SHREK THE MUSICAL Opens Tonight at Barn Theatre

Fairytale adventure comes to life on the Barn Theatre stage in SHREK THE MUSICAL, opening tonight, August 6 and playing through August 18. Based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks film, SHREK THE MUSICAL will delight the whole family!

Everyone's favorite swamp-dwelling ogre, Shrek, played by Barn favorite Eric Parker, lives a life of solitude, embarrassed by his hideous green looks. When an edict from sniveling, diminutive Lord Farquaad, played by Kevin Robert White, banishes all fairytale characters from the Kingdom of Duloc, droves of enchanted creatures overrun Shrek's beloved soggy bog. Determined to take back his land, Shrek's treks to Duloc to confront Farquaad.

Along the way, Shrek is joined by a wise-cracking chatterbox donkey, played by first year apprentice Bradford Lewis Rolen. Together the unlikely duo make their way to the kingdom, where Lord Farquaad demands that in order to save his land, Shrek must bring to him a beautiful princess so that he may marry her and become king. Shrek and Donkey set off to find the princess, but must first fight a fearsome dragon. The feisty princess Fiona, played by Melissa Cotton, has been locked in a tower for years and is crestfallen to discover that her rescuer is in fact an ogre, rather than the Prince Charming of her dreams. Along with a cast full of sassy, kooky, fairytale characters, this unlikely hero learns about real friendship and true love in this gaseously hysterical, unexpected fairytale.

Bring the family, and you'll all leave humming SHREK THE MUSICAL's catchy hit songs "Big Bright Beautiful World," "Freak Flag," "Gonna Build a Wall," and Neil Diamond's "I'm a Believer."

SHREK THE MUSICAL features a book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole, Good People), music by Olivier Award-winner Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Caroline, or Change). After a short out of town tryout in Seattle, SHREK THE MUSICAL opened on Broadway in 2008 and closed in 2010, after 441 performances, including several performances by Barnie Eric Petersen in the title role of Shrek, a role he continued in the first national tour of SHREK THE MUSICAL.

SHREK THE MUSICAL is directed by Hans Friedrichs. Michael Wilson Morgan is the Costume Designer. Set Design is by Steven Lee Burright, and Emily Gardner is the Properties Master. Lighting is designed by Corey Boughton, with Sam Silva as Sound Designer. Nick Hoovler is the Technical Director.

SHREK THE MUSICAL plays through August 6. Performances are Tuesday through Friday at 8:00 PM, Saturday at 8:30 PM, Saturday and Sunday at 5:00 PM. Check out the newly renovated Rehearsal Shed Lounge! Stop in before the main stage show, at intermission, and after the show for refreshments, snacks, wings, nachos, and Plainwell ice cream, as well as free after-the-show entertainment!

The Barn Theatre is located on M-96, west of Augusta. Tickets are $35.00 for all performances. and Visa, MasterCard and Discover are accepted. The Box Office is open daily 10:00 am-10:00 pm. Tickets may now be purchased on the internet or on your smart phone via PayPal atwww.barntheatre.com. ~ To reserve tickets at the Box Office Call today: (269) 731-4121.