YOUNG PLAYERS  

AT THE ROYAL THEATRE  

present

SHREK The Musical JR.

Sponsored by Everett Chevrolet 

March 12-21, 2026 

Shrek The Musical JR. brings the greatest fairy tale ever told to the Royal Theatre stage. Based on the award-winning Broadway show Shrek the Musical, which was based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film, Shrek, Shrek The Musical JR. was masterfully adapted for the stage, while still ensuring that even the littlest theatregoers stay captivated by the song, dance, and laughter. 

DATES AND TIMES

Performances are Thursday thru Sunday March 12th - 15th and Thursday thru Saturday 19th - 21st, 2026. Please note the final performance is Saturday March 21st and there is no performance on Sunday March 22nd.

All Thursday and Friday performances (March 12th, 13th, 19th, and 20th) will begin at 7:00pm. Saturday and Sunday matinees (March 14th, 15th and 21st) will begin at 2:00pm. There will be an additional performance on Saturday, March 15th at 7:00pm. Box office and lobby will open one hour before show time, and the house will open approximately 15 - 20 minutes prior to curtain. The Royal Theatre is located at 111 S. Market Street in Historic Downtown Benton. 

Run time is approximately 1 hour, plus intermission.  This show is designated as assigned seating. Please check your seating assignment before completing your purchase. We are able to exchange, transfer or move tickets to another date or person. All sales are final, and refunds cannot be issued. 

Online ticket prices are: $20 general admission; $15 for seniors age 60+, college students, and members of the military; $10 for 12th grade and younger plus additional fees. For online ticket sales, go to https://onthestage.tickets/the-royal-theatre. 

Box office ticket prices are: $22 general admission; $17 for seniors age 60+, college students, and members of the military; $12 for 12th grade and younger, which includes all fees. For more information email [email protected].

For accessible or special needs seating, email [email protected] or call 501-315-5483 (voicemail only).

**This show may contain haze.

We highly recommend that tickets be purchased in advance, as we cannot guarantee availability at the door.

SYNOPSIS

Follow the journey of Shrek, the misunderstood ogre, as he and his wise cracking sidekick, Donkey, set out to reclaim their swamp from the ambitious Lord Farquaad. Along the way, they encounter a feisty princess, a fire-breathing dragon, and a gang of fairy tale misfits who prove that true beauty is found within. Part romance and part twisted fairy tale, Shrek The Musical JR. is an irreverently fun show that proves being different is what makes you special.  Don't miss this dazzling adventure of OGRE-sized fun for the whole family! 

                                                 Special thanks to the Benton A&P Commission for their support. 

We’re adding extra fun with special Theme Days and Nights for our audiences! Come dressed up and join in on the fun! 

                                                                                    Shrek The Musical JR. 

                                           is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). 

                                                         All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. 

                                                                                  www.mtishows.com 

The Royal Theatre at 111 S. Market St. in Benton, Arkansas was built in 1948-1949 as an extensive renovation of a prior theatre and that was already deemed historic. The oldest part of the theatre was part of the 1920 "Imp" (for "Independent Motion Pictures") theatre. The sign and marquee of the theatre, and the rest of the 1948-1949 redesign, were designed by Little Rock architects Frank Ginocchio and Edwin B. Cromwell in Moderne style. Ginocchio and Cromwell had designed a Royal Theatre in Little Rock that used the sign and marquee; they reused the material in the Benton theatre later.

In 1996, the Royal Theatre was bought and renovated by actor Jerry Van Dyke. Most of the block that the theatre is located on was also renovated at that time. Jerry Van Dyke added Jerry Van Dyke's Soda Shoppe, a candy store, a baseball card trading store, as well as a small antique store. Jerry Van Dyke sold the Royal Theatre and the rest of the property in 2000 and 2001. The Royal Theatre was donated to the “Central Arkansas Community Players", who then changed the name to the "Royal Players" and continues to perform in it to this day.

The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.