‘SHREK’ SHATTERS THE SCHMECKFEST MUSICAL GLASS CEILING

When “Shrek the Musical” was announced as this year’s Schmeckfest production late last year, I know there were doubters who were skeptical at best and dismissive at worst, and even some who stubbornly said they would not be attending. I don’t know if those folks ever came around, but if not — well, it’s their loss.

Let’s cut to the chase:

The show killed — an absolute and 100% blockbuster. And it wasn’t just because of the four outstanding leads who split the stole-the-show-trophy among them: Joshua Hofer as Shrek, Brennan Waltner as Donkey, Evan Waltner as Lord Farquaad and Clara (Koerner) Beseman as Princess Fiona.

It was because the overall value of the production — from the acting and orchestra to the visual design and sound, and straight through the overall execution — dropped a critical message right into the laps of the 1,700 audience members who collectively gathered in the house of Pioneer Hall over three nights last week: Everybody has worth.

Quick synopsis

Let’s start with an abbreviated synopsis of the story, which centers around life as it exists for Shrek, a big green ogre living in isolation, and Fiona, a beautiful princess trapped in a tower. Both were sent away by their parents at the age of 7 and come to find each other after Shrek agrees to rescue her through a deal brokered with Lord Farquaad, ruler of the Kingdom of Duloc in search of a queen.

Shrek doesn’t love the idea but agrees to save Fiona and return her to Farquaad in exchange for getting back his swamp that had been overrun by a band of fairy tale creatures banished from Duloc by the ruler — the group that convinced Shrek to confront Farquaad on their behalf.

Shrek — accompanied by an energetic and enthusiastic Donkey he encounters along the way — succeeds in rescuing Fiona and takes her to Farquaad to be married, but not before the ogre and the princess bond over their shared plight in life and form a connection ultimately rooted in love.

Still, the two conclude that an ogre and a princess can never be together, and Fiona moves ahead with the wedding while Shrek retreats to his swamp.

But in the end — after Shrek returns to Duloc to declare his love for Fiona and Farquaad is exposed as a fraud — the two main characters realize that “beautiful ain’t always pretty,” and presumably live happily ever after.

The final scenes of “Shrek the Musical” double down on the message, starting with the revelation that Fiona herself is an ogre at night — a spell cast upon her by a witch at a young age — and continuing with the showstopper “Freak Flag.”

The show ends with “This is Our Story” in which Fiona sings:

“You take me as I am, love me as I look, standing here in all my glory. I am sweetness, I am bratty, I’m a princess, I’m a fatty. I’m a mess of contradictions in a dress. I am sassy, I am sappy, when I’m with you I am happy …”

To which Shrek responds: “You laugh at all my jokes, even though they’re crude. You don’t mind that I’m not classy …”

And then together: “We make a perfect pair, radiant and rude, so in love and much too gassy. We are ogres, we are scary, we are donkeys, we are hairy. We have bold and brand new stories to be told .”

And then the ensemble: “What makes us special makes us strong. We are witches, we are fairies, we are weirdos; I’m an Aries. We’re a giant box of chocolates here to try. We are puppets, we are rabbits, we are hobbits with bad habits. We’re a screwy but delighted crazy stew. We are different and united, you are us and we are you. This is our story.”

‘Authenticity and charm’

The exceptional story, which serves as a much-needed reminder that everyone matters, would come through clearly regardless of the quality of the show. But because Schmeckfest’s iteration of “Shrek the Musical” was so good, it only drives the message home that much more, and makes it among the best-ever presented at Freeman’s longest-running and most recognizable event.

Don’t get me wrong. Since theatrical productions were introduced as part of the annual festival in 1967, the Pioneer Hall stage has seen plenty of fabulous and unforgettable shows. There’s a reason the auditorium-turned-theater is at or near capacity night after night, year after year.

But “Shrek” was next-level community theater — even for Freeman.

I photographed the show during its final dress rehearsal on Wednesday, was in the audience with Stacey and the kids on Thursday, saw it again with Stacey on Friday and was backstage on Saturday’s closing night. And through it all and in the hours after, I have processed the potpourri that made it so stinking good.

Then I got a text from my friend Matt Luke.

Matt, a business owner living with his family in Sioux Falls, is the great-grandson of John P. and Edythe Miller and Dr. Ernest and Elsie Hofer; the grandson of Merle and Gloria (Hofer) Miller; a great-nephew of Freeman residents Dawn Stahl and Doug Hofer (Ernest and Elsie’s children) and the son of Mark and Kim (Miller) Luke.

Matt, who saw the show with his family Saturday, sent me this the next morning:

“Shrek, The Musical” brought the vibrant spirit of Broadway to the heart of Freeman, South Dakota, during the annual Schmeckfest fundraising event at Freeman Academy. Despite being staged in a small town, the production showcased an abundance of talent and dedication from the community.

From the moment the curtain rose, it was evident that this was not just any ordinary community theater production. The cast comprised of local residents delivered stellar performances that rivaled those seen on professional stages. Each actor embodied their character with authenticity and charm, bringing the beloved characters from the Shrek universe to life in a way that was both entertaining and endearing.

The production value was top-notch, with impressive set designs, colorful costumes, and captivating choreography that transported audiences straight into the whimsical world of Shrek. From the hilarious antics of Donkey to the touching moments shared between Shrek and Fiona, every scene was executed with precision and passion.

What truly made this production special was the sense of community that permeated throughout the entire show. It was evident that months of hard work and collaboration went into bringing this musical to fruition, with volunteers dedicating their time and talents to ensure its success. The camaraderie and spirit of unity among the cast and crew shone through, adding an extra layer of magic to an already enchanting performance.

Schmeckfest, meaning “festival of tasting” in German, has evolved into much more than just a culinary celebration. It has become a cherished tradition that celebrates the rich heritage and talents of the Freeman community. The musical production, a highlight of the event, serves as a testament to the creativity and passion that thrives within this tight-knit community.

As a devoted aficionado of musical theatre, I have immersed myself in the vibrant world of Schmeckfest productions for over four decades. For 45 years, I have eagerly awaited the annual showcase of exceptional theatrical talent on the stage of Pioneer Hall at Freeman Academy. If you share a passion for extraordinary performances, the musicals staged at Freeman Academy during Schmeckfest are must-see experiences.

Onions have layers

Matt’s thoughtful reaction hits all the right notes, but other undertones need to be analyzed when studying the strength of the show. It’s kind of like the analogy used by Shrek: An ogre is not much different from an onion in that both have layers.

Those layers start with artistic director Iwona Lewter (who pitched the show) and the five-person program committee (Brent Brockmueller, Kerry Hofer, Lori Hofer, Sonja Waltner and Tim L. Waltner) who green-lighted it.

Iwona, who makes her living as a chorus and theater teacher, first dipped her toes in Freeman’s waters after being hired by Freeman Public in 2019. She experienced and delighted in her first Schmeckfest musical last year — Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “State Fair” — as an audience member and was asked last summer to direct this year’s show.

She accepted — and picked “Annie.”

But Iwona had to choose an alternative after the committee learned the rights for a community theater production of “Annie” were unavailable, and put together a list of other choices, with the ogre-centric story at the top.

“Why ‘Shrek’ you may ask?” she wrote in her director’s notes included with the program booklet. “Firstly, it’s one of my favorite musicals, filled with humor, heart and unforgettable characters. Secondly, I believed it would bring a refreshing change after last year’s Golden Age musical. Most importantly, I wanted to showcase that ‘Shrek the Musical’ transcends age boundaries; it is a story with layers, complexities and universal themes.”

While Iwona’s choice of “Shrek the Musical” was daring, so was the program committee’s decision to stage it. Nowhere to be found are the old-school characters on which the Schmeckfest musical was built — like Tevya from “Fiddler on the Roof,” Maria from “The Sound of Music,” Curly from “Oklahoma!” or Eliza Doolittle from “My Fair Lady.”

Rather, the story of “Shrek” is told by the likes of a flatulent ogre and unorthodox princess, an excitable ass, an evil ruler whose comedically short stature is overpowered only by his xenophobic tendencies, and a cast of characters that includes a wooden boy, cross-dressing wolf and a gingerbread cookie who has magically come to life.

“We had faith in Iwona and felt like this was the right show at the right time,” said Lori Hofer, chair of the Schmeckfest Program Committee. “We felt like we could take the musical to another level, and this amazing cast and crew pulled it off. As a program committee, we couldn’t be happier.”

A visual playground

The Schmeckfest musical is no different from any other theatrical production in that it takes a team of specialists — from actors to makeup artists to a running crew — to pull it off.

What makes Freeman’s different is the sky-high level of excellence in all areas organically executed by local men and women. Except for most of the musicians in this year’s top-notch orchestra who are professionals from cities like Sioux Falls, Vermillion and Brookings (more on the orchestra later), “Shrek the Musical” was presented by those with a direct connection to the community.

Take the costumes, for example. No, they were not rented as many speculate. On the contrary, every single piece that appeared on stage was either designed and made by hand, fabricated using purchased items or cobbled together with existing garments in the vast Schmeckfest costume collection. That’s hard to believe considering the stunning visuals like the blue, yellow and red-clad Duloc Dancers, sultry Three Blind Mice and edgy tap dancing Rats.

The three dresses worn by Fiona and her two younger selves in “I Know it’s Today,” were made to order and perfectly crafted while Lord Farquaad’s royal garb was downright complicated to assemble. Shrek looked exactly like Shrek is supposed to look, Donkey’s costume made him even more lovable than his character already is, and from the Fairy Tale creatures to the guards of Duloc, the company looked great. Major props to costume co-chairs Kris Carlson and Jill Hofer for knocking it out of the park.

Speaking of props, one of the most overlooked and taken-for-granted elements of the stage was also extremely well-done thanks to the coordination of Charity Ortman, Maria Paff and Lynelle Allison, who were tasked with rounding up nearly 120 pieces to be used throughout the show. I especially loved the souvenirs Donkey picks up in Duloc, the campfire utensils used by Fiona and Shrek, and the oversized flower Shrek finds that would help him declare his love to Princess Fiona. Maria told me in a text after I asked how many properties they had to account for that — like all other aspects of this show — it was an enormous undertaking.

“I’m very proud of our team and the whole crew,” she said. “This show was huge, and I asked multiple people who have done this for years how this show compared, and it was a resounding, ‘this is the hardest/biggest show we have ever done.’”

Hair and makeup followed suit with excellence of their own, with Libby Miller and Aprille Birkey capably navigating — and pulling off — what is likely the most complex hair-makeup-wig-prosthetic show Schmeckfest has ever seen. Creating realistic faces for the likes of the Wicked Witch, Three Bears and Donkey isn’t easy, and audiences have no idea just how fast and difficult Fiona’s transformation from a princess to ogre at the end of the show — which had to be completed in 90 seconds — really was.

All of it played out on a Pioneer Hall stage that was enlarged on both sides by extensions and featured a ramp coming down front to maximize staging options. While the main stage was used for most of the action, the extensions were used effectively; Shrek’s home was to the right of the audience, Fiona’s tower to the left, and the ramp down front served as a pathway on the various journeys taken through the fable lands. A construction crew of more than two dozen headed up by Dan Haggerty helped put it all together, and a running crew of nine led by stage manager Brad Carlson made it all work during the show’s three-night run — and in the rehearsals leading up to it.

And all it was brought to life by the talented-beyond-words Michelle L. Hofer, who has set-designed all but one Schmeckfest musical since 2012, and her fingerprints were all over this show.

The “Shrek” set included the most pieces Michelle has ever designed — 31, which is three more than “The Wizard of Oz” — and was visually stunning, accented by a sun and a moon positioned on either side of the Pioneer Hall stage’s proscenium arch and lit to help emphasize the time of day. A sliding curtain painted with trees defined the forest and the various destinations — especially the Dragon’s Keep outside of Fiona’s Tower — were intricately and meticulously designed.

I loved the three tall archways inside the tower that provided symmetry with the trio of Fionas, the stylized “f” above the doorways in Farquaad’s Torture Chamber, and the signs outside Shrek’s hut that warned of danger (as well as the sign hanging on the door that read: “Home Stinky Home”).

Michelle was also tasked with creating puppets, including the spectacular dragon with glowing green eyes, and worked alongside lighting technician Jeffrey Preheim in giving the show its wash of color to help set the mood.

Individually, the technical elements required an immeasurable amount of work for those involved. Collectively they turned “Shrek the Musical” into a visual playground for the audience and actors alike. And speaking of the actors …

The sounds of the show

Because I have been heavily involved with the Schmeckfest musical over the years, I know most of those in “Shrek the Musical” quite well, and when I first got a look at the cast list when it was announced late last year, I had one initial thought.

Well, that’s just about perfect.

It was.

As Matt Luke suggested, the actors and the characters they played were matches made in heaven and delighted the audiences from the start. The four leads who anchored this show — who I said earlier each stole it in their own way — brought incredible talent and range to the stage.

Josh Hofer as Shrek offered a clinic in vocal technique and timing, Brennan Waltner as Donkey played the part with the right mix of ease and energy, Clara Beseman showed remarkable breadth and comfort in her own skin, and Evan Waltner as Lord Farquaad was so good in his part that you couldn’t help but love his despicable character.

The other actor I know people were raving about is the sensational Jessica Paschal, a senior at Freeman Academy who played both Pinocchio and the Dragoness — two characters who couldn’t be more different. That she was able to successfully pull of the agitated wooden boy and the beautifully sinister keeper of Fiona’s Tower with such conviction demonstrates a range of acting abilities typically seen in professionals. Her vocal work, mannerisms, timing and “go for it” approach would do her well if she were to pursue a career in theater. I hope she does.

I was also dazzled by a newcomer to the Schmeckfest stage in Nadia Mudder, a theater enthusiast who is in her second year as principal at Menno. Nadia played Gingy and had the opportunity to show off her vocal chops in the showstopper, “Freak Flag,” and also perfectly delivered the final line of the show, “God bless us, everyone.”

Playing a key role in preparation for “Shrek” was Amber Bradley, also new to the Schmeckfest production team who capably prepared and led the choral work. Bradley, who grew to love music in part because of her involvement in the Freeman Area Children’s Choir (FACC) as a young student in Menno, has infused herself in the culture here. She teaches grades 5-6 at Freeman Academy and, two years ago, joined Iwona in re-establishing and co-directing the FACC.

No wonder the two ladies appeared to be a perfect match in directing this year’s Schmeckfest musical.

Also noteworthy is this year’s choreographer (another first-timer), Katie Janssen, who is married to Freeman community native William Janssen and found just the right moves to bring additional life and energy to chorus numbers.

Through it all, the cast and chorus were amplified by a sound crew of two that is as good as you’ll find anywhere. That’s the other area that really sets Schmeckfest musicals apart from other community theater productions and is directly linked to Chris Glanzer, who has been coming back to run sound every year for the past 25 years. A 1995 graduate of Freeman Academy, Glanzer lives in Hillsboro, Kan., and is a professional sound designer who makes it a priority to return to his home community (with all his gear) every year for Schmeckfest. In more recent years, Ben Carlson has been helping make the musicals sound as good as anything you will hear in a professional theater.

There’s little question that the “sound” of Schmeckfest is among its greatest assets, thanks to Chris.

The other notable sound heard during the run of “Shrek the Musical” came from the 11-piece orchestra conducted by Rolf Olson, who lives east of Freeman and is the vocal instructor at Freeman Academy. Olson had his band tuned up and locked in as they tore through a score that really cooks. Balance with the singers on stage was an issue at times, but there’s no dismissing the quality of the sound that helped take this community theater production into another stratosphere.

Final thoughts

During the run of “Shrek the Musical,” and in the days that have followed, I talked to a lot of people about the show and have heard almost universal praise for the production. One cast member I spoke with backstage called the experience “revitalizing” and my wife has repeatedly used the word “delightful” to describe the production — “and we need delightful right now,” she said.

But even as I write this, I’m still wrapping my head around exactly why the reaction to the show has been so overwhelmingly strong, and why it has impacted me in such a profound way.

Maybe because of the involvement of new people on the leadership team, like Iwona, Amber and Katie.

Or the reaction of Nadia, whose face lights up when she talks about the experience and kindness shown by the people of Freeman.

Maybe it’s because of all the parent-child pairings involved in the show; of the 40 members of the cast, more than 25% had a parent involved in the show either on stage or behind the scenes. (No wonder Schmeckfest has kept on trucking.)

Or maybe it’s because of those touchstone scenes and sing-along songs that stand out as my favorites, like Clara and the two younger Fionas played by sisters Hannah and Abigail Bradley singing “I Know it’s Today;” Josh, Clara and Brennan coming together vocally for the Act I finale, “Who I’d Be;” or Clara lighting up the stage with the beautiful “Morning Person” to open the second act. (It needs to be noted that this was just Clara’s second time ever on the Schmeckfest stage and first leading role; remarkable, and I can’t wait to see what she does next!)

Maybe it was Evan’s ability to squeeze every comedic inch out of his character or Josh and Brennan in roles that it feels like were just made for them. Or perhaps it was the protest signs carried in by the Fairy Tale creatures storming Farquaad’s chamber which read “Down With Farquaad” (carried by Humpty Dumpty/Elizabeth Waltner), “Make Wishes Not War” (carried by Sugar Plum Fairy/Kelsey Pidde), “Give Freaks a Chance” (carried by Ugly Duckling/Estelle Waltner), and — my favorite — “Eat More Stewed Beef” (carried by none other than one of the Three Little Pigs (Stefany Cortes).

It is all those things.

But I think when it comes right down to it, it’s that Schmeckfest just nailed it with a musical that made for sideways glances from a lot of people and stretched the production capabilities of the local team. If fact, one of the tech guys told me that he thought “Shrek” maxed out what is possible here.

Maybe.

But they did it — all of them — and in the process wrote a sweet new chapter in a Schmeckfest musical booklet that continues to produce more layers.

And all of it comes not far removed from Covid-19 that prompted a three-year hiatus and conversations about what the future of the Schmeckfest musical will look like. Given all that it takes in terms of time and personnel to stage these high-end productions, some wondered if this strong tradition of musical theater could continue as part of the festival canon.

Turns out it can and will.

Between the outstanding “State Fair” of 2023 and this year’s masterpiece that featured new energy from new people, it’s obvious that not only is there a future for the Schmeckfest musical, but it is entering a brand-new era where anything is possible.

Jeremy Waltner grew up around the Schmeckfest musical and has taken the stage 13 times starting with 1987’s “Fiddler on the Roof.” He has also directed four shows: “Joseph … ,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Big River” and “Godspell.”