Broadway In Chicago along with producers DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions, Ltd. are thrilled to announce SHREK THE MUSICAL will begin the First National Tour in Chicago in five weeks! The Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning SHREK THE MUSICAL will play a limited eight week engagement in Chicago beginning July 13 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph St.). Tickets are currently on sale.
The role of everyone's favorite swamp-dwelling ogre Shrek will be played by
Eric Petersen, who joins the tour from the Broadway production. He recently appeared as the socially challenged Barfee in the National tour of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Petersen originally hails from Carol Stream, Illinois where he attended Western Trails Elementary, Stratford Junior High and Glenbard North High School. He attended Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois where he received a BS in Theatre Performance.
Haven Burton, also from the Broadway Company will play the feisty Princess Fiona. Haven previously played Margo the Dog Whisperer on Broadway in Legally Blonde and understudied Elle Woods.
Alan Mingo, Jr. is Shrek's lovably annoying best friend Donkey. He was an original company member of The Little Mermaid where he played the role of Sebastian, and prior to that played the role of
Tom Collins in RENT on Broadway.
Todd Buonopane plays the vertically challenged villain Lord Farquaad. He performed on Broadway as Roger in Grease! and was a member of the original Broadway Company of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
Rounding out the cast of misfit fairy tale characters, the peoples of Duloc and Far, Far Away are:
Joe Abraham,
Kevin Boseman,
Holly Ann Butler,
Carrie Compere,
Emily Cramer,
Tyrone Davis, Jr.,
Sandra DeNise, Scarlett Diaz, David Foley,
Aymee Garcia,
Brian Gonzales,
Justin Greer, Lisa Ho,
Benjamin Howes, Madison Mullahey,
Mara Newbery,
Denny Paschall,
Sarah Peak,
Keven Quillon,
Morgan Rose,
Blakely Slaybaugh and
David F.M. Vaughn.
An entirely new musical, SHREK THE MUSICAL is based on the story and characters from
William Steig's book Shrek!, as well as the
Dreamworks Animation film Shrek, the first chapter of the Shrek movie series.
SHREK THE MUSICAL 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, rescues a feisty princess and learns that real friendship and true love aren't only found in fairy tales.
SHREK THE MUSICAL features a book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize® winner
David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole), music by Olivier Award-winner
Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Caroline, or Change), and is directed by Tony Award® nominee
Jason Moore (Avenue Q) and Tony and Emmy Award-winner
Rob Ashford (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Promises Promises). SHREK THE MUSICAL has set and costume designs by Tony Award® winner
Tim Hatley (Private Lives, Spamalot), lighting design by Olivier Award winner
Hugh Vanstone (A Steady Rain), sound design by
Peter Hylenski (Rock of Ages); choreography by
Josh Prince, music supervision by
Tim Weil, music direction by
Andy Grobengieser, and orchestrations by
Danny Troob &
John Clancy.
SHREK THE MUSICAL was initiated when
Sam Mendes, a big fan of the first Shrek film, suggested the idea of creating a musical to
Dreamworks Animation's
Jeffrey Katzenberg around the time the second film was in production. The musical is produced by
DreamWorks Theatricals (
Bill Damaschke, President of
DreamWorks Theatricals and Co-President of Production for
Dreamworks Animation) and
Neal Street Productions, Ltd. (principals
Sam Mendes and
Caro Newling).
Individual tickets to SHREK THE MUSICAL are $25 - $90 and are on sale now. Tickets are available at all Broadway In Chicago Box Offices (24 W. Randolph St., 151 W. Randolph St. and 18 W. Monroe St.); the Broadway In Chicago Ticket Line at (800) 775-2000; all Ticketmaster retail locations (including Hot Tix and select Carson Pirie Scott, Coconuts and fye stores); and online at www.BroadwayInChicago.com. Groups of 10 or more should call (312) 977-1710.
The chart-topping original Broadway cast album for SHREK THE MUSICAL is available on
Decca Broadway.
Dreamworks Animation(NASDAQ: DWA)
For more information, visit
www.ShrekTheMusical.com or
www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
Join the award-winning Shrekster.com, the Official Fan community of Shrek The Musical delivering news, media and exclusive contests to fans of the Shrek Series and Shrek the Musical. Log in and join your city group for access to the most up to the date news, information and member's only exclusive content form Shrek and Donkey's first "whirlwind, big city adventure" across the country: www.shrekster.com/chicago.
