SHREK THE MUSICAL Begins This Month At Young People’s Theatre

Young People’s Theatre brings the DreamWorks classic Shrek The Musical to Toronto this holiday season, running November 13–December 30, 2025. Directed by Herbie Barnes, the production features a stellar cast, an immersive VR-designed set, and a three-person dragon puppet. The hilarious, heart-filled musical adventure celebrates friendship, individuality, and finding one’s place in the world.

“The scale of this production—the spectacular set, the music, the energy, the sheer fun of watching all these beloved fairytale characters come to life—is truly immense,” said Barnes. “And the story itself is timeless. Shrek The Musical resonates across generations because it’s ultimately a heartfelt celebration of belonging, acceptance, and of finding one’s true and unique self.”

Based on the DreamWorks Animation film and the book by William Steig, Shrek The Musical follows the grumpy but lovable ogre Shrek as he sets out with his wisecracking companion Donkey to reclaim his swamp from the comically villainous Lord Farquaad. Along the way, he meets Princess Fiona and a band of fairytale misfits, learning the power of love, friendship, and self-acceptance.

Leading the cast are Trevor Patt (Disney’s The Lion King, Mirvish) as Shrek, Joema Frith (The Lion King, Mirvish) as Donkey, Ellen Denny (The Handmaid’s Tale) as Princess Fiona, and Michael Therriault as Lord Farquaad. The ensemble also features Astrid Atherly, Tat Austrie, Taj Crozier, Megan Dallan, Alex Furber, Dominique Leblanc, Jeff Madden, Mickey McKinnon, Tyler Pearse, Alana Randall, and Travae Williams.

The production includes Jeannie Wyse as music director and arranger, Alexa Belgrave as associate music director, Monica Dottor as choreographer, Bill Layton as set designer, Joyce Padua as Costume Designer, Echo Zhou as lighting designer, and Brian Kenny as sound designer. Stage management is by Meghan Speakman, with Emmanuelle So as assistant stage manager and Tsz Ting (Tiffany) Lam as apprentice stage manager.

Highlights of the production include a dazzling set designed through VR technology and a magnificent 3D-constructed dragon brought to life by three puppeteers. “Our talented cast has made each of these weird and wonderful characters larger than life while giving such heart to this story,” said Barnes. “And our creative team has worked true magic designing the set, props, and costumes to make this irreverent fairy tale into a real-life adventure for all.”

Performance Schedule:

School Previews take place November 10 and 12 at 10:15 a.m. Public performances run weekends beginning November 15, with weekday school performances through December. Public showtimes include Saturdays at 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. and Sundays at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., with additional holiday performances from December 6–30.

Tickets: