The success of Tamworth Musical Society's production of Shrek the Musical showcases how an ogre with a heart of gold has been turned into a cultural icon.
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Night after night, the cast and crew behind the stellar production have performed to packed audiences at Tamworth's Capitol Theatre, with their opening weekend and remaining four shows completely sold out.
![Cast members from of 'Shrek the Musical' on stage at the Capitol Theatre. Picture by Tamworth Camera Club Cast members from of 'Shrek the Musical' on stage at the Capitol Theatre. Picture by Tamworth Camera Club](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/205515339/4c8b195b-0d4e-4740-a3a9-942ee921ae5a.jpg/r0_109_1440_919_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
President of Tamworth Musical Society Todd Power said it's been an amazing journey, from that very first rehearsal to opening night and well beyond.
"It's just been really enjoyable time and it's that kind of show that is accessible to all ages," he said.
"It's good for kids, but also because the movie came out in 2001, and I believe those people who saw it when they were young, now they've grown up and a lot of them have had kids 20 years later."
Today, the character of Shrek continues to thrive via the movie franchise, numerous spin-offs, internet meme culture, the music from rock band Smash Mouth, and in the hearts and minds of millions of kids from the early 2000s.
But the story goes that the tale of Shrek, Donkey, and Princess Fiona was never meant to reach such heights.
'Ogres are like onions ... they have layers'
When DreamWorks first began working on the film in 1995, Shrek was not exactly expected to be a smash hit.
It was a low-budget, animated film that was used by the company as a "punishment project" for animators, according to movie industry folklore.
"It was at the same time that they were producing the Prince of Egypt, and DreamWorks didn't expect that Shrek was going to do overly well," Mr Power said.
"So, if an animator wasn't performing well or they had a fight with the boss, they were sent to work on Shrek, and they weren't allowed to work on the Prince of Egypt anymore. They saw it [Prince of Egypt] as their sort of, their golden child."
![The famous beware ogre sign from the movie has been replicated as a prop for the musical. Picture by Tamworth Camera Club The famous beware ogre sign from the movie has been replicated as a prop for the musical. Picture by Tamworth Camera Club](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/205515339/4151da6e-c3b0-4e7a-a38e-06f0ba12aa32.jpg/r0_0_768_960_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Apparently the punishment was known as getting 'Shrekked'.
Despite all the odds, Shrek prevailed - just like in the movie - and on the film's opening weekend it earned $42.3 million at the box office.
This marked a significant turning point for both the film and the industry, as it would go on to win various accolades and be considered one of the best film franchises of the decade.
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In the last two decades Shrek the character has gone beyond film and the internet, earning himself the status of pop cultural icon.
The story also holds a deeper moral message. It's not just a cute fairytale with some funny jokes and witty dialogue, it's about being true to yourself and never judging anyone by what you first see.
A theme that seems to have been embraced by Tamworth audiences.
Mr Power said Shrek the Musical has been their most successful production in a long time, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback.
"There have been lots of great moments. I have to say we have incredible leads for the show. I mean the whole cast are just great," he said.
The cast and crew of Shrek the Musical will have their final curtain call on Saturday, November 4, at the Capitol Theatre.
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