By June Peers

From March 14 to 17, the Granada Hills Charter (GHC) drama program presented “Shrek: The Musical” in Highlander Hall. GHC musicals are commonly known for presenting our student body with the unexpected. With this in mind, “Shrek” certainly is an innovative endeavor with an important message to share.

“Shrek emphasizes the importance of being yourself and being content with your individuality,” junior and third-year drama student Tiara Jade Cruz said. “It teaches the values of accepting others for who they are, breaking stereotypes, and the beauty of embracing everyone’s special weirdness.”

The original 2001 film and later 2008 musical address a prevalent issue many of us experience, which is the pressure to fit in. This pressure is exemplified through the character of Shrek who is perceived only by his physical appearance; a vomit-green ogre with bad breath, rotten teeth, and enough earwax to make a candle. He is outcasted from society and forced to live by a swamp.

Outwardly, Shrek seems complacent in his ways as he insists that he doesn’t care what others think. In some ways, that is true as seen by his admiration for his swamp. However, his internal conflict throughout the film is his desire to be loved.

A significant scene in the film is when Shrek explains to Donkey that “ogres are like onions because they have layers.” Donkey, confused by this comparison, suggests that ogres are like parfaits instead. However, Shrek is adamant about his onion analogy as he knows that he is far too ugly and unlikable to be compared to a sweet cake. He later acknowledges that although he’s unpleasant to look at, he is multifaceted with many overlooked qualities that only Donkey can see.
Ultimately, Shrek teaches us that our personalities and values are what matters most, not appearances, just like how an onion’s outer layer does not define its overall taste. In life, our actions are what counts, so it is important to always stay true to yourself, embracing your inner beauty just as Shrek and Fiona do.

Each and every one of the characters in “Shrek” finds a similar truth, including Princess Fiona, who transforms into an ogre herself each night. She is disappointed to learn that after her true love’s kiss, she remains an ogre. However, Shrek reinforces the theme when he tells her that she is the most beautiful version of herself as an ogre because she learned to accept her true nature; imperfections and all.

It is only when we accept ourselves that can we achieve maximum happiness. If we are content with our disposition and accomplishments, nobody can stand in the way of our journey toward growth. Both Fiona and Shrek learned that although they sought external validation, they were looking at the wrong objective. It was the experience of finding each other and recognizing the internal beauty they each possessed that made them look past others’ judgments.

Shrek is the perfect choice for a musical with a high school audience because we need to be reminded that we aren’t defined by our physical appearance. With courage, self-acceptance, and eventually, confidence, any of us can find the intrinsic beauty in ourselves and others.