An extravaganza for big kids and little ones alike is coming to the Theatre Royal in July, with Shrek the Musical.
Leave your troubles Far Far Away and come join the adventure as Shrek and Donkey embark on their quest to defeat the dragon and save Princess Fiona.
Featuring fabulous songs including ‘I’m A Believer’, ‘Big Bright Beautiful World’ and ’I Know It’s Today’.Rising star Cherece Richards (Once on This Island, Regent’s Park Theatre) will make her debut as the Dragon, alongside Antony Lawrence (Shrek), Joanne Clifton (Princess Fiona), James Gillan (Lord Farquaad) and Brandon Lee Sears (Donkey) in this brand-new touring production opening at Theatre Royal in Plymouth on July 21.
Leo Abad, Scotty Armstrong, Imogen Bailey, Jabari Braham, Georgie Buckland, Natasha Cayabyab, Mark Darcy, Jonathan David Dudley, Remi Ferdinand, Sonny Grieveson, Edward Leigh, Bethany Kate, Jessica Lim, Andile Mabhena, Bronte MacMillan, India Thornton. Talia Duff, Gabby Gregorian, Roy Shafford and Jamie Jonathan complete the full cast line-up. Antony Lawrence’s previous credits include Scar in The Lion King (International Tour), Mary Poppins (National Tour), Matilda the Musical (Cambridge Theatre/RSC) and We Will Rock You (International Arena Tour). Joanne Clifton, best-known for her time as a professional dancer on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, will play Princess Fiona.
She joined the iconic TV show after winning the World Professional Showdance Champion and the European Professional Ballroom Championship. 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 Farquaad) 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 has also performed in productions of Wicked, Starlight Express and Taboo! 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 Theatre), Come From Away (Phoenix theatre); Heathers (Theatre Royal Haymarket); Motown the Musical (Shaftesbury Theatre); and On The Town (Regents Park Open Air Theatre).
From the producers of Hairspray and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Shrek the Musical brings together a new creative team to reimagine this award-winning 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.
Director and choreographer is Nick Winston (Bonnie and Clyde, Arts Theatre; Beauty and the Beast, UK tour) and co-director Sam Holmes (Club Tropicana the Musical).