Amelia Lily Joins SHREK THE MUSICAL as 'Princess Fiona' in New Nationwide Tour

SHREK THE MUSICAL today announces full casting for the major nationwide tour, with Amelia Lily joining the cast as 'Princess Fiona' from April 2018. As previously announced, Call the Midwife star Laura Main will also play 'Princess Fiona' at selected venues, sharing the role with Amelia while she continues filming on the current BBC series*. They will play opposite Steffan Harri who will lead the cast as beloved swamp-dwelling ogre 'Shrek' with Marcus Ayton as Shrek's wisecracking sidekick 'Donkey' and Samuel Holmes as pint-sized villain 'Lord Farquaad'. The hit musical will open at Edinburgh Playhouse for the festive season this year from 12 December, prior to touring the UK and Ireland throughout 2018.

Amelia Lily first rose to fame on The X Factor, finishing third on the eighth series in 2011. Her debut single 'You Bring Me Joy' reached number two on the UK Singles Chart. Theatre credits include playing the Narrator in Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (UK Tour), Whatsername in the West End premiere of Green Day's hit punk rock musical American Idiot (Arts Theatre & UK Tour) and Shout! (Winter Gardens Blackpool). Most recently Amelia was runner up in the 2017 edition of Celebrity Big Brother.

The full company of fairy-tale characters will include Adam Baker, Ethan Bradshaw, Michael Carolan, Joseph Dockree, Will Hawksworth, Sarah-Louise Jones, Reece Kerridge, Thomas Lee Kidd, Amy Oxley, Jemma Revell, Lucinda Shaw, Sam Stones, Adam Taylor, Jennifer Tierney, Sophie Wallis, Francesca Williams, Laura Wilson and Kevin Yates.

Amelia Lily (Princess Fiona) says:

'I had my first taste of performing as Princess Fiona back in 2012 when I donned the famous green dress for a Children in Need special. It was an incredible experience so when the opportunity came up to reprise the role, I jumped at the chance. I can't wait to set out on a road-trip across the country with all my fairy-tale friends.'

SHREK THE MUSICAL will be directed by Nigel Harman, having made his directorial debut on the first ever tour. Since then Nigel has gone on to direct Lunch & The Bow of Ulysses (Trafalgar Studios) and will direct Kelsey Grammer in Big Fish The Musical (The Other Palace) later this year. Best known for his stage and television work, Nigel originated the role of Lord Farquaad in the West End, winning the Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical.

Opening at Edinburgh Playhouse for the Christmas 2017/18 season from 12 December to 7 January, the production will then tour to Manchester, Sunderland, Birmingham, Aberdeen, Northampton, Sheffield, Cardiff, Stoke, Blackpool, Woking, Liverpool, Norwich, Canterbury, Milton Keynes, Bristol, Llandudno, Nottingham, Belfast, Dublin, Plymouth, Southampton and Leeds.

SHREK THE MUSICAL is based on the story and characters from William Steig's book Shrek! and the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animations feature film. Originally directed in the West End by Jason Moore and Rob Ashford, the production has book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, music by Jeanine Tesori with multi award-winning set and costume design by Tim Hatley.

The UK and Ireland tour of the original DreamWorks Production will be presented by the original West End production team Neal Street Productions and Playful Productions with Ron Kastner, Saracen Films, Tulchin/Bartner Productions, Gavin Kalin, Glass Half Full Productions/Just For Laughs Theatricals, Lee Menzies and Mark Cartwright.

*Laura Main is scheduled to play in the following cities; Edinburgh, Manchester, Sunderland, Birmingham, Aberdeen, Northampton, Sheffield, Cardiff, Woking, Liverpool, Milton Keynes, Plymouth, Southampton and Leeds.

Amelia Lily is scheduled to perform in Stoke, Blackpool, Norwich, Canterbury, Bristol, Llandudno, Nottingham, Belfast and Dublin.

The producers cannot guarantee the appearance of any particular artists subject to holiday, illness or events beyond the producers' control.

Tuesday 12 December 2017 - Sunday 7 January 2018
EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE
www.atgtickets.com/edinburgh
0844 871 3014

Tuesday 16 January - Sunday 28 January 2018
PALACE THEATRE, MANCHESTER
www.atgtickets.com/manchester
0844 871 3019

Wednesday 31 January - Sunday 11 February 2018
SUNDERLAND EMPIRE THEATRE
www.atgtickets.com/sunderland
0844 871 3022

Wednesday 14 February - Sunday 25 February 2018
NEW ALEXANDRA THEATRE, BIRMINGHAM
www.atgtickets.com/birmingham
0844 871 3011

Wednesday 28 February - Sunday 11 March 2018
HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE, ABERDEEN
www.boxofficeaberdeen.com
01224 641 122

Wednesday 14 March - Sunday 25 March, 2018
ROYAL & DERNGATE, NORTHAMPTON
www.royalandderngate.co.uk
01604 624 811

Wednesday 28 March - Sunday 8 April 2018
SHEFFIELD LYCEUM THEATRE
www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
0114 249 6000

Tuesday 10 April - Sunday 22 April 2018
WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE, CARDIFF
www.wmc.org.uk
029 2063 6464

Wednesday 2 May - Sunday 13 May 2018
REGENT THEATRE, STOKE
www.atgtickets.com/stoke
0844 871 7649

Tuesday 15 May - Sunday 27 May 2018
BLACKPOOL WINTER GARDENS THEATRE
www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk
0844 856 1111

Wednesday 30 May - Sunday 10 June 2018
NEW VICTORIA THEATRE, WOKING
www.atgtickets.com/woking
0844 871 7645

Tuesday 12 June - Sunday 24 June 2018
LIVERPOOL EMPIRE
www.atgtickets.com/liverpool
0844 871 3017

Tuesday 26 June - Sunday 8 July 2018
Norwich Theatre Royal
www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk
01603 630000

Wednesday 11 July - Sunday 22 July 2018
MARLOWE THEATRE, CANTERBURY
www.marlowetheatre.com
01227 787787

Wednesday 25 July - Sunday 5 August 2018
MILTON KEYNES THEATRE
www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes
0844 871 7652

Wednesday 8 August - Sunday 19 August 2018
THE BRISTOL HIPPODROME
www.atgtickets.com/bristol
0844 871 3012

Tuesday 21 August - Sunday 2 September 2018
VENUE CYMRU, LLANDUDNO
www.venuecymru.co.uk
01492 872000

Tuesday 11 September - Sunday 23 September 2018
Theatre Royal Nottingham
www.trch.co.uk
0115 989 5555

Tuesday 9 October - Sunday 21 October 2018
Belfast Grand Opera House
www.goh.co.uk
02890 241 919

Tuesday 23 October to Sunday 4 November 2018
Dublin Bord Gais Energy Theatre
www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie
ROI : 0818 719 377 / UK & NI : 0844 847 2455

Tuesday 13 November - Saturday 24 November 2018
Theatre Royal Plymouth
www.theatreroyal.com
01752 267222

Tuesday 27 November - Saturday 8 December 2018
Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
www.mayflower.org.uk
02380 711811

Tuesday 18 December 2018 - Sunday 6 January 2019
LEEDS GRAND THEATRE
www.leedsgrandtheatre.com
0844 848 2700

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