By day, he works as the senior director of partnerships with Nemours/KidsHealth; at night, Jeffrey Santoro morphs monstrously into everybody’s favorite green ogre – at least for the next two weeks.

Santoro has the title role in “Shrek, the Musical.” Directed by Shauna Goodman, “Shrek” is the latest in an 85-year string of summer musical treats presented by The Brandywiners, Ltd., one of the largest nonprofit theatrical groups in the Delaware Valley. “Shrek the Musical” will be performed in Longwood Gardens’ Open Air Theatre on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, starting on Thursday, July 21, and ending on Saturday, July 30, at 8 p.m.

 Shrek is a family-friendly show that proves beauty is truly in the eye of the ogre – not to mention the beholder. Kate Wright plays the lovely and level-headed Princess Fiona of Far Far Away, who eventually falls in love with Shrek. Paul Goodman, the director’s husband, plays Donkey, Shrek’s pushy, goodhearted, chatterbox companion.

During a recent interview, Santoro said he and Goodman have known each other since childhood. So when they are on stage together, they easily play off each other, ad-libbing and keeping the show’s dialogue fresh and lively.

The part of Shrek, and the show itself, are perfect for Santoro, who acknowledges being a kid at heart who sees the funny in everything and loves to play and pretend. He grew up acting in shows at Three Little Bakers, Wilmington Drama League, Candlelight Dinner Theatre and The Delaware Children’s Theatre.

As an adult, Santoro was Marie Swajeski’s right-hand man at The Delaware Children’s Theatre. He moved to Florida in 1990 to work as an audio-visual technician with Disney-Orlando. He then moved to Disney Studios, where he worked with imagery, design, editorial, art and sound. Since returning to Delaware in 1999, he has thrown himself into his new career with Nemours and multiple volunteer areas – from serving on boards of several nonprofits to establishing the Delaware All-State Theatre in 2005 and serving as its artistic director.

Shrek’s voice may sound a little gravelly on opening night. Santoro woke up with strep throat on Wednesday morning. But, the show must go on, and Santoro promised he would power through the pain. To prepare for Shrek’s highly recognizable accent, Santoro listened to Scottish comedians on YouTube. He didn’t want to imitate comedian Mike Myers, the voice of the popular film character, but he did want to honor the voice that kids in the audience would expect to hear.

“It was really hard to imitate the Scottish accent,” Santoro said. “If you listen to real Scots, “ he said, “you can’t understand a word they’re saying.“ In the end, he said, “I think what I have is part Irish, part Scottish and part little old Jewish man.”

The Shrek costume also presented some challenges for Santoro. “The costume and the makeup are comprised of several layers, so it’s all very hot,” he explained. “Maintaining my energy level will be a challenge, but my primary focus is to fulfill the expectations of the audience.”

Referring to the brutally hot weather forecast for opening week, he confided that the actors work harder so they won’t disappoint. And performances will conclude with a fountain show that’s likely to beat the heat.

The Brandywiners, Ltd. traces its history to the Depression year of 1932, when a group of young people decided they could improve on an operetta performance they had just seen and started the company. The fact that one of the organizers, William Winder “Chick” Laird, was the nephew of Longwood founder Pierre S. du Pont led to an enduring relationship with the gardens, according to the Brandywiners website.

“Shrek the Musical” will be performed in Longwood Gardens’ Open Air Theatre on July 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30 at 8 p.m. Tickets include admission to Longwood Gardens beginning at 9 a.m. on the day of performance, plus a fountain display immediately following the show. Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 per person for groups of 25 or more on Thursday and Friday nights only, $25 for students ages 13 to 21, and $15 for children ages 12 and younger. Reservations are available at www.brandywiners.org.

 

Proceeds from The Brandywiners’ concerts and musical theater productions benefit cultural, educational and civic causes throughout the Brandywine Valley.