All New Tony Winning Shrek The Musical Arrives in Wilmington as Part of North American Tour

-Courtesy of Bryan Buttler Media Relations, LLC
Feature photo: Nicholas Hambruch as Shrek, by @FullOutCreative

Fifth Estate Entertainment and Round Room Live are thrilled to announce that an all-new version of Shrek The Musical will depart Duloc to embark on a cross-country national tour that includes a stop in Wilmington, Delaware on June 4, 2024.  Audiences can expect a Shrek that feels both familiar and refreshingly new, inviting everyone to “fall in love all ogre again.” Tickets currently on sale at BroadwayinWilmington.org.

“Delaware’s favorite ogre is back in the hilarious stage spectacle based on the Oscar®-winning, smash hit, DreamWorks animated film,” said Skip Pennella, Executive Director of The Grand. “This newly reinvisioned Shrek is making its regional premiere here at The Playhouse, where audiences of all ages will enjoy this Tony Award-winning musical.”

Kimberly Akimbo Tony Award-winning duo Jeanine Tesori (music) and David Lindsay-Abaire (book) revisit their first collaboration to deliver a more intimate and engaging experience – a joyful, colorful SHREK that leans into the humanity in all of us that celebrates our differences. With all-new original direction and choreography by Danny Mefford (Choreographer, Dear Evan Hansen), this reimagined production of Shrek the Musical brings the show back to its roots – giving it a new kind of love emphasizing the importance of loving ourselves and one another.

David Lindsay-Abaire said, “It’s been such a gift to get to revisit the show after all these years and rethink some of the choices and reimagine the piece as a whole. This all-new production is leaner and more focused. It’s joyful and funny and feels beautifully hand-crafted in a way that really brings out the things we first fell in love with – the heart and wonder and humor of the story.” 

Jeanine Tesori added, “We wanted to make a show that families could come to, to laugh and be moved. Something that would create a memory, because everybody has felt like an ogre now and then.”

See the creative duo discuss the all-new Shrek more on YouTube here.

Based on the hit DreamWorks animated film, Shrek the Musical is a hilarious fairy tale adventure with a cast of vibrant characters and a ‘shrek-tacular’ score that’s perfect for the young and the young-at-heart! Our unlikely hero finds himself on a life-changing journey alongside a wisecracking Donkey and the feisty Princess Fiona who resists her rescue. Throw in a short-tempered bad guy, a cookie with an attitude, and over a dozen other fairy tale misfits, and you’ve got the kind of mess that calls for a real hero. Luckily, there’s one on hand…and his name is Shrek. It’s not easy being green, but this irreverently fun musical proves that beauty is truly in the eye of the ogre!

The tour cast features Nicholas Hambruch (Shrek), Cecily Dionne Davis (Fiona), Naphtali Yaakov Curry (Donkey), Timmy Lewis (Lord Farquaad), Jamir Brown (Pinocchio), Tori Kocher (Dragon), Kelly Prendergast (Gingy/US Fiona), Hope Schafer (Mama Ogre/Wicked Witch/Blue Bird), Riley Johnston (Pig/Knight/2nd Shrek US), Katherine Paladichuk (Teen Fiona/Peter Pan), Sage Jepson (Wolf/Shrek US), Cynthia Ana Rivera (Mama Bear/ Dragon US), Carson Zoch (Pig/Pinocchio Cover), Demetrio Alomar (Papa Ogre/Papa Bear), Ally Choe (Young Fiona/Ugly Duckling/Gingy US), Leon Ray (Pig), Casey Lamont (Female Swing), and John Cardenas (Male Swing). Harrison Roth is music director.

Shrek The Musical features scenic design by Steven Kemp, costume design by Linda Cho, lighting design by Herrick Goldman, sound design by Ben Selke, Puppet Design by Camille LaBarre, and Props by Cam Upton, orchestrations by John Clancy, tour music supervision by Chris Fenwick, and casting by Wojcik Casting Team. The executive producer for the tour is Dani Davis.

The original Shrek opened on Broadway on December 14, 2008, running for 441 performances and 37 previews. The musical received eight Tony Award nominations, winning one.

Additional information about the show is available at www.shrekthemusicaltour.com. Follow the tour on Instagram (@shrekthemusicaltour), Threads (@shrekthemusicaltour), TikTok (@shrekthemusicaltour), and YouTube (@ShrekTheMusicalNATour). 

Broadway in Wilmington is presented by Bank of America. Additional season support by The Buccini/Pollin Group. This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.