Shrek The Musical JR. Creative

Director, Scenic Design, and Lighting Design

Matthew Burns

An 11-time Ben-Tony winner for his designs and acting, Matthew is very excited to be back at the Royal directing! Over the past 14 years, he is not a stranger to the Royal stage, with various acting, design and directing credits at the Royal and various theatres throughout Little Rock. When Matthew is not on stage, you can find him behind a piano, behind a camera, or behind a desk at his job at the pediatric clinic. He wants to thank all of you for supporting the theatre arts in Saline County and for coming and seeing this musical! @matthew_daniel_

Music Director

Michelle Taylor

Michelle is excited to be back with YP in a new role. She has always been a fan of the theatre and has enjoyed every minute working with this cast and crew. Michelle directed Seussical, Jr. (2025) and music directed Finding Nemo, Jr. (Studio Theatre). She serves as the Director of Youth Ministry, where she directs her youth in a Christmas Pageant each season. Michelle wants to thank her friends and family, especially her husband William, for supporting her throughout this process. She hopes everyone enjoys this fun version of Shrek and hopes everyone enjoys the show!

Choreographer

Jillian Berry

Jillian is a senior in high school. She recently finished choreographing Seussical in the Spring of 2025, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, and she is excited to continue choreographing this spring. She loves to spend her time reading, crocheting, and watching her favorite shows. She has been in the dance scene since she was 4 years old and is so excited to create new memories with the cast of Shrek Jr.

Stage Manager

Charles Wright

Student Director

Addison Lumpkins

Addison is excited to work with this cast & crew. She loves sharing her passion for storytelling & teaching with these Young Players. Previous credits: Specs (Newsies), Matilda (Doctor) & Student Directing Seussical, Jr. Other favorites: YP’s Les Mis and Royal’s SpongeBob the Musical. When not at the theatre, Addison can be found leading worship with youth group or hanging out with her boyfriend.

Student Choreographer

Haddie Hinson

Haddie is so excited to be returning to the Royal as the student choreographer for this show and the Pied Piper. She has also appeared in Mary Poppins Jr (Bert), Seussical Jr. (The Cat in the Hat) The Sound of Music (Marta Von Trapp) and most recently Newsies (JoJo). Haddie is a 7th grader and loves to sing and dance.

Producer

Daphne Shoppach

Original Creative Team

DAVID LINDSAY-ABAIRE (Author). David Lindsay-Baire is a Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, screenwriter, lyricist and librettist. His most recent show, the musical Kimberly Akimbo, written with composer Jeanine Tesori, premiered off Broadway at the Atlantic Theater Co., where it won the Lortel, NYDCC, OCC and Drama Desk Awards for Best Musical before it moved to Broadway and won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score as well as a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theater Album. His play Good People premiered on Broadway at MTC, was awarded the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play, The Horton Foote Prize, The Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award, and two Tony nominations. His play Rabbit Hole also premiered on Broadway at MTC and received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, five Tony nominations, and the Spirit of America Award. David also wrote the book and lyrics for Shrek the Musical (Jeanine Tesori, composer), which was nominated for eight Tonys, four Oliviers, a Grammy, and earned David the Kleban Prize as America’s most promising musical theatre lyricist. His newest play, The Balusters, premiers on Broadway at MTC in April 2026, directed by Kenny Leon. David’s other plays include Ripcord, Fuddy Meers, Kimberly Akimbo and Wonder of the World which all premiered at MTC, as as well as A Devil Inside at Soho Rep. In addition to his work in theatre, David's screen credits include his film adaptation of Rabbit Hole (starring Nicole Kidman, Oscar nomination), Dreamworks’ Rise of the Guardians, and The Family Fang, among others. He is also, along with Tanya Barfield, Co-Director of the Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program at the Juilliard School.

JASON MOORE (Original Director). Broadway: Avenue Q, Steel Magnolias. Carnegie Hall: Jerry Springer: The Opera. Off-Broadway: Speech and Debate (Roundabout), Avenue Q (the Vineyard), Guardians (the Culture Project), The Crumple Zone. Associate directing: Les Misérables (Broadway, national tour), Ragtime (Vancouver). Writer: The Floatplane Notebooks (Charlotte Repertory Theatre). TV directing: episodes of Dawson s Creek, Everwood, One Tree Hill and Brothers and Sisters. Jason has a BS in performance studies from Northwestern University.

ROB ASHFORD (Original Director). Rob Ashford won the 2012 Olivier Award for his production of Anna Christie starring Jude Law and Ruth Wilson at London's Donmar Warehouse. The production opened to rave reviews with The Independent's anointing it as "picture perfect" and David Benedict stating that "the production's hallmark is its boldness." Rob most recently directed the Broadway revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof starring Scarlett Johansson, and Macbeth with Sir Kenneth Branagh at New York's Park Avenue Armory and The Manchester International Festival. The Telegraph claimed "This is a Macbeth that won't just go down as a highlight of the Manchester International Festival but as one of the Scottish Play's great revivals," and Ben Brantley of the New York Times proclaimed "Mr. Ashford uses his experience as a celebrated director of musicals to stunning, time-bending effect." Rob received his 8th Tony Nomination for his work on the Broadway revival of Evita starring Ricky Martin, and received the Tony Award for his work on the Broadway production of Thoroughly Modern Millie. Other Broadway credits include How to Succeed in Business (Tony Award Nominations for his direction and choreography), Promises, Promises (Tony Award Nomination), Shrek, John Water's Cry Baby (Tony Award nomination, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Fred Astaire Awards), Curtains (Tony Award nomination), and Wedding Singer (Tony Award nomination). In London, Rob also directed the highly acclaimed Olivier Award winning revivals of A Streetcar Named Desire starring Rachel Weisz and Parade at The Donmar Warehouse. Rob did the choreography and staging for last year's Academy Awards with Seth MacFarlane and won the 2009 Emmy Award for Best Choreography for his work on Baz Luhrmann's production number (featuring Hugh Jackman and Beyoncé) at the 81st Annual Academy Awards. He has also choreographed the opening number for The Tony Awards starring Neil Patrick Harris for the past 4 years. He choreographed the feature film Beyond The Sea directed by and starring Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey and Walt Disney Production's upcoming film Cinderella directed by Kenneth Branagh. Most recently, Rob directed and choreographed NBC's The Sound of Music Live!, for which he received a DGA Award Nomination, and this January directed The Barber of Seville at Chicago Lyric Opera. Rob is an Associate Director at The Old Vic Theatre. He also serves on the Executive Board of The Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers and is a Trustee of The Joyce Theatre in New York City.