Shrek at Koorliny, Daniel Burton on bucket lists, green rituals, and why the swamp feels like home

Koorliny Arts Centre brings DreamWorks’ Shrek The Musical to Theatre 1 from 14 to 22 November 2025, with family friendly performances at 1.00 pm and 7.00 pm. The production promises big laughs, catchy tunes, and heart, featuring a Tony Award winning score by Jeanine Tesori and a witty book by David Lindsay Abaire, with Daniel Burton as Shrek alongside Ciara Taylor, Bailey Bridgman Peters, and Mark Thompson.

At the centre is Daniel Burton, stepping into a lifelong dream that asks for comic bite, vocal power, and a beating heart that can be felt from the stalls to the back row. Daniel Burton has performed for decades and draws energy and connection from a life in the arts. His credits include Dan in Next to Normal, Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors (MTC), Caldwell B. Cladwell in Urinetown (MTC), Inspector Kemp and the Hermit in Young Frankenstein (KAC), Bustopher Jones in Cats and Drake in Annie (TB), Chip Tolentino in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Sebastian in Disney’s The Little Mermaid (KAC). When he is not on stage, Daniel is the Co-Founder and CEO of Educated by Nature.

The dream role that finally arrived

Shrek is not just another title for Daniel Burton, it is a character he has carried with him for years. This is the role where personal history meets stage legacy, where a childhood favourite meets a Broadway benchmark, and where an outsider’s story becomes a lens for empathy. Burton begins by explaining why Shrek rose to the top of his wish list and how the show’s heritage energises his own interpretation.

“Shrek has been on my bucket list for a long time,” Burton says. “I have always been a fan of the movie and Mike Myers’ characterisation was incredible. From the moment I heard the musical I also fell in love. The way Shrek balances humour with such an honest, emotional core.” The outsider at the centre of the story is what grips him. “He is misunderstood, a little rough around the edges, but has a huge heart, that is a character I can really connect with.”

There is a personal lineage at play. “I am a huge Brian d’Arcy James fan, so stepping into a role he originated feels like a dream come true,” he says. “I played Dan in Next to Normal a while back, so I guess I am slowly ticking off the roles he made famous.” What keeps him curious is the paradox at Shrek’s core. “What is exciting about playing Shrek is exploring that tension between his grumpiness and his vulnerability. It has been an incredible journey discovering where those two worlds meet.”

Voice, body, and breath, built to last

Behind the fairy tale sits a serious athletic task. Building an ogre who can sing, sprint, and stay emotionally available requires a plan that respects stamina as much as it honours truth. Burton opens up about the training and recovery that make two show days possible, and the choices that keep the performance fresh across the run.

The workload behind the laughs is no joke. “Shrek is physically demanding, there is a lot of movement, weight, and volume to sustain, not to mention the layers of makeup and prosthetics,” Burton explains. “I have had to be very mindful of the physical, mental and emotional impact.”

Vocal care sits at the centre of his plan. “The accent adds texture but can be tiring if not supported properly, so I have worked with vocal warm ups that combine placement with grounded breath,” he says. The bodywork is just as considered. “The physicality is all about economy, finding the truth in Shrek’s heaviness without overexerting. I also prioritise rest, hydration, and mindfulness between shows to keep the energy authentic and sustainable. Which is tricky with a full time job.”

 

Two hours in the chair, and an ogre appears

Transformation is more than a costume change, it is a ritual that focuses the mind and sculpts the performance. Burton describes how the green makeup and prosthetics shape his storytelling, how the constraints sharpen detail, and why the process becomes a quiet rehearsal before the first note is sung.

The transformation is a ritual that frames his performance. “Becoming Shrek each night is definitely a transformation,” Burton says. “It takes time, two hours to get into it and ninety minutes to get out, and patience, but there is something powerful about the ritual of it. Once the makeup and prosthetics are on, you cannot help but feel like him.”

The mask clarifies his storytelling. “The challenge is keeping that expressiveness alive underneath it all, making sure the heart still shines through,” he says. “What has been interesting is how much the costume and makeup help rather than hinder. They force me to be really intentional with my movement and facial expression, to tell the story through physical energy rather than subtle gestures. It is sweaty, it is messy, but it is worth it when you feel the audience respond to that humanity coming through all the green.”

Chemistry that lives and breathes in the swamp

Shrek’s journey grows through friendship and love, so the show lives on the connection between its central trio. Burton reflects on the shared language he has built with his Fiona and Donkey, and how trust in the rehearsal room turns into precision and warmth on stage.

This is an ensemble piece powered by trust. “Working with Ciara Taylor and Bailey Bridgman Peters has been such a gift,” Burton says. “Ciara brings this wonderful balance of fierceness and warmth to Fiona, and Bailey’s Donkey is just hilarious, full of heart, humour, and spontaneity. They both make every rehearsal fun, and we have built such a lovely sense of trust on stage.”

That trust anchors the show’s core relationships, letting the comedy stay nimble while the tenderness lands. The trio’s give and take has sharpened timing and deepened the feeling that these misfits learn to see one another clearly.

 

Nature, solitude, and the meaning of home

Away from the theatre, Burton’s work champions connection and belonging. That lens lifts the swamp from a punchline to a philosophy, one that asks audiences to look past surfaces and toward the heart. He connects Shrek’s solitude to a broader invitation for families to recognise and welcome difference.

Burton’s leadership at Educated by Nature shapes his lens on Shrek’s world. “My work with Educated by Nature is all about connection, but it is also about depth, empathy, and giving voice to the voiceless,” he says. “That is at the core of Shrek’s story. He has been pushed to the edges, misjudged because of how he looks, and all he really wants is to be seen and accepted.”

The hope for families is generous and simple. “Playing Shrek has reminded me how important it is to look beyond the surface, to see the heart, the story, the humanity in everyone,” Burton says. “I hope audiences walk away laughing, humming the songs, and maybe reflecting a little on how we can all create more space for others to feel heard, loved, and at home, just as they are.”

Why this production is one to circle in your diary

This staging gathers a creative team that values story and craft, with a cast ready to deliver scale, wit, and warmth. Here is who is shaping the world of the show, and why the result promises spectacle with purpose.

Koorliny’s staging promises spectacle with purpose. Director Christopher Alvaro centres story and change. Musical Director Matthew Walford balances grit and sweetness. Choreographer Connie Wetherilt threads character into movement. Stage Manager Katherine Freind steers a busy backstage, while Cherie Alvaro’s costumes and Yvette Drager Wetherilt’s hair and makeup teams support storytelling and stamina.

The company around Burton features local favourites, Ciara Taylor as Princess Fiona, Bailey Bridgman Peters as Donkey, Mark Thompson as Lord Farquaad, Luca Daniel as Pinocchio, Christie McGarrity as Dragon, and Arianne Westcott King as Gingy. Expect clever stagecraft, big laughs, and a beating heart.

 

Here are the essentials to plan your visit, from dates and times to booking details, so families and fans can lock in their seats.

Venue: Koorliny Arts Centre, Theatre 1, Kwinana, WA.
Season: 14 to 22 November 2025.
Show times: 1.00 pm and 7.00 pm.

Book HERE or call 08 9467 7118.

With craft, care, and a happily ever after that celebrates difference, Shrek The Musical at Koorliny pairs belly laughs with a big heart. Burton gets his dream role. Audiences get a joyful night at the theatre.