Cast members wave Pride flags as they sing the Freak Flag song in a scene from “Shrek the Musical.” KELLY MCALLISTER WAS IN SIXTH GRADE when his teacher interrupted class with news that didn’t fit the shape of an ordinary school day. “I remember Mrs. Kelman came in and said, ‘Something awful happened. The mayor of San Francisco and Harvey Milk have been killed,’” McAllister said. The assassinations felt close. McAllister grew up about 50 miles outside San Francisco, but at the time, he did not know who Milk was or that he was the first openly gay elected official in California. He didn’t know about Milk’s role in urging the LGBTQ+ community to come out and claim visibility. None of that mattered to him yet. What stayed with McAllister was the violence itself. “I was like, ‘Jesus Christ. What is going on here?’” he said. “I cared that they were murdered. I thought that was just wrong, and I remember it hit me hard, even then.” That idea of right and wrong, McAllister says, is what resurfaced decades later, standing inside a community theater in Parker. This time, a request to remove Pride flags from “Shrek the Musical” at the Parker Arts, Culture and Events Center (PACE) became a test of how he understood and applied his own moral code. Early in the show, the villain Lord Farquaad banishes fairytale creatures he deems “freaks” from the kingdom and sends them to Shrek’s swamp. Later, those same characters reclaim the insult in a celebratory ensemble number called “Freak Flag.” McAllister said the song’s lyrics clearly point to themes of LGBTQ+ identity and acceptance. In “Freak Flag,” Gingy, the living gingerbread man, sings, “We weren’t so freakin’ strange. They made us feel that way. But it’s they who need to change.” McAllister choreographed the song with Pride flags at the end because of its nod to LGBTQIA+ identity. “It’s about acceptance for who you are and acceptance by the larger community. It’s very loving and accepting in a joyous way,” McAllister said. It felt natural to McAllister to choreograph rainbow pride flags waving at the end of the song. “I thought maybe it can help queer kids see that they’re not alone. And on top of that, it can help straight kids understand that maybe you should be cool and not be a jerk to the kid who’s different than you,” he said. But the number drew myriad complaints, according to the Town of Parker. According to a Town of Parker statement, they received “a variety of complaints” when McAllister turned the subtext visible with the waving of the Pride flag during the song. Parker’s Communication Manager, Andy Anderson, pointed all questions to the Town’s published statement. “As a Town-owned performing arts venue funded in part by taxpayer dollars, the Town has a responsibility to remain neutral,” the statement said. “The Town did let the producers know about the concerns brought to the attention of the Town, but did not demand or require that any part of the show be removed or modified.” Denver7 reported that one sponsor of the show, Lutheran High School, emailed parents a statement. The school said they had a strong partnership with the Town of Parker and PACE, but would pull their sponsorship for “Shrek the Musical” for the remainder of its run. “This year, we chose to continue our sponsorship of the family musical with [the PACE] presentation of the show, ‘Shrek.’ After the first weekend of shows, we were made aware of content in the production that did not align with our mission and values,” the email said. The school did not respond to email requests for comment. McAllister is not alone in his interpretation of the song. Since its Broadway debut in 2008, “Shrek the Musical” has frequently been read as an LGBTQ+ affirming story, particularly for its embrace of difference and its refusal to frame belonging as something that must be earned. The Reuters review of the 2008 Broadway production ran DENVER VOICE MARCH 2026 9
10 Publizr Home