(MANASQUAN, NJ) -- Algonquin Arts Theatre presents Shrek: The Musical, running July 11–26, 2026. Based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film, this fast-paced, laugh-out-loud spectacle brings everyone's favorite green ogre and his unlikely companions to the stage in a colorful adventure celebrating friendship, acceptance, and the importance of being true to yourself.
Filled with outrageous characters, dazzling production numbers, and a message that resonates with audiences of all ages, Shrek: The Musical follows the unlikely hero Shrek as he embarks on a quest to rescue Princess Fiona. Along the way, he is joined by a wisecracking Donkey and encounters a host of familiar fairy-tale favorites. Featuring a lively score and plenty of laughs, the musical transforms the beloved film into an unforgettable theatrical experience.
The production stars Tyler Cicardo as Shrek, Alyssa Kiselev as Fiona, Connor McGorty as Donkey, Steven Copp as Lord Farquaad, Charles Thomas Hughes as Pinocchio, Julianna Belbol as Dragon, and Kelly Fitzgerald as Gingy. They are joined by a talented ensemble featuring Danaca Daddio, Nicole DiBlasi, Evan Eldridge, Joshua Butkus, Josh Ferro, Cordelia Rose Garton, Kyra Griggs, Dillon Groh, Amie Hueston, Edward Itte, Ellora Jain, Patrick Kenney, Brenden Kortenhaus, Jakub Kriso, Kerri McNeill, Austin Miler, Karina Minall, Benjamin Neller, Jack Nicolay, Susie Peltz, Jordan Polefka, Madeline Anne Ryan, Chris Strangfeld, Christopher Strippoli, Jax Terry, Kelly Thornley, and Clare Tranger.
"Shrek: The Musical is one of those rare shows that appeals equally to children, parents, and theater lovers," said Pamela Ward, Executive Director. "Beneath all the comedy and spectacle is a heartfelt story about belonging, embracing who you are, and discovering that our differences are often what make us extraordinary."
Tickets start at $27 and are available for purchase online, by calling the box office at 732-528-9211, or in person Monday through Saturday from 10:00am to 4:00pm. The theater is located at 60 Abe Voorhees Drive in Manasquan, New Jersey.
The creative team for Shrek: The Musical includes Jessica O'Brien (Director/Choreographer), Stephen Strouse (Music Director), Onali Rosado (Stage Manager), Jason Greenhouse (Scenic Designer), Emily Davis (Costume Coordinator), Roman Klima (Lighting Designer), Jan Topoleski (Sound Designer), and Anthony Greco (Properties).
Shrek: The Musical is sponsored by Broadway Ray.
The Cast of Shrek: The Musical:
TYLER CICARDO (SHREK) is thrilled to add another "layer" to his résumé after previously appearing as Donkey in the Algonquin's 2015 production of Shrek The Musical. Other Algonquin credits include Hairspray (Edna Turnblad), The Little Mermaid (Chef Louis), Into the Woods (Rapunzel's Prince), and The Rocky Horror Show (Eddie/Dr. Scott). Tyler is also a proud AAT Teaching Artist.
ALYSSA KISELEV (FIONA) is thrilled to be making her 11th appearance at Algonquin Arts Theatre and to be performing her dream role! She was recently seen in Pippin (Player), White Christmas (Rhoda), Cats (Bombalurina), Elf (Charlotte Dennon/Ensemble), and Hello, Dolly! (Ensemble).
STEVEN COPP (LORD FARQUAAD) returns to AAT after February's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Dale Harding). Other favorites include Sweeney Todd (Beadle Bamford), Beauty and the Beast (Lumiere), The Pirates of Penzance (Frederic), R&H's Cinderella (Sebastian), Jesus Christ Superstar (King Herod), and many more. Wagner College Theatre '14.
CONNOR MCGORTY (DONKEY) Connor McGorty is a rising junior at Georgetown University from Ridgewood, NJ. His favorite roles include Les Misérables (Enjolras), Chicago (Billy Flynn), Shrek (Shrek), and Legally Blonde (Warner).
CHARLES THOMAS HUGHES (PINOCCHIO) is so excited to bring laughter to the stage in Shrek! Previous shows AAT shows include The Wizard of Oz (Scarecrow), Fiddler on the Roof (Fiddler), White Christmas (Ezekiel), and a few others! Outside of AAT, he has also been in Peter and the Starcatcher (Peter/Boy) at Phoenix and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Chip).
JULIANNA BELBOL (DRAGON) is a BFA Musical Theatre major at Rider University, is beyond excited to be a part of her FIRST Algonquin Arts Theatre production! Her Long Island credits include Heathers (Veronica), Gypsy (Louise), and Mamma Mia! (Sophie).
KELLY FITZGERALD (GINGY / SUGAR PLUM FAIRY / TAP RAT) is attending Brookdale Community College and is very excited for her fourth production at AAT! Her other roles include Mary Poppins (Bird Woman/Miss Andrew), Beetlejuice Jr. (Barbara Maitland), and Mean Girls Jr. (Cady Heron).
DANACA DADDIO (TEEN FIONA / TAP RAT) is thrilled to be performing in her first Algonquin production. Her past credits include Moana Jr. (Moana), High School Musical Jr. (Gabriella Montez), The SpongeBob Musical (Girl Fish), and The Sound of Music Revue (Louisa).
NICOLE DIBLASI (TAP RAT / DULOC DANCER / MERRYWEATHER) is thrilled to be returning to the Algonquin! Credits include The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy Gale), Urinetown (Hope Cladwell), Alice by Heart (Alice), Little Women (Jo March), Anything Goes (Erma), and Into the Woods (Cinderella). Nicole is a rising junior BFA Musical Theatre student at Kean University.
EVAN ELDRIDGE (TWEEDLE DUM / KNIGHT ENSEMBLE) is thrilled to return to the stage at the Algonquin Arts Theatre. Recent credits include The SpongeBob Musical (Squidward), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Benjamin), and A Christmas Story (Goggles Kid).
JOSHUA BUTKUS (PETER PAN / KNIGHT ENSEMBLE) is thrilled to be making his Algonquin Theatre debut! Previous credits include Beauty and the Beast (LeFou), Newsies (Les), and 13! (Brett). He is so excited to be part of this wonderful cast.
JOSH FERRO (MAD HATTER / KNIGHT #3) is thrilled to return to AAT for Shrek! Previous credits include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Naphtali), One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Aide Warren), Footloose (Bickle), and Grease (Eugene).
CORDELIA ROSE GARTON (YOUNGEST FIONA (OPENING) / BABY BEAR) loves all things theater! She loves to sing, dance, and act. Cordelia has performed as Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka, the Lamp Vendor in Aladdin, and Young Anna in Frozen in her class productions. She also performed in Algonquin's AYE as a munchkin, poppy, and flying monkey in last year's The Wizard of Oz.
KYRA GRIGGS (UGLY DUCKLING / DULOC GREETER / DULOC DANCER) is thrilled to be returning to the Algonquin stage! Recently, she was a Player in AAT's production of Pippin. Favorite credits include Mamma Mia! (Donna Sheridan), White Christmas (Tessie/Ensemble), and 9 to 5 (Candy Striper/Ensemble).
DILLON GROH (PIG #3 / KNIGHT ENSEMBLE) was seen in Beauty and the Beast (Ensemble), James and the Giant Peach (Grasshopper), Beauty and the Beast (Lumiere), Me and My Girl (Gerald), and Singin' in the Rain (Roscoe Dexter).
AMIE HUESTON (FAIRY GODMOTHER / BLIND MICE #1 / DULOC DANCER / TAP RAT) is thrilled to be back for her fifth production at AAT! Past credits include Newsies (Buttons), Mean Girls Jr. (Gretchen), Matilda (Mrs. Wormwood), It's a Wonderful Life (Mary), Beetlejuice Jr. (Delia), Cats (Coricopat), Mary Poppins (Mary), The Wizard of Oz (Beautician/Tree), White Christmas (Rita), and Pippin (Player).
EDWARD ITTE (KING HAROLD / PAPA BEAR / KNIGHT #2 / TAP RAT) is thrilled to be joining the cast of Shrek The Musical. Past credits include White Christmas (Phil Davis), The Wizard of Oz (Tinman), and Elf (Buddy).
ELLORA JAIN (LITTLE OGRE / DWARF) is thrilled to be a part of her first show at the Algonquin Arts Theatre! Ellora is a rising sixth grader who loves all things theater. Recent favorite shows include Miracle on 34th Street (Susan Walker), The Little Mermaid (Youth Ensemble), Mary Poppins Jr. (Mrs. Correy), and Matilda Jr. (Hortensia).
PATRICK KENNEY (CAPTAIN HOOK / GUARD / KNIGHT ENSEMBLE) was seen in AAT's A Christmas Story (Ensemble) which launched his career. Regional credits include The Lion King Jr. (Pumbaa) at the Count Basie Theater, as well as Disney's Newsies (Jack Kelly), The Little Mermaid (Prince Eric), and High School Musical (Chad Danforth) at Neptune Middle School.
BRENDEN KORTENHAUS (BIG BAD WOLF / KNIGHT #1) is thrilled to be making his Algonquin debut in one of his all-time favorite shows! Some of his favorite credits include Legally Blonde (Emmett and Chad/Kyle), Once Upon a One More Time (Clumsy), Jesus Christ Superstar (Peter), James and the Giant Peach (Ladahlord), SpongeBob (Perch Perkins), Children of Eden (Cain/Japheth), and The Drowsy Chaperone (George).
JAKUB KRISO (THELONIUS / KNIGHT #4 / DULOC DANCER / TWEEDLE DEE / TAP RAT) is thrilled to be returning to AAT in his fifth production! Jakub is pursuing his BFA in musical theatre at CAP21 Conservatory. Past credits include The Wizard of Oz (Polisher), Cats (Alonzo), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Dan/Baker), Mary Poppins (Bert), Footloose (Ensemble), Matilda (Trunchbull), and performing at Carnegie Hall.
KERRI MCNEILL (MAMA OGRE / BLIND MICE #3 / TAP RAT / DULOC DANCER / FLORA) is so happy to be making her AAT debut with Shrek! Favorite roles include The Wizard of Oz *National Tour* (Dorothy), Chorus Line (Bebe), Guys & Dolls (Sarah), Cabaret (Helga), Rent (Mimi), A Funny Thing ... Forum (Pseudolus), Legally Blonde (Serena), and Little Women (Jo March).
AUSTIN MILER (PAPA OGRE / CAPTAIN OF GUARDS) was last seen at AAT in 1776 and Tommy. Favorite roles include West Side Story (Tony), Into the Woods (Jack) at Kean U., Joseph ... Dreamcoat (Joseph) at TUTS, Charlie Brown (Schroeder) at CDC Theatre, and Starmites (Spacepunk). He was a member of the senior staff at Paper Mill Playhouse for 15 years and founded the Paper Mill Broadway Show Choir.
KARINA MINALL (WICKED WITCH) is thrilled to return to the Algonquin stage! Her past credits include Into the Woods (The Witch), Eurydice (Eurydice), Fiddler on the Roof (Yente), The Addams Family (Grandma), and more! She was recently nominated for two Basie Awards for her leading roles as Eurydice and the Witch at Wall High School.
BENJAMIN NELLER (PIED PIPER / DULOC DANCER / KNIGHT ENSEMBLE) is ecstatic to be back at the Algonquin! Previous credits include The Wizard of Oz (Ensemble), Cats (Mr. Mistoffelees), Elf (Ensemble), The Sound of Music (Stage Manager/Ensemble), Hello, Dolly! (Stage Manager/Ensemble), and Mary Poppins (Stage Manager/Ensemble). Benjamin is a rising junior at Harvard University studying Molecular Biology and Mathematics.
JACK NICOLAY (PIG #2 / KNIGHT ENSEMBLE) will be a senior at Manasquan High School this year. He has been doing plays and musicals since fourth grade. His first show was High School Musical (James), followed by Shrek (Pinocchio), Willy Wonka (Charlie), Lion King (Simba), Beauty/Beast (Beast), Into the Woods (Steward), Addams Family (Lucas), Exceptional Childhood Center (Aiden), and Little Women (Laurie).
SUSIE PELTZ (MAMA BEAR / DULOC DANCER / TAP RAT) is proud to be making her debut at AAT! Past credits include The Pirates of Penzance (Mabel), Into the Woods (Witch), and West Side Story (Maria), but her favorite role is being a mama to her daughters, Sammie and Jojo.
JORDAN POLEFKA (QUEEN LILLIAN / BLIND MICE #2 / DULOC DANCER / TAP RAT / FAUNA) is absolutely ecstatic to be making her Algonquin debut! Previous credits include Elf the Musical (Jovie), Something Rotten! (Portia), The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Pickles), Steel Magnolias (Annelle), 42nd Street (Ensemble), and others.
MADELINE ANNE RYAN (YOUNG FIONA) is excited for her stage debut with AAT! Past productions include Mary Poppins Jr. (Bert), Frozen (Ensemble), High School Musical Jr. (Sharpay), Matilda Jr. (Lavender), and Annie Kids (Annie).
CHRIS STRANGFELD (BISHOP / MARCH HARE) is the Director of Education at Algonquin and is the Algonquin Youth Ensemble (AYE) instructor for Shrek The Musical. Favorite credits include Something Rotten! (Nigel Bottom), Young Frankenstein (Frederick Frankenstein), Dogfight (Eddie Birdlace), and Titanic (Harold Bride). Chris is excited to be working with the AYE students to make Shrek The Musical a great educational experience!
CHRISTOPHER STRIPPOLI (ELF / KNIGHT ENSEMBLE) is excited to be making his Algonquin debut. His past credits include Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Scorpius Malfoy) and Something Rotten! (Brother Jeremiah) at Donovan Catholic.
JAX TERRY (PIG #1 / KNIGHT ENSEMBLE) is thrilled to be back on the AAT stage! Jax is a freshman at MHS, where he is excited to continue pursuing theater in school. Past favorite AAT credits include The Who's Tommy (10-year-old Tommy), A Christmas Story (Flick), The Sound of Music (Kurt), and Elf (Michael). Most recently: Little Women (John Brooke/Rodrigo).
KELLY THORNLEY (HUMPTY DUMPTY / DULOC DANCER / TAP RAT) is excited to be returning to the stage and performing her first show with Algonquin Arts Theatre! Past roles Kelly has played include Mamma Mia! (Rosie) and Heathers (Veronica Sawyer).
CLARE TRANGER (TINKERBELL / DULOC DANCER / TAP RAT) is excited to be part of her second performance at Algonquin in Shrek The Musical. Previous theater credits include White Christmas (Susan Waverly).
Algonquin Arts Theatre (AAT) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) center for performing arts, providing cultural enrichment and arts education for residents and visitors of Central New Jersey and the Jersey Shore through high-quality performances and programs in theatre, music, dance, and film. Located in Manasquan, N.J., AAT is an integral part of the Shore region and is deeply committed to education and community engagement.
Algonquin Arts Theatre's programs are made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts / Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, along with support from corporate partners, foundations, and individual donors.
