In particular, the second act picks up with Shrek and Fiona’s duet as they travel through the forest towards her forthcoming royal wedding. Shrek and Fiona, moving from martyrdom and self-pity to first blush, fall in love through belches and dueling farts as they sing “I Think I Got You Beat.”

Fiona adapts well to her newly won freedom out in nature and weaves a daisy chain. However Fiona, instead of behaving like a delicate flower child, wields her gifts to Donkey and Shrek like a cowgirl spinning her lassos. Although the songs aren’t necessarily show stopping or that memorable, the humor, charm and warmth of the characters does shine through the Broadway cast’s well seasoned performances, including Eric Petersen and his Irish brogue as well as Haven Burton’s Belle-like gumption. You’ll like the musical “Shrek” if “Beauty and the Beast” recently appealed to you.

Alan Mingo Jr. tries his best mugging and delivering a Donkey that is Eddie Murphyesque. However David Vaughn in the role of Lord Farquaad shows amazingly good humor given he has to perform all night on his knees. It would make Monty Python proud. What “Shrek” needs is a pair of good knee pads. There were lots of short jokes, including a terrific torture scene that had Gingy spared out on a cookie sheet being force to reveal where the would-be bride of Farquaad’s was. Not the gumdrop buttons! No!

Speaking of entrapment, a big impact was made by the puppet dragon and four puppeteers with their fiery, hot blooded love song and wink.

Aymee Garcia plays Gingy’s voice as well as Mama Bear. She probably is in on some inside jokes that refer to other plays on Broadway which some of the Shrek cast members have been in like “Lion King” and “Les Miserables.” A highlight was the “Wicked” reference. There must be some sort of natural affinity with the greens.

One of the show’s musicians told me that the pit band includes four musicians traveling with the show. The rest of the band members are local, including a woman violinist and assistant conductor who is also a woman. So you get the local orchestra along with “Shrek the Musical’s” orchestra. The guitar section is lovely and includes a mandolin and twelve string guitar. There is also drums, clarinet, trombone, trumpet, French horn, cello, piccolo tambourine and xylosynthesizer.

“Shrek” runs until January 2, 2011. The show runs two hours and thirty minutes long with a twenty minute intermission.

Performers will be singing selections they have chosen in an evening full of comedy, dance, and high-energy, upbeat music. The “Shrek the Musical” tour will be playing December 1, 2010 through January 2, 2011 at Orpheum Theatre.

“’West Side Story,” a modern version of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, was suggested by Jerome Robbins. His choreography and direction brilliantly mirrored the ghetto’s malevolence and xenophobia, while at the same time capturing us with a love story that was gripping and glorious.

The show’s extensive dance sections revealed new ways that drama and choreography could be integrated. In addition the Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein score was unique in how it used forms of operate translated into terms for the theater, as in the complex “Tonight Quintet” number from the show.

Although the landmark production initially was successful at the box office, the popularity of “West Side Story” grew even greater across America as well as overseas and in Broadway revivals and film.

An award-winning, innovative musical film was spawned by the Broadway production in 1961. Robbins and Robert Wise directed and Richard Beymer, Natalie Wood, Rita Moreno, Russ Tamblyn and George Chakiris starred. The film received 11 nominations and won 10 Academy Awards.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the show, actually the 52nd, a moving, pulsing and powerful revival exploded onto Broadway last year. Currently the show is running still at Palace Theater. A touring company is also in the middle of a cross-country trek. Through Thanksgiving weekend it stopped at Orpheum Theater in San Francisco. The revival is spectacular, a definite must-see for people like me who have fond memories when it comes to the original. For those who have just seen the movie, it be quite an eye-opener.

Set in the middle 1950′s in New York City, the musical explores a rivalry between the Sharks and Jets, two street gangs made up of teenagers from different ethnic backgrounds. Shark members are Puerto Rican, while the Jets are working class whites. The sophisticated music, dark theme, focus on social issues and extended dance scenes, was a turning point for musical theater in American. The show is as relevant for today as it was during the late 1950′s.

The book by Arthur Laurent is as timely, poignant and powerful as ever. Sondheim and Bernstein’s score, a standards collection including the classics “Somewhere,” “I Feel Pretty,” “Maria,” “America” and “Tonight” are widely regarded as one some of the best that have ever been written. The Tony Award-winning extraordinary choreography of Jerome Robbins- which changed Broadway dance language completely, has been dazzlingly reproduced by Joey McKneely, a Robbins disciple.

Some of the lyrics and dialogue to a few of the songs this time around have been updated to be in Spanish, the Sharks’ language. It fits.

We weren’t bowled over with either Ali Ewoldt as Maria or Kyle Harris as Tony in the leading roles, although both of them do sing well. However Michelle Aravena in the role of fiery Anita will have you clapping. Aravena completely inhabits her role, dancing a storm up, singing her head off and leading her female Sharks in a very memorable “America” rendition.

The ensemble efforts for both the Jets and Sharks are outstanding, in both the dancing and singing departments. These gals and guys, for just their sheer athleticism, get four stars. “Dance at the Gym” will have you wanting to get up so you can dance along with them.

Some of the standouts in particular are Grant Gustin playing Baby John, Drew Foster playing Action, German Santiago playing Bernardo and Kyle Robinson playing Diesel, who is an incredible dancer. Also Lori Ann Ferrari playing Conseula, Dea Julien playing Rosalia and Kathryn Lin Terza playing Fernanda.

The new, groundbreaking production is directed by Laurents and assisted on the road by David Saint. The show provides an evening full of belly laughs, dramatic tension, tearful heartache, glorious music and incredible dance all rolled in one. The Broadway treasure “West Side Story” in its current revival is just as poignant and entertaining as it was originally. I should know since I was there.

Mamma Mia | Orpheum Theatre

The Caretaker | Curran Theatre
Starts March 28, 2011
Harold Pinter’s seminal 1960 classic ‘The Caretaker’ comes to San Francisco in spring 2012 after a successful run at the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool, UK in October 2009. It will be taking care of the Curran Theatre from March 28 to April 22, 2012. Two-time Tony winner Jonathan Pryce will be starring in this acclaimed production and will be earning his spot in the long list of talented actors who have portrayed Davies, the show’s lead and colorful character.
» The Caretaker San Francisco

Spamalot | Curran Theatre
Starts April 10, 2011
Coming to the bay area this spring is the Tony Award winning hilarious parody of a classic 1974 comedy. This is 2005’s Tony Award winner for Best Musical, ‘Monty Python’s Spamalot’, set to run in San Francisco’s Orpheum Theatre from April 10 to 22, 2012.
» Spamalot San Francisco

American Idiot | Orpheum Theatre
Starts June 12, 2011
“The first great musical of the 21st century” (The Toronto Star) is coming back to its roots in the bay area for a month in 2012. ‘American Idiot’ the musical will be staging a limited engagement at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco, from June 12 to July 8, 2012 only. ‘American Idiot’ is the story of three friends caught in a pivotal life dilemma during the aftermath of the 9-11 terrorist attacks, whether to go after their dreams in the concrete jungle or bask in the safety the suburban life offers.
» American Idiot San Francisco

Les Miserables | Orpheum Theatre
Starts July 10, 2011
One of Broadway’s longest and most legendary musicals, Boublil & Schonberg’s ‘Les Miserables’ will be staged for a whole month in summer 2012 at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco, from July 10th to August 5th. Now on its 25th year, producer Cameron Mackintosh brings back the tribulations, glory and drama of this musical, hailed by many – fans and critics, alike – as the celebration of the triumph and survival of the human spirit.
» Les Miserables San Francisco

War Horse | Curran Theatre
Starts August 1, 2012
Theatre fans are excited for the trans-Atlantic mounting of ‘War Horse’, the stage adaptation of the classic and heartwarming novel by Michael Morpungo, especially after its highly raved London premiere, making it Britain’s most anticipated acclaimed theatrical export to hit American soil and the bay area shores. It is coming to the Curran Theatre in San Francisco from August 1 to 26, 2012. ‘War Horse’ is an “epic and intimate” (Sunday Express) story about a young man named Albert and his horse, Joey, who was brought to France from the cavalry and became involved in the crossfire of World War I till it ended up in a deserted land. Young Albert then embarks on a dangerous journey, too dangerous for his age, to find and save his horse and bring it home.
» War Horse San Francisco