Princess Fiona - Shrek (in Theatre)

Shrek (in Theatre)

Fiona appeared in the stage musical version of the 2001 film which debuted in 2008 and closed in 2010. She was portrayed by Broadway actress Sutton Foster, who earned a Tony nomination for this role.

In the musical, it is revealed that when Fiona was approximately seven years old, she was sent away to her tower to await the noble prince who would rescue her. Her only company were some old dolls and all she did was re-read fairy tales about princesses in similar situations (Rapunzel, Snow White, etc.) and learn about proper princess etiquette. Fiona waited twenty years, growing into a strong-willed, feisty and beautiful young woman and despite becoming more and more impatient (even going so far as to have a fit and rip an entire book right down the middle), she never gave up on the fairy tales. When Shrek finally arrived to rescue her, she tries to get him to act out the scene she always imagined would happen when her prince would come, though he ends up having to drag her away to escape the Dragon and her skeletons. Fiona is ecstatic that she is finally free, though confused at first as to why her champion refuses to give her "True Love's First Kiss". She is shocked and angry when Shrek reveals himself to be an ogre, but runs off to a nearby cave when the sun sets. During the finale song "Who I'd Be", she overhears Shrek and Donkey's conversation and is moved. She stands apart from them, alone in the moonlight, in her ogress form.

In Act Two, she wakes up bright and early to greet the day in the show stopper "Morning Person". Her singing accidentally makes a bluebird explode and she accidentally tosses a deer off a cliff, but when she helps a Pied Piper with his duties, the rats dancing becomes a full-blown tap number, complete with Fiona changing her dress into an attractive dance outfit and leading them. Shrek and Donkey walk in at the end, astounded by what they have seen. Fiona apologizes for her behavior, but she and Shrek begin a duel over whose childhood was worse (Here Fiona reveals that she was sent away on Christmas Eve, angering Shrek, who thought he beat her when he said he was kicked out on his seventh birthday). Upon realizing they were both abandoned at the hands of their parents, they begin a bond, which is sealed in a burping and farting contest between the two of them.

On reaching Duloc, Fiona is reluctant to finally leave her friends and shares one last campfire dinner with Shrek, who mutually doesn't want her to go either. When the sun sets again, she hides in a nearby barn and Donkey finds her in her ogre form. She tells him the story of her curse and begs him not to tell Shrek, because she believes nobody could love her when she looks like such a hideous beast. However, Shrek was outside about to tell her he loved her when he overheard the conversation and thought she was referring to him. The next morning, Fiona decides to tell Shrek, but he has already brought Lord Farquaad to her. She is rather unimpressed with his small stature and egotistical attitude, but accepts his proposal and convinces him to move the wedding to before sunset.

In a song originally in the Seattle previews but removed when taken to Broadway, Fiona prepares for her wedding but is unhappy as she has found the fairy tale ending is not really what she wanted. Before she and Farquaad can share a kiss, Shrek interrupts the wedding and is mocked by Farquaad when he tries to tell her he loves her. Caught between true love and breaking the spell, Fiona tries to run away but is stopped by a mob of fairy tale creatures that Farquaad had previously banished from the kingdom. After it is revealed that Farquaad is a "halfling" (half-human/half-dwarf) the sun sets and Fiona transforms amid the confusion. Shrek, while initially surprised, accepts the change, though Farquaad is furious and banishes her back to her tower when he proclaims himself the new king. The Dragon crashes through the window, swallows Farquaad, and Shrek and Fiona kiss. Fiona undergoes a miraculous transformation into...an ogress. She is surprised that "True Love's Form" isn't as beautiful as she thought it would be, but Shrek still thinks she is beautiful. Everyone celebrates and lives happily ever after.

Haven Burton, who understudied the role on Broadway, plays her on the North American tour. Amanda Holden played the role in the West End until she was replaced by Kimberley Walsh.