Shrek Lyrics – All Songs from the Musical

"Shrek the Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" Soundtrack Description

Questions and Answers

Is there an official cast album?

Yes. The Original Broadway Cast Recording (Decca Broadway) was released on March 24, 2009; it later earned a Grammy nomination and debuted atop the Billboard Top Cast Albums (according to Billboard).

What changed musically after opening night?

On Oct 2, 2009, the curtain-call added “I’m a Believer.” For later licensed and tour versions, “Donkey Pot Pie” was replaced by “Forever,” and “Build a Wall” solidified in Act II.

Can I watch a pro-shot of the Broadway staging?

Yes. The original Broadway production—captured with the OBC—was released digitally on September 17, 2013 and on DVD/Blu-ray on October 15, 2013; it remains available for digital purchase.

Who led the original Broadway cast?

Brian d’Arcy James (Shrek), Sutton Foster (Princess Fiona), Christopher Sieber (Lord Farquaad), Daniel Breaker (Donkey), with John Tartaglia as Pinocchio and the ensemble voicing the Dragon.

What’s new with recent UK productions?

The 2023–24 UK & Ireland tour (co-directed by Sam Holmes and Nick Winston) transferred to London’s Eventim Apollo July 19–Aug 31, 2024; Antony Lawrence (Shrek), Joanne Clifton (Fiona) and James Gillan (Farquaad) led the cast, with Todrick Hall joining as Donkey for the London run. The tour continued into 2025 dates across the UK.

Is the album the same as the stage version my school might perform?

Mostly. Licensed versions (JR/KIDS/standard) retain the core Tesori/Lindsay-Abaire score but may use tour edits (e.g., “Forever”) and streamlined orchestrations for practical pits.

Notes & Trivia

• The Broadway run played 37 previews (from Nov 8, 2008) and 441 performances (Dec 14, 2008–Jan 3, 2010). If you’ve seen “4,509 performances” elsewhere—that’s a typo that got around.
• The cast album was recorded in one intense day at Legacy Recording Studios on Jan 12, 2009. It shows; the ensemble blend is crisp (as stated in a 2009 Playbill studio note).
• Chart watch: the album opened at #1 on Top Cast Albums and cracked the Billboard 200 at #88—rare for new musicals (according to Billboard).
• Tour tweak: the Dragon’s big number shifted from the bluesy “Donkey Pot Pie” to the power anthem “Forever,” a fan favorite in school/community productions.
• London’s 2012 West End run netted an Olivier win (Nigel Harman, Supporting Role) and teed up future UK tours.
• Home media: the pro-shot with the Broadway cast hit digital (Sept 17, 2013) and Blu-ray/DVD (Oct 15, 2013). Families still find the show this way (per Playbill).
• Money talk: the Broadway production cost ?$25M to mount—lavish sets, prosthetics, and puppetry. No, it didn’t fully recoup, but it built a giant afterlife in licensing.

Overview

Why does a fairy-tale send-up sing so earnestly? Because Jeanine Tesori’s score and David Lindsay-Abaire’s lyrics double as a pep talk for anyone who’s ever felt “too much” or “not enough.” The album is bright, brass-kissed, and unapologetically goofy—and then, suddenly, it’s tender. The stage story follows the 2001 DreamWorks hit and William Steig’s 1990 picture book: an ogre bargains for the deed to his swamp by rescuing a princess from a dragon. But the album’s secret sauce isn’t plot; it’s character: Shrek’s guarded baritone, Fiona’s show-biz sparkle with a cracked edge, Farquaad’s pint-sized swagger, and a Donkey who can turn advice into a groove. Across two acts, the recording moves like a theme-park parade that keeps pausing to hand you a heart. It’s a big, bright studio capture that still leaves room for messy humanity—especially in the Act I finale, “Who I’d Be.” (as noted by several reviews at the time) Music for this theatrical was written by J. Tesori, script & lyrics belong to D. Lindsay-Abaire. The basis of the musical is the same-named animation movie of 2001 from DreamWorks company & book by W. Steig, published in 1990. The play tells the story of an ogre who agrees to rescue the princess, to receive his cute marsh back. All events are accompanied by a high-quality well-developed sense of humor & music. In 2013 was published record on DVD & Blu-Ray. Currently it is available for digital download. Preliminaries began in the penultimate month of 2008. On Broadway, they started in Dec. 2008. The venue was The Broadway Theatre, located in NYC. The cast was: C. Sieber, B. d'Arcy James, S. Foster, D. Breaker (Donkey) & H. Burton (Dragon). Production was in run for more than a year & was closed in January 2010. During this period, the audience saw almost 4509 performances & 37 preliminaries. In 2009, the histrionics managed to get 12 nominations for Drama Desk, 8 nom. for Tony & even 1 nom. for the Grammy. Ultimately, this project has received 4 awards, especially for design & costumers. Despite favorable feedback of spectators, the play could not overcome production investments, amounting to 25 million dollars. The New York Times noted that the musical was perfect on DVD, but its demonstration on the stage did not cause much enthusiasm.

Genres & Themes

• Broadway pop & big-band brass ? optimism vs. armor (Shrek’s “Big Bright Beautiful World”).
• Tap/vaudeville swagger ? performative perfection (Fiona’s “Morning Person”).
• Gospel/R&B inflections ? truth-telling sidekicks (Donkey’s “Make a Move”).
• Parody pastiche ? lampooned fairy-tale tropes (Duloc’s corporate jingle polish).
• Anthemic ensemble ? found-family solidarity (“Freak Flag”).

Key Tracks & Scenes

• “Big Bright Beautiful World” — Company/Shrek
  Where it plays: Opening, Shrek’s childhood prologue & mantra (diegetic framing becomes non-diegetic).
  Why it matters: Sets the paradox—sunny melody vs. lonely self-story.
• “I Know It’s Today” — Young/Teen/Adult Fiona
  Where it plays: Tower, Fiona ages through impatience and pageantry.
  Why it matters: Character arc in miniature; the key changes sell both delusion and grit.
• “What’s Up, Duloc?” — Farquaad & Company
  Where it plays: Duloc reveal; a plastic anthem in a theme-park kingdom.
  Why it matters: Corporate cheer meets menace; comedy via precision.
• “I Think I Got You Beat” — Shrek & Fiona
  Where it plays: Forest campfire; gross-out contest becomes chemistry.
  Why it matters: The moment their masks slip—harmony equals honesty.
• “Who I’d Be” — Shrek
  Where it plays: Act I finale; the dream he won’t say out loud.
  Why it matters: A legit ballad that dignifies a cartoon ogre—quietly devastating.
• “Freak Flag” — Fairytale Creatures
  Where it plays: Act II rally at Shrek’s swamp.
  Why it matters: Community self-acceptance anthem; the show’s thesis in chorus form.

Music–Story Links (characters & plot beats as connected to songs)

• Shrek’s refrain in “Big Bright Beautiful World” starts as sarcasm; its reprise lands as reclamation—same words, different self-story.
• Fiona’s “Morning Person” weaponizes perkiness, then cracks in the “I Think I Got You Beat” campfire—her belt loosens into laughter.
• “What’s Up, Duloc?” codes Farquaad’s authoritarian control as jingles and perfect smiles—plastic harmony equals brittle power.
• Donkey’s groove in “Make a Move” nudges Shrek toward risk; the rhythm section literally propels a plot confession.
• “Freak Flag” flips exile into identity; when Pinocchio modulates, the ensemble’s blend widens—outsiders in tune at last.

How It Was Made (supervision, score, behind-the-scenes)

• Creators: Music by Jeanine Tesori; book & lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire. The material honors both the 2001 film and Steig’s 1990 book.
• Music team: Music Director/Supervisor Tim Weil; orchestrations by Danny Troob (assoc. John Clancy); dance arrangements by Matthew Sklar. Vocal arrangements by Tesori & Weil.
• Studio capture: The OBC album was cut at Legacy Recording Studios (NYC) on Jan 12, 2009—tight ensemble, clear brass, and character-first mixes.
• Version notes: After Broadway, the tour/stock editions locked in “Forever” for the Dragon and kept “Build a Wall” in Act II. Schools and amateurs license through MTI, with practical pit reductions.
• Home media: A multi-camera pro-shot of the Broadway cast preserved the Jason Moore/Josh Prince production—how many future fans met the score.

Reception & Quotes

Broadway critics were mixed-to-warm on the craft (sets/costumes raved), cooler on pacing. Audiences—especially families—were loud converts. In 2024–25, a leaner UK tour earned smiles in some cities and side-eye in London, proving how staging tweaks can shift a show’s musical impact. (as reported by London Theatre and The Guardian)

“A leaden fairy-tale-theme costume party… [with] goofy, genuine charm.” — Ben Brantley, The New York Times

“Shrek the Musical… sludgy monotony… but Cherece Richards is on fire as the Dragon.” — The Guardian (2024)

“Todrick Hall stars as Donkey in a lacklustre yassification… still, the rats tap is a hoot.” — Time Out London (2024)

Awards snapshot: 8 Tony nominations (Costume Design win); 12 Drama Desk nominations (wins for Brian d’Arcy James, and Tim Hatley’s Set & Costume); Grammy nomination for Best Musical Show Album. (per Playbill)

Technical Info

• Title: Shrek the Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
• Year: 2009 (album); Broadway run Dec 14, 2008–Jan 3, 2010
• Type: Stage musical cast album; studio recording
• Composers/Lyricists: Jeanine Tesori (music); David Lindsay-Abaire (book & lyrics)
• Music supervision & direction: Tim Weil
• Orchestrations: Danny Troob (assoc. John Clancy)
• Label / Release: Decca Broadway; released Mar 24, 2009 (US). Debuted #1 Top Cast Albums; peaked #88 Billboard 200 (according to Billboard).
• Selected notable placements: “I Know It’s Today” (tower aging sequence); “I Think I Got You Beat” (campfire confession); “Who I’d Be” (Act I finale); “Freak Flag” (Act II rally); “I’m a Believer” added to curtain-call from Oct 2, 2009.
• Home media: Filmed Broadway production—digital (Sep 17, 2013); Blu-ray/DVD (Oct 15, 2013). Still accessible for digital download/purchase (per Playbill).
• Licensing: Music Theatre International (standard/JR/KIDS). MTI provides materials and pit-friendly options.
• Venue of original run: The Broadway Theatre, New York City.

Canonical Entities & Relations

Subject	Relation	Object
Jeanine Tesori	composed	Score for Shrek the Musical
David Lindsay-Abaire	wrote book & lyrics for	Shrek the Musical
DreamWorks Theatricals	produced	Original Broadway production
Neal Street Productions	co-produced	Original Broadway production
Jason Moore	directed	Original Broadway production
Josh Prince	choreographed	Original Broadway production
Tim Hatley	designed sets & costumes for	Original Broadway production
Tim Weil	music directed/supervised	Broadway & tour
Danny Troob	orchestrated	Original Broadway score
John Clancy	associate orchestrator	Original Broadway score
Brian d’Arcy James	originated role	Shrek (Broadway)
Sutton Foster	originated role	Princess Fiona (Broadway)
Christopher Sieber	originated role	Lord Farquaad (Broadway)
Daniel Breaker	originated role	Donkey (Broadway)
Decca Broadway	released	OBC album (Mar 24, 2009)
The Broadway Theatre	hosted	Broadway run (Dec 2008–Jan 2010)
Antony Lawrence	played	Shrek (UK Tour 2023–24; London 2024)
Joanne Clifton	played	Princess Fiona (UK Tour/London 2024)
Todrick Hall	played	Donkey (London 2024 limited run)
Cherece Richards	played	Dragon (UK Tour/London 2024)
Eventim Apollo (Hammersmith)	hosted	London transfer (Jul 19–Aug 31, 2024)

Sources: Playbill; IBDB (Internet Broadway Database); Billboard; The New York Times; Variety; Music Theatre International; Filmed Live Musicals; London Theatre; Time Out London; The Guardian (UK).