Antony Lawrence, Joanne Clifton, James Gillan, and Brandon Lee Sears Will Lead UK Tour of SHREK THE MUSICAL
Opening at Theatre Royal Plymouth on 21 July 2023, the musical will tour until April 2024 to a total of 31 venues.
By: Stephi Wild Feb. 24, 2023
The principal cast has been announced for the brand-new production of Shrek the Musical, starring Antony Lawrence (Shrek), Joanne Clifton (Princess Fiona), James Gillan (Lord Faquaad) and Brandon Lee Sears (Donkey). Opening at Theatre Royal Plymouth on 21 July 2023, the musical will tour through to April 2024 to a total of 31 venues.
Antony Lawrence (Shrek) recently played Scar in The Lion King (International Tour) as well as performed in Mary Poppins (National Tour), Matilda the Musical (Cambridge Theatre/RSC) and We Will Rock You (International Arena Tour).
Best known for her time on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, after winning the World Professional Showdance Champion and the European Professional Ballroom Championship, Joanne Clifton (Fiona) joined the iconic TV show as a professional dancer. During her time on the show she won the Christmas Special with McFly's Harry Judd and went on to win the glitterball trophy as the 2016 champion with her partner Ore Oduba. On stage Joanne Clifton was most recently seen in Windfall (Southwark Playhouse) and The Addams Family (UK Tour).
Olivier Award-nominee James Gillan (Lord Faquaad) most recently created the role of Tray in Everybody's talking About Jamie (Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue) - a role he stayed with through the show's entire West End run. He also performed in Everybody's talking About Jamie at the Ahmanson Theatre in LA for its six-week run.
Brandon Lee Sears (Donkey) most recently played the role of Jimmy Early in Dreamgirls (UK tour). His previous theatre credits include the original West End productions of Be More Chill (Shaftesbury), Come From Away (Phoenix); Heathers (Theatre Royal Haymarket); Motown the Musical (Shaftesbury); and On the Town (Regents Park).
On 27 February 2023, the cast of Shrek the Musical will perform at BBC Big Night of the Musicals at Manchester's AO Arena. The programme will be shown in a special 90-minute presentation on BBC One and on BBC Radio 2 in the spring.
From the producers of Hairspray and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Shrek the Musical brings together a new creative team to re-image this award-winning Broadway and West End hit show for a new audience, featuring all the classic characters from the Oscar-winning DreamWorks animated film and the iconic songs and story from David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori's original musical.
Shrek the Musical opens at Plymouth Theatre Royal on 21 July 2023 and then tours to Manchester, Dublin, Bristol, Southend, Carlisle, Aberdeen, Oxford, Wimbledon, Dartford, Northampton, Bradford, Woking, Eastbourne, Cardiff, York, Blackpool and in 2024: Glasgow Kings, Edinburgh Playhouse, Coventry Belgrade, Sunderland Empire, Liverpool Empire, Southampton Mayflower, Milton Keynes Theatres, Hull New, Cheltenham Everyman, Nottingham Playhouse, Norwich Theatre Royal, Grand Opera House Belfast, The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham and The Millenium Forum, Derry. For full listings, please see the notes to editors below.
The national press night will be Thursday 3 August 2023 at Opera House Manchester.
The team joining forces to re-create the bright and beautiful world of Shrek the Musical includes acclaimed director and choreographer Nick Winston (Bonnie and Clyde, Arts Theatre; Beauty and the Beast, UK tour), co-director Sam Holmes (Club Tropicana the Musical), who returns to the swamp having played Lord Farquaad in the previous UK tour. He is joined by Set and costume design will be by Philip Witcomb (Bonnie & Clyde (Garrick Theatre); Jack & The Beanstalk, Everyman Theatre Cheltenham). Further creative team includes Ben Cracknel (Lighting), Jim Arnold (Casting) and Ben Harrison (Sound).
Based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks film, the Broadway and West End smash hit Shrek the Musical is a fun-filled and hilarious musical comedy with a cast of vibrant characters and a 'shrektackular' score.
Featuring the beloved Princess Fiona, the evil Lord Farquaad, a host of magical fairy-tale characters and fabulous songs including the smash hit 'I'm a Believer', Shrek the Musical is a musical extravaganza for big kids and little kids alike.
Come join the adventure as Shrek and Donkey endeavour to complete their quest, finding unexpected friendships and surprising romance along the way.
Tour Dates
21 July 2023 - 29 July 2023
Plymouth Theatre Royal
1 August - 12 August 2023
Opera House Manchester
atgtickets.com/venues/opera-house-manchester
15 August - 20 August 2023
Bord Gais Energy Theatre
22 August - 27 August 2023
Bristol Hippodrome
atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome
29 August - 2 September 2023
The Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
5 September - 10 September 2023
The Sands Centre, Carlisle
betterboxoffice.co.uk/the-sands-centre
12 September - 16 September 2023
His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen
aberdeenperformingarts.com/his-majestys-theatre
19 September - 24 September 2023
Oxford New Theatre
atgtickets.com/venues/new-theatre-oxford
26 September - 30 September 2023
New Wimbledon Theatre
atgtickets.com/venues/new-wimbledon-theatre
2 October - 7 October 2023
Orchard Theatre, Dartford
10 October - 15 October 2023
Royal & Derngate, Northampton
royalandderngate.co.uk
17 October - 22 October 2023
Leicester Curve
https://www.curveonline.co.uk/
24 October - 28 October 2023
The Alhambra Theatre, Bradford
bradford-theatres.co.uk/venues/the-alhambra-theatre
30 October - 4 September 2023
New Victoria Theatre, Woking
atgtickets.com/venues/new-victoria-theatre
13 - 18 November 2023
Eastbourne Congress Theatre
eastbournetheatres.co.uk/venue/congress-theatre
20 November - 25 November 2023
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
27 November - 2 December 2023
Grand Opera House York
atgtickets.com/venues/grand-opera-house-york
12 December - 30 December 2023
Blackpool Winter Gardens
15 January - 20 January 2024
Glasgow Kings Theatre
https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/kings-theatre-glasgow/
22 January - 27 January 2024
Edinburgh Playhouse
https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/edinburgh-playhouse/
30 January - 4 February 2024
Coventry Belgrade
6 February - 10 February 2024
Sunderland Empire
https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/sunderland-empire/
12 February - 17 February 2024
Liverpool Empire
https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/liverpool-empire/
20 February - 25 February 2024
Southampton Mayflower
27 February - 3 March 2024
Milton Keynes Theatres
https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre/
5 March - 10 March 2024
Hull New Theatre
https://www.hulltheatres.co.uk/
12 March - 17 March 2024
Cheltenham Everyman
https://www.everymantheatre.org.uk/
19 March - 24 March 2024
Nottingham Theatre Royal
26 March - 30 March 2024
Norwich Theatre Royal
2 April - 6 April 2024
Grand Opera House Belfast
9 April - 14 April 2024
The Alexandra, Birmingham
atgtickets.com/venues/the-alexandra-theatre-birmingham
16 April - 21 April 2024
Millenium Forum, Londonderry
https://www.millenniumforum.co.uk/
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