SHREK Closes on West End, Feb 2013; Makes Way for CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY at Drury Lane

According to the Daily Mail, Shrek - The Musical is set to close at the West End's Drury Lane Theatre in February 2013 to make way for the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical adaptation, directed by Sam Mendes and produced by Warner Bros Theatre Ventures and Neal Street Productions.

Read the original report here.

Shrek will close on February 24, 2012, and is set to ship out on a UK tour in 2014. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will begin previews at the Drury Lane on May 18, 2013, opening in June of next year.

The original plan was to launch the stage adaptation of the Roald Dahl book at the London Palladium, a challenge for Mendes' design team leader Mark Thompson, who had to construct new models based on the space's dimensions. After the switch, Thompson will again have to readjust his measurements—but all's well that ends well in the search for a "proper home for musicals," as the Mail's Baz Bamigboye puts it.

Mendes' Neal Street Productions company was also involved in producing Shrek, which allowed the negotiations to proceed smoothly.

Award-winning Shrek the Musical celebrated its first year in the West End on May 6, 2012. Produced by DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions, SHREK THE MUSICAL has staged more than 400 performances and been seen by more than 600,000 people at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane since its first preview performance on May 6, 2011.

Produced by DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions, Shrek is based on the story and characters from William Steig’s book Shrek! and the Oscar-winning Dreamworks Animation feature film Shrek, the first chapter in the series of irreverent fairy tales.

Shrek tells the story of the swamp-dwelling ogre who embarks on a life-changing adventure in order to reclaim the deed to his land. Joined by a wise-cracking donkey who won’t shut up, this unlikely hero fights a fearsome dragon, rescues the feisty Princess Fiona and learns that real friendship and true love aren’t only found in fairy tales. With all-new songs, and an old favourite in I’m a Believer, this spectacular stage musical brings to life the original film’s cast of dysfunctional characters and the accompanying subversive fun.

The Anglo-American creative team is led by directors Jason Moore and Rob Ashford and includes David Lindsay-Abaire (Book and Lyrics), Jeanine Tesori (Music), Tim Hatley (Scenic, Costume and Puppet Design), Hugh Vanstone (Lighting Design), Peter Hylenski (Sound Design), and Josh Prince (Choreography).

For more about Shrek, visit www.shrekthemusic.co.uk.

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