music and the script from the original Broadway production, it had a completely new feel to it.
“It isn’t a carbon copy, it’s our own show,” he said.
“The music is all original from the Broadway show, but there are one of two songs in it you will recognise from the movie.”
He said it was also a challenge re-imagining the film.
“The most challenging thing from bringing the animation to live action was animation lets you do a lot of things you can’t do in real life,” he said.
“Or so I thought until this design team took everything by storm, creating birds, dragon towers, things I thought wouldn’t turn from animation to live action, but they’ve made it work.
“It’s such an incredible thing to watch and to have participated in that creative process in bringing that animation to life.”
Shrek The Musical begins at the Empire Theatre in Toowoomba tonight.