When the curtain rose Friday night at Delaware Hayes High School, it wasn’t just an ogre stepping into the spotlight — it was a full cast of fairy-tale misfits, dragons, donkeys, and dreamers ready to bring a swamp to life. Dempsey Middle School’s theater troupe delivered Shrek The Musical Jr. with humor, heart, and contagious energy, proving that when young performers throw themselves into a story together, they can turn a simple fairy tale into something unforgettable.
Under the direction of Jennifer Ruhlen, Dempsey’s drama department filled the stage with color and confidence. From the Fairy Tale Characters and Knights to the Citizens of Duloc and Tap Dancing Rats, the ensemble worked as one — a moving, singing, dancing community of students who made every inch of the Hayes stage feel alive.
According to Music Theatre International, the licensing house for Shrek The Musical Jr., the show is “a hilarious stage spectacle based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film and the outrageous Broadway musical.” The story follows Shrek as he leads “a cast of fairytale misfits on an adventure to rescue a princess and find true acceptance.” Official MTI show page »
For Ruhlen, that message was the reason she chose the musical. “Shrek has a great message,” she said. “It also gave us a chance to showcase so many of the talented students we have at Dempsey.”
A Message That Hits Home
At its core, Shrek The Musical Jr. celebrates self-acceptance and the strength found in individuality — a perfect fit for middle-school performers learning to find their own voices.
“It’s different depending on the day,” Ruhlen said when asked what she loves most about the show. “But I think the message is what ultimately hits home the most.”
That message — what makes us special makes us strong — came through in every line, song, and laugh.
Swamp Stars and Standout Moments
From the first chorus of fairy-tale misfits, the ensemble came out swinging — confident, expressive, and clearly having fun.
The chemistry between Gingy (Zoe) and Lord Farquaad (Max) drew laughter all evening, while Shrek (Guy) anchored the show with a natural mix of humor and heart. Donkey (Nolan) brought endless energy and sass, while the role of Fiona was uniquely shared by three actresses — Kenzie, Olivia, and Avery — representing the princess at different ages. The transition between them was seamless, and together they carried Fiona’s journey with charm, humor, and heart.
The jokes between Shrek, Donkey, and the crew hit their mark every time. The set was smartly used — trees lowered in to create the swamp, and a projected video backdrop added depth and motion without taking away from the performers.
The Gingy sequence was especially inventive. The cookie first appeared on a baking sheet atop a rolling cart, the sheet cleverly obscuring Zoe as she voiced Gingy while animating his mouth. Later, the character reappeared as a small puppet, again voiced by Zoe, who was staged just behind as a background extra. The staging was simple but smart — a perfect example of imagination over spectacle. It earned well-deserved laughs from the crowd.
Behind the scenes, the Stage, Sound, Light, and Paint Crews worked seamlessly. They kept the pace moving and the scene transitions smooth, no easy feat for a production of this size.
The Night’s Defining Moment
This was Dempsey’s first full-scale comedy at the middle-school level, and it gave the kids every opportunity to shine. Ruhlen said, “They’ve pushed outside their comfort zones and even developed some improv skills.”
That quick thinking came into play during one of the night’s most unforgettable moments. In the middle of Princess Fiona’s heartfelt plea for Shrek to remove his helmet, a young voice from the audience — a well-meaning miniature heckler — suddenly shouted, “Take the helmet off!” enthusiastically agreeing with Fiona.
It wasn’t scripted — not even close. The auditorium erupted in laughter. On stage, the cast fought the urge to break, staying in character with focus and composure that would have made any director proud. It was an unplanned, perfectly human exchange that captured what makes live theater so special — spontaneity, connection, and pure joy shared between the stage and the seats.
Afterward, Guy laughed about it. “My mind went into complete laughter, but I just tried to keep walking and stay in character,” he said. Backstage, the cast could hardly stop laughing once the curtain came down.
When the Show Must Go On
Midway through the night, a microphone failed during one of the musical numbers. The kids didn’t flinch. They improvised, adjusted, and kept right on going.
Ruhlen praised them for how they handled it. “We haven’t had anything go wrong in rehearsals,” she said. “This was the first time we had a technical issue, and for them to recover on the fly like that was great.”
That moment — calm under pressure — captured exactly what makes student theater so special. Mistakes happen, but the way these students supported one another made it feel effortless.
Then, not long after, came another crowd favorite. Lord Farquaad (Max) made his grand entrance as his knights bounced across the stage, clearing the way for their pint-sized ruler. Max rolled in on his “horse” — a clever visual that accounted for his kneeling portrayal of the character’s famously short stature. He committed to every moment, milking each gesture and expression for all it was worth. His performance was confident, well-timed, and genuinely funny, earning laughter that felt spontaneous and deserved.
Act 2: Bigger, Brighter, and Full of Heart
Act 2 opened with narration and the full cast assembled, setting a bigger and more emotional tone. The sold-out crowd stayed locked in from start to finish.
Fiona brought warmth and humor to her role, while Donkey’s mischief and Shrek’s dry, grounded delivery balanced the comedy beautifully. Their timing was sharp, their teamwork even sharper.
True to Shrek form, the humor got playfully gross at times — including a contest over who could make the best “swamp-worthy” noises. The crowd ate it up. Middle-school humor? Check. Fart jokes? Of course. But the kids sold it with confidence, and it landed every time.
The tone shifted as Fiona confessed to Donkey that she becomes an ogre at night. True to the movie, Shrek overheard only part of the conversation, and when he misunderstood, he ordered her away and walked off in despair. The crowd responded with an audible “awwwww,” a heartfelt reaction that showed just how invested everyone had become.
One of the biggest crowd reactions came from the Tap Dancing Rats. Their choreography during the big dance number was spot-on — synchronized, funny, and full of personality. When they finished, the audience erupted with cheers and applause, the kind that makes you forget you’re in a school auditorium and not a professional theater.
Pinocchio (Parker) was another standout. He captured the essence of the movie’s character perfectly — all wide-eyed wonder and nervous energy — with just the right blend of comedy and charm. His voice and exaggerated “wooden” movements were pitch-perfect, bringing the puppet to life in a way that felt both familiar and fresh. It was one of those smaller roles that left a big impression.
A Joyful Finale
By the time the cast launched into the finale, “I’m a Believer,” the room was electric. The number overflowed with energy and joy, a perfect ending to a night filled with laughter and heart.
Guy, still smiling afterward, said performing under those lights was “wonderful.” He thanked the directors and everyone involved for making it happen. Ruhlen echoed his sentiment. “The best part,” she said, “was seeing the kids feel those live reactions for the first time.”
For many of the students, this show was about more than performing. My daughter NovaLyn, who was part of the Citizens of Duloc ensemble, told me afterward that she’d “made a lot of good friends during this play.” Her favorite part was the finale. “It was really energy-packed, fun to perform, and I loved the crowd’s response,” she said, before laughing and adding that the number also told her it was time to go home because she was tired.
As the curtain fell for the final time, the cast and crew took their bows to thunderous applause. I’ll admit it — I was focused on my daughter. But as I looked across the stage, every student was beaming from ear to ear as they took their accolades, a mix of exhaustion and pure joy lighting up their faces. It was one of those rare moments that remind you why these productions matter — not just for the applause, but for the confidence, the bond they built together, and the sense of belonging that comes with being part of something bigger than yourself.
The Takeaway
For Ruhlen, Shrek The Musical Jr. is more than a show. “We hope the audience gets the same message as the kids,” she said. “That what makes us special makes us strong — but also that our Dempsey kids have amazing talent.”
She’s right. The production had everything that makes theater worth watching — laughter, heart, mishaps, quick recoveries, and joy.
Dempsey’s Shrek The Musical Jr. didn’t just entertain; it reminded everyone why we show up for these performances — because sometimes the biggest magic comes from the smallest stage.
Showtimes
- Saturday Matinee: 1:00 p.m.
- Saturday Evening: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Delaware Hayes High School Auditorium
Learn more about Shrek The Musical Jr. at Music Theatre International (MTI)
All black-and-white rehearsal photos courtesy of Missy Seslar of Periwinkle Photography.
Editor’s Note: Full disclosure — my daughter, NovaLyn, was part of the cast. So yes, there’s a little proud-dad bias here. But even setting that aside, this troupe’s talent, teamwork, and spirit would have impressed anyone in the audience.
