Green Turns to Gray: Broadway's Shrek Will Close in January 2010
By Kenneth Jones
21 Oct 2009
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Brian d'Arcy James in Broadway's Shrek
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| photo by Joan Marcus | Shrek the Musical will play its final performance at the Broadway Theatre on Jan. 3, 2010, following 441 performances and 37 previews.
The national tour of the family-friendly musical based on the DreamWorks film and kid-lit favorite will launch at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre for a limited engagement, July 13–Sept. 5, 2010.
Bill Damaschke, president of DreamWorks Theatricals, said on Oct. 21, "Bringing Shrek the Musical to Broadway has been a joyous and thrilling adventure, and we couldn't be more proud of our first Broadway show. We now look forward to taking the production to audiences on tour in the U.S. and beyond."
The cast was told Oct. 21. Shrek features a book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winner, David Lindsay-Abaire, music by Olivier Award-winner Jeanine Tesori, and is directed by Tony Award nominee Jason Moore. Following a pre-Broadway engagement at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, Shrek the Musical opened at the Broadway Theatre on Dec. 14, 2008.
Shrek the Musical is "an entirely new musical" based on the story and characters from William Steig's book "Shrek!," as well as the DreamWorks Animation film "Shrek," the first chapter of the Shrek movie series. The musical is produced by DreamWorks Theatricals (Bill Damaschke, President) and Neal Street Productions, Ltd (principals Sam Mendes and Caro Newling).
The musical, studded with R&B, jazz, rock, power ballads and old-fashioned show tunes, received eight 2009 Tony Award nominations including Best Musical, winning Best Costume Design of a Musical (Tim Hatley). The show also received three Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Brian d'Arcy James), Outstanding Set & Costume Design of a Musical (Tim Hatley); and four Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Brian d'Arcy James), Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Sutton Foster), Outstanding Set & Costume Design (Tim Hatley).
The show "tells the story of a swamp-dwelling ogre who goes on a life-changing adventure to reclaim the deed to his land. Joined by a wise-cracking donkey, this unlikely hero fights a fearsome dragon, rescues a feisty princess and learns that real friendship and true love aren't only found in fairy tales."
In recent weeks, Neil Diamond's "I'm a Believer" (from the film) was added to the curtain call.
Tickets for remaining performances are available by calling Telecharge.com at (212) 239-6200, (800) 432-7250 outside the NY metro area, online at Telecharge.com, or in person at The Broadway Theatre box office (1681 Broadway at 53rd St).
Visit ShrektheMusical.com.
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Several new musicals are said to be seeking Broadway homes in spring 2010, including American Idiot, Minsky's and Promises, Promises.
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Christopher Sieber and cast in Shrek the Musical
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| photo by Joan Marcus |
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