Shrek's Eric Petersen and Wife Lisa Morabito Give Birth to Baby Sophia Marie

After just two days of preview performances as the loveable green ogre ‘Shrek' in SHREK THE MUSICAL, Chicagoan Eric Petersen and his wife Lisa Morabito Petersen proudly gave birth to their own beautiful baby. Sophia Marie Petersen, weighing 8 lbs, 7 ounces and 20.5 inches long, was born at 5:12 p.m., Thursday, July 15, 2010 at Chicago's Northwestern Memorial's Prentice Women's Hospital.

The proud parents and baby are happy and doing well. It has been a whirlwind couple of weeks for them, as they relocated to Chicago for the opening of the National Tour, interviewed their new delivery doctor Patricia Katz, MD, all while Eric and company prepared the show for the official opening at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, Sunday, July 25th. The pending event has given extra energy and excitement to the cast and crew as they shouldered the intensely grueling schedule required to open a tour.

Eric Petersen is a native of Carol Stream, Illinois, where he attended Glenbard North High School. He received a BS in Theatre Performance from Bradley University in Peoria. He joined the National tour of SHREK THE MUSICAL from the Broadway production. He recently appeared as the socially challenged ‘Barfee' in the National tour of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Lisa Morabito Petersen, also a performer, is from Winter Garden, Florida.

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, playing now thru September 5th, 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.

Photo Credit: Amy Boyle Photography

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