Produced by DreamWorks Theatricals and Sam Mendes’ Neal Street Productions, the show will open at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in May 2011, with its opening night on 7 June.

An all-star cast includes Nigel Lindsay as Shrek, Girls Aloud’s Kimberley Walsh as Princess Fiona, Richard Blackwood as the Donkey and Nigel Harman as Lord Farquaad.

Shrek The Musical is part romance, part twisted fairy tale and all irreverent fun for everyone! In a faraway kingdom turned upside down, things get ugly when an unseemly ogre — not a handsome prince — shows up to rescue a feisty princess. Throw in a donkey who won’t shut up, a bad guy with a SHORT temper, 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.

Shrek The Musical originally opened on Broadway in December 2008 and was nominated for eight Tony Awards. Now a brand new production is coming to London full of all-new songs, great dancing and breathtaking scenery.

The London stage musical is based on the irreverent fairy tale from William Steig’s book Shrek and the Oscar-winning Dreamworks Animation film. The creative team includes directors Jason Moore (Avenue Q) and Rob Ashford (Promises, Promises), with book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire, music by Olivier Award winner Jeanine Tesori, scenic, costume and puppet design by Tim Hatley, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, sound design by Peter Hylenski and choreography by Josh Prince.

The musical will be produced in London by DreamWorks Theatricals’ Bill Damaschke and Mendes’ Neal Street Productions under Caro Newling.

Book tickets to Shrek The Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Nigel Lindsay, Richard Blackwood and Kimberley Walsh in Shrek The Musical

Offer Valid: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday performances 31st October to the 17th November

Everyone’s favourite ogre has been brought to life in Shrek The Musical®, the spectacular stage show based on the Oscar-winning film.

Starring Girls Aloud’s Kimberley Walsh, Richard Blackwood, Nigel Lindsay and Nigel Harman,  Shrek The Musical is a joyous, magical musical now playing at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London – and Westendtheatre.com presents our very first special offer to see the show.

Shrek The Musical is part romance, part twisted fairy tale and great fun for all ages. In a faraway kingdom turned upside down, things get ugly when an unseemly ogre — not a handsome prince — shows up to rescue a feisty princess. Throw in a donkey who won’t shut up, a bad guy with a SHORT temper, 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.

Shrek The Musical originally opened on Broadway in December 2008 and was nominated for eight Tony Awards. And now this brand new production has opened in London full of all-new songs, great dancing and breathtaking scenery.

The London stage musical is based on the irreverent fairy tale from William Steig’s book Shrek and the Oscar-winning Dreamworks Animation film. The creative team includes directors Jason Moore (Avenue Q) and Rob Ashford (Promises, Promises), with book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire, music by Olivier Award winner Jeanine Tesori, scenic, costume and puppet design by Tim Hatley, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, sound design by Peter Hylenski and choreography by Josh Prince.

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SPECIAL OFFER: Save £19 on tickets to see  Shrek The Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Offer Valid: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday performances 31st October to the 17th November

Kimberley Walsh will play the role of Princess Fiona in Shrek The Musical from 5 October 2011. Amanda Holden’s pregnancy, announced today, means that she performs as Princess Fiona for the final time on Monday 3 October. Kimberley Walsh takes over the role two months earlier than originally planned.

Kimberley Walsh is a member of Girls Aloud one of the UK’s most successful pop groups. Alongside Cheryl Cole, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts and Sarah Harding she has sold 10 million records, released five platinum selling albums, won a Brit award and played sold-out arena tours. Kimberley’s love of musical theatre was explored in the ITV2 documentary The Passions of Girls Aloud which culminated in her appearance at the Queens Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue singing On My Own, in the role of Eponine, in Les Miserables. This was the realisation of a life-long dream, having played the role of Young Cosette in a production of Les Miserables when she was twelve years old.

SHREK THE MUSICAL® stars Nigel Lindsay as Shrek, Richard Blackwood as Donkey, Nigel Harman as Lord Farquaad. The production officially opened on June 14, 2011 and immediately become one of London’s favourite musicals. It has now played to more than 225,000 people at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane since the first preview performance on Friday May 6, 2011.

Produced by DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions, SHREK THE MUSICAL® is based on the story and characters from William Steig’s book Shrek! and the Oscar®-winning DreamWorks Animation feature film Shrek, the first chapter in the series of irreverent fairy tales.

SHREK THE MUSICAL® tells the story of the swamp-dwelling ogre who embarks on a life-changing adventure in order to reclaim the deed to his land. Joined by a wise-cracking donkey who won’t shut up, this unlikely hero fights a fearsome dragon, rescues the feisty Princess Fiona and learns that real friendship and true love aren’t only found in fairy tales. With all-new songs, and an old favourite in I’m a Believer, this spectacular stage musical brings to life the original film’s cast of dysfunctional characters and the accompanying subversive fun.

The Anglo-American creative team is led by directors Jason Moore and Rob Ashford and includes David Lindsay-Abaire (Book and Lyrics), Jeanine Tesori (Music), Tim Hatley (Scenic, Costume and Puppet Design), Hugh Vanstone (Lighting Design), Peter Hylenski (Sound Design), and Josh Prince (Choreography).

Tickets are now on sale for performances until October 21, 2012.

Release issued by: The Corner Shop PR

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Book tickets to Shrek The Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London

• SHREK THE MUSICAL WILL FEATURE ON BBC RADIO 2 ‘FRIDAY NIGHT IS MUSIC NIGHT – A MUSICAL SHREKTACULAR’ ON FRIDAY JULY 15, 2011

• SHREK THE MUSICAL WILL PARTICIPATE IN CAMP BESTIVAL AND KIDS WEEK IN THE WEST END THS SUMMER

SHREK THE MUSICAL® has been seen by 120,000 people at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane since the new stage production began preview performances on Friday May 6, 2011.

SHREK THE MUSICAL® stars Nigel Lindsay as Shrek, Richard Blackwood as Donkey, Nigel Harman as Lord Farquaad and Amanda Holden as Princess Fiona. The production officially opened on June 14, 2011.

It will be a busy summer for SHREK THE MUSICAL® . The new musical will be participating in various events around the country this July and August.

On Friday July 15 at 8pm, Friday Night is Music Night – A Musical Shrektacular will be broadcast on BBC Radio 2. Recorded at the Hackney Empire, the concert celebrates the 10 year anniversary of the film release of Shrek and the West End opening of SHREK THE MUSICAL® . Nigel Lindsay, Richard Blackwood, Nigel Harman and Amanda Holden will present the two hour programme and alongside the ensemble cast, perform songs from the new stage musical accompanied by the 70-piece strong BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Richard Balcombe. Songs performed from other DreamWorks Animation movies include How to Train your Dragon, Chicken Run, The Prince of Egypt and Kung Fu Panda.

On Saturday July 30, SHREK THE MUSICAL® will stage an exclusive performance at Camp Bestival. Voted the UK’s Best Family Festival for three years in a row, Camp Bestival is set in the majestic Lulworth Castle in Dorset.

During August 12 – 26, SHREK THE MUSICAL® will participate in Kids Week in the West End, an action-packed fortnight of theatrical fun. During Kids Week, a child up to the age of 16 years old can experience SHREK THE MUSICAL® for free, and two additional children can go along at half price (per transaction) if they are accompanied by a full paying adult (subject to availability). On Thursday August 18, 2011, kids can participate in a free dance workshop with a member of the SHREK THE MUSICAL® cast at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, booking is required. Booking for Kids Week in the West End will open on Tuesday July 12 and tickets are available online at www.kidsweek.co.uk.

Details of all of these events are available online at: www.shrekthemusical.co.uk

Produced by DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions, SHREK THE MUSICAL® is based on the story and characters from William Steig’s book Shrek! and the Oscar®-winning DreamWorks Animation feature film Shrek, the first chapter in the series of irreverent fairy tales.

The Anglo-American creative team is led by directors Jason Moore and Rob Ashford and includes David Lindsay-Abaire (Book and Lyrics), Jeanine Tesori (Music), Tim Hatley (Scenic, Costume and Puppet Design), Hugh Vanstone (Lighting Design), Peter Hylenski (Sound Design), and Josh Prince (Choreography).

Release issued by: The Corner Shop

LINKS

Book tickets to Shrek The Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London

Richard Blackwood, Nigel Lindsay and Amanda Holden in Shrek The Musical

Riding on the success of Disney’s venture into stage entertainment, DreamWorks has followed suite, turning their hugely successful Shrek movie franchise into a big new stage musical.

The show stars Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden as Princess Fiona, Nigel Lindsay (Four Lions) as Shrek, comedian Richard Blackwood as Donkey andNigel Harman (EastEnders) as Lord Farquaad.

The creative team behind the show includes directors Jason Moore (Avenue Q) and Rob Ashford (Promises, Promises), with book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire, music by Olivier Award winner Jeanine Tesori, scenic, costume and puppet design by Tim Hatley, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, sound design by Peter Hylenski and choreography by Josh Prince.

See a round-up of Shrek The Musical reviews, below.

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Book tickets to Shrek The Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London

The major new DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions show is based on DreamWorks’ hit animated movie franchise and stars Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden as Princess Fiona, Nigel Lindsay (Four Lions) as Shrek, comedian Richard Blackwood as Donkey andNigel Harman (EastEnders) as Lord Farquaad.

The show officially opens on 14 June 2011.

Other members of the cast include Delroy Atkinson, Amy Beadel, Stephanie Bron, Dean Chisnall, Jon-Scott Clark, Ste Clough, Lee William-Davis, Ross Dawes, Lucie Downer, Alice Fearn, Michelle Francis, Ashley E Hale, Rosanna Hyland, Bradley Jaden, Aaron Lee Lambert, Emma Lindars, Grant Murphy, Spencer O’Brien, Landi Oshinowo, Damien Poole, Stuart Matthew Price, Jacqui Sanchez, Jonathan Stewart, Leigh-Anne Stone, Lucy Tapp, Karli Vale and Michael Watson.

The London stage musical, which previously played on Broadway and in Toronto and is currently on a US tour, is based on the irreverent fairy tale from William Steig’s book Shrek and the Oscar-winning Dreamworks Animation film, and tells the story of the swamp-dwelling ogre who embarks on a life-changing adventure in order to reclaim the deed to his land.

The creative team behind the show includes directors Jason Moore (Avenue Q) and Rob Ashford (Promises, Promises), with book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire, music by Olivier Award winner Jeanine Tesori, scenic, costume and puppet design by Tim Hatley, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, sound design by Peter Hylenski and choreography by Josh Prince.

LINKS

More news on Shrek The Musical

THE ROYAL GALA MARKS THE START OF AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE NEW STAGE MUSICAL AND CHILDREN & THE ARTS

SHREK THE MUSICAL® and The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts today announced that a Royal Gala performance will be held on Wednesday 8 June at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, President of The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts, will attend this special performance, hosted by Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chief Executive Officer of DreamWorks Animation SKG, which will be in support of Children & the Arts.

Tickets are now on sale. Prices start from £20. To book online visit www.shrekthemusical.co.uk

The Royal Gala performance marks the beginning of an ongoing relationship between DreamWorks and Children & the Arts. The cast, creative team and producers of SHREK THE MUSICAL® will work closely with Children & the Arts to jointly develop a new educational project that aims to introduce young people to the art of musical theatre and to encourage participation in all aspects of production.

‘We’re absolutely delighted to have a Royal Gala performance in the presence of our President, His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales for possibly the year’s most anticipated West End opening.

But this is much more than just a single performance. This is the start of an exciting joint effort between Children & the Arts and SHREK THE MUSICAL, where we will combine our knowledge and experience to run activities that will inspire, challenge and develop those children who have had very little access to the arts.’ – Jeremy Newton, Chief Executive, The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts.

“DreamWorks is thrilled to bring Shrek The Musical to London’s West End and we are honored to welcome His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales to the Gala performance at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on the 8th of June,” commented Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chief Executive Officer of DreamWorks Animation. “We look forward to further extending DreamWorks’ relationship with Children & The Arts on an educational program that focuses on the development of core musical theatre skills, which we hope will contribute to the Foundation’s commendable work for years to come.”

Children & the Arts champions the power of the arts to transform lives and strives towards a future where all children in the UK gain access to the arts. The Charity reaches out to the many children who, through social or economic disadvantage, are denied access to cultural venues and to high-quality arts activity. They have worked with over 100,000 children since 2006, and hope to substantially increase this figure over the next few years.

Further information on the education collaboration between Children & the Arts and SHREK THE MUSICAL® will be announced in the next few weeks.

SHREK THE MUSICAL® opens at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on June 14 2011 (previews from May 6) starring Nigel Lindsay as Shrek, Richard Blackwood as Donkey, Nigel Harman as Lord Farquaad and Amanda Holden as Princess Fiona. Produced by DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions, the new stage musical is based on the story and characters from William Steig’s book Shrek! and the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation feature film Shrek, the first chapter in the series of irreverent fairy tales.

The Anglo-American creative team is led by directors Jason Moore and Rob Ashford and includes David Lindsay-Abaire (Book and Lyrics), Jeanine Tesori (Music), Tim Hatley (Scenic, Costume and Puppet Design), Hugh Vanstone (Lighting Design), Peter Hylenski (Sound Design), and Josh Prince (Choreography).
Tickets for the Royal Gala and all other performances are now on sale.
For more information about The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts please visit www.childrenandarts.org.uk

Release issued by: The Corner Shop PR

LINKS

Book tickets to the Shrek The Musical Royal Gala in aid of the Prince’s Foundation for Children and the Arts

Book tickets to Shrek The Musical

Best actress in a musical winner Sheridan Smith

Hosted by musicals star Michael Ball and actress Imelda Staunton, the awards celebrate the best of the year’s London theatre.

Big winners last night included the National Theatre, which swept up seven awards for two of its productions: Thea Sharrock’s revival of Terence Rattigan’s After the Dance, which won awards including best revival, best actress for Nancy Carroll and best actor in a supporting role for Adrian Scarborough; and its production of Mikhail Bulgakov’s The White Guard, including best director for Howard Davies and best set design for Bunny Christie.

In other subsidised venues the Royal Court picked up three awards, including best new play for Bruce Norris’s comedy Clybourne Park, which is now playing at the Wyndham’s Theatre in the West End, and two awards for the Donmar Warehouse, including David Thaxton picking up best actor in a musical for Passion.

Roger Allam won best actor for his performance as Falstaff in Shakespeare’s Globe’s production of Henry IV Parts 1 & 2, beating stiff competition from Rory Kinnear, Derek Jacobi, David Suchet and Mark Rylance.

The Olivier Awards were held at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane

The most successful musical of the night was Legally Blonde at the Savoy Theatre, which picked up three major awards: best new musical, best actress in a musical for Sheridan Smith and best performance in a supporting role in a Musical for Jill Halfpenny.

Other musicals rewarded at the event included We Will Rock You, which won the Olivier Audience Award voted for by members of the theatregoing public, and the Open Air Theatre’s summer production of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods.

Stephen Sondheim was presented with an Olivier Special Award for his enormous contribution to theatre, with the award presented by Sir Cameron Mackintosh and legendary actress Angela Lansbury.

Big shows to miss out on awards this year included Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies, which failed to pick up any awards despite seven nominations, and End of the Rainbow at the Trafalgar Studios, which was nominated for four awards including best actress for Tracie Bennett in her performance as Judy Garland.

Thea Sharrock picks up the Best Revival award for her production of After the Dance at the National Theatre

Notable performances during the ceremony included a star turn by legendary American singer Barry Manilow, who also sang a duet with Wicked and Oliver! star Kerry Ellis; current and former stars of The Phantom of the Opera and Love Never Dies – Ramin Karimloo, John Owen-Jones and Sierra Boggess; Emma Williams and Michael Xavier singing Everything We Know from Love Story; Alfie Boe, who is soon to star in Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre, singing Some Enchanted Evening from South Pacific; Susan McFadden and the current cast of Legally Blonde; and Adrian Lester paying tribute to Stephen Sondheim by singing Being Alive from Company, along with Angela Lansbury singing a moving rendition of Liaisons from A Little Night Music and 400 students from national drama schools singing Our Time from Merrily We Roll Along.

LISTEN & WATCH AGAIN

BBC iPlayer – Radio 2 coverage

BBC iPlayer – BBC News

LINKS

Olivier Awards – list of winners

Olivier Awards microsite

Olivier Awards – news

Olivier Awards – Binkie Blog’s Picks and Pans

Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess, both nominated for Love Never Dies

This year’s Olivier Awards nominations were led by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s big new show Love Never Dies, securing 7 nominations including Best New Musical, Best Actor in a Musical for Ramin Karimloo and Best Actress in a Musical for Sierra Boggess.

However, Sunday’s awards at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane proved to be a disappointing night for Lord Lloyd Webber as the show was pipped to the post in all nomination categories.

Ramin Karimloo, who plays the role of the Phantom said last night that it was a “great evening” but a “shame” that the show didn’t win.

Sierra Bogges, who played Christine in the show, flies out of the UK this morning to start rehearsals for a new production of Master Class on Broadway alongside Tyne Daly. Celia Graham has taken over the role of Christine.

At the awards last night, Ramin Karimloo sang Til I Hear You Sing from Love Never Dies, and John Owen-Jones and Sierra Boggess performed The Phantom of the Opera.

In better news for Love Never Dies, its new star David Thaxton, who joined the cast earlier this month to play Raoul, won a Best Actor in a Musical award for his performance in Passion at the Donmar Warehouse.

Organised by the Society of London Theatre, the awards are the most popular and important in the British theatre calendar. This year they enjoyed an overhaul, with Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton hosting, MasterCard sponsoring the event and live broadcast by the BBC.

LINKS

Love Never Dies Special offer: Save £27.50 on tickets

Olivier Awards – list of winners

Olivier Awards microsite

Olivier Awards – news

Society of London Theatre Special Award:
Stephen Sondheim

Best Actress:
Nancy Carroll for After the Dance at the Lyttelton, NT

Best Actor:
Roger Allam for Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

Best Actress in a Supporting Role:
Michelle Terry for Tribes at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, Royal Court

Best Actor in a Supporting Role:
Adrian Scarborough for After the Dance, at the Lyttelton, NT

Best New Play:
Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, Royal Court

Best Musical Revival:
Into the Woods at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Best New Musical:
Legally Blonde – The Musical book by Heather Hach, music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin at the Savoy

Best Entertainment:
The Railway Children by E Nesbit, adapted by Mike Kenny at the Waterloo Station Theatre

Best Actress in a Musical:
Sheridan Smith for Legally Blonde – The Musical at the Savoy

Best Actor in a Musical:
David Thaxton for Passion at the Donmar Warehouse

Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical:
Jill Halfpenny for Legally Blonde – The Musical at the Savoy

Best Director:
Howard Davies for The White Guard at the Lyttelton, NT

Best Revival:
After the Dance directed by Thea Sharrock at the Lyttelton. NT

Best Theatre Choreographer:
Leon Baugh for Sucker Punch at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, Royal Court

Best Lighting Design:
The White Guard designed by Neil Austin at the Lyttelton, NT

Best Set Design:
The White Guard designed by Bunny Christie at the Lyttelton, NT

Best Costume Design:
After the Dance designed by Hildegard Bechtler at the Lyttelton, NT

Best Sound Design:
King Lear designed by Adam Cork at the Donmar Warehouse

BBC Radio 2 Audience Award for Most Popular Show:
We Will Rock You

Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre:
Lyric Hammersmith for Blasted

Best New Opera Production:
OperaUpClose and Soho Theatre’s La Boheme at the Soho Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Opera:
Christian Gerhaher for his performance in the Royal Opera’s Tannhauser at the Royal Opera House

Best New Dance Production:
Babel (Words) by Eastman vzw and Royal Opera House La Monnaie at Sadler’s Wells, choreographed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Damien Jalet

Outstanding Achievement in Dance:
Antony Gormley for his set design of Babel (Words) by Eastman vzw and Theatre Royal de la Monnaie at Sadler’s Wells

LINKS

Compare all Olivier Award winners