Brian d'Arcy James: Shrek's Green Machine

By Christopher Moore, Broadway Magazine

"It's basically like putting on a skin-tight snowmobile suit," grins Brian d'Arcy James, describing his costume for Broadway's newest hit Shrek The Musical, "It kind of creates a heat-inducing experience."

Shrek The Musical

Surrounded by the whirling atmosphere of Times Square's Planet Hollywood, Mr. d'Arcy James took some time to talk with Broadway Magazine and Broadway.tv about his work on the hit musical and some of the challenges of playing a loveable green Ogre named Shrek.

"They've been so kind to include me in their wall of memorabilia that represents Broadway," reflects Brian looking around Planet Hollywood and thinking about Shrek, "It's been an education, and a bit of an experiment in a way because, I don't know how much the costume weighs per se, but at the end of night it weighs a little bit more because it's just soaked in sweat."

Brian is a big reason why Shrek The Musical has made a large impression on the current Broadway landscape, with its collection of fractured fairy-tale characters and compelling message. He manages to inhabit the mantle of Shrek, but gives a performance that is much more than a mere imitation of the animated character voiced by Mike Meyers in the Shrek films. Shrek The Musical marks the first venture on Broadway for DreamWorks, a move which could one day lead to a true battle for Broadway with the more established Disney Broadway franchise. Clearly, Brian loves being Shrek.

"It is so unlike anything I've ever done. It's such a funny, wonderful, delightful show. So to get to do it is a great thing. But also, to have the constant responses that we are getting with the audiences who are coming. It's fantastic," says the Broadway veteran.

So what is the best part about playing a swamp-dwelling, stink-loving, ogre-turned-cultural-icon?

"I think the best thing is knowing that you're doing something...that we believe in," offers Brian, "something that has tremendous support not only from the people who produce it and created it, but from the people that are coming to see it. There's such a wonderfully high expectation to see something that has so much quality as Shrek does, and we get to deliver that."

With positive notices, fans of all ages, and a devoted following, it is quite likely that Shrek The Musical will continue to deliver on Broadway for some time to come. Thank goodness the costume department has a washing machine.

Watch our entire discussion with Brian d'Arcy James and other features right here on Broadway.tv.