The Green Ogre of Broadway in Istanbul

Well-known fairytale hero Shrek and his companions are on Istanbul's Zorlu PSM stage with 'Shrek the Musical' "Shrek the Musical," which brings the green ogre and his companions to the stage, is in Istanbul for the first stop on its international tour. 

Starting on Jan. 22, the musical will be at the Zorlu Performing Arts Center until Feb. 7.

Speaking during rehearsals in Istanbul, tour director Stephen Sposito said the show had similarities with the first Shrek film, adding, "With brand new songs, fantastic costumes, new characters as well as the well-known ones like Shrek, Fiona and the donkey, and dances, it is a Broadway musical."

The shows are accompanied by an orchestra, said Sposito. "We have a nine-person orchestra. They make live music in each show. The orchestra will perform some 20 new songs in the musical." 

Jo McCrory from the production team said rehearsals of the musical started in New York and continued for three weeks. 

"The Shrek character's special makeup is done in an hour. We cannot give much detail about it but he doesn't have a similarity with the actor when the makeup is done. He completely looks like Shrek," McCroy said. 

Since the 1990s

The storm of the green creature Shrek started hitting the coasts of popular culture in the early 1990s. Celebrated New Yorker cartoonist and author William Steig's early drawings of Shrek came to full blossom with the moving picture of the same name in 2001, and the rest is a fun-fueled history. 

With the sweet smell of success came three more films and Shrek became a very well known, go-to character in popular culture. With his dry humor and eerie posture, he transformed into a celebrated hero for adults as well. After many...