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“Shrek” Director Andrew Fisher has his own backstory with Southwestern Michigan College’s spring musical.

Fisher played Donkey in the spirit of Eddie Murphy’s film rendition, while Matthew Hickok of Niles in his current 28-member cast takes the role in a “different direction” inspired by Looney Tunes.

Hickok, who earned a communications degree in 2024, performed as a student in the “Cabaret” and as Mr. Mushnik, the flower shop owner in “Little Shop of Horrors.”

SMC stages the Tony-winning “Shrek: The Musical,” which goes beyond retelling the familiar fairy tale in the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film on March 20-22 at 7:30 p.m. and on March 23 at 2 p.m. in the theatre of the Dale A. Lyons Building on the Dowagiac campus.

“Shrek” tells the story of a swamp-dwelling ogre who goes on a life-changing adventure to reclaim the deed to his land. Joined by a wise-cracking donkey, this unlikely hero fights a fearsome dragon and rescues a feisty princess.

The beloved ogre will be portrayed right down to his Scottish accent by Trenton Smith of Portage.

Smith, a psychology major, first came to SMC for choir camp with his Portage Northern director, Dowagiac native and SMC alumna Chelsea Whiteoak.

“I did (Shrek) in eighth grade. I was Papa Bear and a Knight,” said Smith, who played Audrey II in “Little Shop of Horrors” last March.

Feisty Princess Fiona will be played by Hartford’s Jersey Baker.

Fisher’s turn as Donkey came with the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra at Shadowland Pavilion at Silver Beach in 2013.

“We rehearsed here,” Fisher chuckled. “In fact, my old costume’s in the costume room. I helped out with ‘Godspell’ (in 2022) and ‘The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (in 2023).”

Fisher was a lead in 2014’s “Parade,” in conjunction with a residency by its Tony-winning composer Jason Robert Brown.

Fisher majored in music and leads the Andrew Fisher Quartet, but became a father a few weeks ago and works in IT for Corewell Health, covering the Niles hospital and clinics in Niles, Dowagiac, New Buffalo, Cassopolis and Berrien Springs. He also teaches voice at Citadel Dance and Music Center in Benton Harbor.

Fisher’s cast also includes: Brandon Maynard, Farquaad, King Harold, Knight; Da’Shonae Reeves, Dragon; Ryan Skinner, Pinocchio, Knight; Sarah Skinner, Sugar Plum Fairy, Gingy, Duloc Dancer, Vermin, Queen Lillian; Mel Weber, Thelonius, Papa Ogre, Papa Bear, Knight; Grace Bruntz, Mama Ogre, Mama Bear, Blue Bird, Duloc Dancer, Blind Mouse; Aria Kruzel, Baby Bear, Bunny; Arianna Rhynard, Pig; Cheyenne Rodriguez, Captain of the Guard, Duloc Dancer, Villager, Pied Piper, Antelope; David Marloe, Bishop, Villager, Guard; Elanor Bussler, Young Fiona, White Rabbit; Elijah Skinner, Big Bad Wolf, Duloc Greeter; Finn Skinner, Villager, Guard; Grace Phillips, Teen Fiona, Fairy Godmother, Duloc Dancer, Vermin; Hailey Amster, Elf, Blind Mouse; Jessica Flagel, Pig, Knight; Jude Skinner, Puss in Boots, Villager, Guard; Keely Williamson, Humpty Dumpty, Duloc Dancer, Vermin; Kendra Briley, Villager, Cow, Guard; Lauren Lovell, Peter Pan; Norah Skinner, Villager, Spoon, Guard, Witch; Simon Bussler, Little Ogre, Dwarf; Stephanie Pollard, Blind Mouse, Duloc Dancer, Pig, Vermin; Taryn Skinner, Guard, Duloc Dancer, Vermin, Villager; and Taylor Swank, Duloc Dancer, Vermin, Ugly Duckling.

Assisting Fisher are: Music Director David Carew; Pit Director Mark Hollandsworth; Choreographer Liz Baumann; Technical Director/Lighting Designer, Dakota Fontes; Rehearsal Coach/Collaborative Pianist Christine Seitz; Assistant Director/Stage Manager Tammy Mammel; Costume Designer Megan Laine; Set Designer John Tinker, whose construction trades students built a revolving set depicting four scenes; and Assistant Stage Manager Sarah Bussler.

Hollandsworth’s pit orchestra includes: Christine Seitz and Melissa Prestine, keyboards; Kenneth Creameans, bass; Chris Chapman and Dustin Lowe, guitars; Joe Trojan, drums/percussion; Danny Lopez, trumpet; DeLain Bomer, horn; Aliya Leavitt, trombone; and Elisabeth Waldbauer and Mark Alvarez, reeds.

Eli Welch, Michael Cheevers, Brandon Parsons, DJ McConnell and Camila Pereznegron were in charge of set design/production, with a stage crew of Levi Morey and Steve Mammel.

To buy tickets, visit swmich.edu/performance.