SHREK THE MUSICAL announces UK and Ireland Tour dates from July 2014

COMING TO A SWAMP NEAR YOU!

NATIONAL TOUR OF HIT WEST END AND BROADWAY PRODUCTION OF

‘TAKING OGRE’ THE UK AND IRELAND FROM JULY 2014

TOUR DIRECTED BY NIGEL HARMAN

Producers of SHREK THE MUSICAL® today announced that the larger-than-life production will be heading to a swamp near you on its first ever tour of UK and Ireland, from July 2014. Coming direct from London, where it was seen live on stage by nearly a million people, the (UK and Ireland) tour of the Drury Lane production of SHREK THE MUSICAL®will be directed by Nigel Harman who starred as Lord Farquaad in the west end production, winning him the 2012 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical.

SHREK THE MUSICAL® will open at the Grand Theatre in Leeds on Wednesday 23rd July followed by dates in Bristol, Nottingham, Belfast, Dublin, Oxford, Manchester, Aberdeen, Canterbury, Newcastle, Glasgow and Sheffield with further venues still to be announced.

SHREK THE MUSICAL®, originally directed (in the west end) by Jason Moore and Rob Ashford, is based on the story and characters from William Steig’s book Shrek! and the Oscar®-winning DreamWorks Animations feature film.

Bill Damaschke, Chief Creative Officer of DreamWorks says:

We are thrilled that Shrek and his fairy-tale friends will be heading out on tour across the UK and Ireland and delighted that our very own Nigel Harman will be directing SHREK THE MUSICAL® on the road. It has been such a joy to bring this loved story to life and we can’t wait for families up and down the country to experience their beloved swamp-dwelling ogre, Princess Fiona, Donkey and all their pals live on stage, as so many have on Broadway and in the west end.

Director of SHREK THE MUSICAL®UK and Ireland Tour, Nigel Harman says:

I am delighted to be returning to Shrek as its director. This show is very special to me with its dizzying blend of great characters, a hilarious script and sublime music. This production is visually stunning, and the story has the magic ingredient of moving at great pace while still being surprisingly intimate. In short, there was no way I was going to say no to the challenge of realising the production for the UK and Ireland.  I really can't wait to take this show on the road!

SHREK THE MUSICAL® opened on Broadway in 2008 before touring to nearly 150 cities in the USA and Canada. Productions of SHREK THE MUSICAL® have played in Spain, Poland, France, Malaysia, China, Brazil, Italy, Denmark, The Netherlands, Estonia, Israel and Turkey. The UK and Ireland tour will be presented by Dreamworks Theatricals, Neal Street Productions, Playful Productions, Lee Menzies, Ron Kastner, Robert G Bartner, Saracen Films, Mark Cartwright, Gavin Kalin, Glass Half Full Productions/Just For Laughs Theatricals.

Casting information will be announced in due course.

SHREK THE MUSICAL® LISTINGS INFORMATION

Website:       www.shrekthemusical.co.uk
Twitter:        www.twitter.com/shrekuktour
Facebook:    www.facebook.com/shrekthemusicaluktour

TOUR SCHEDULE

Wednesday 23 July 2014 – Sunday 17 August 2014
LEEDS GRAND THEATRE
www.leedsgrandtheatre.com
0844 848 2700

Tuesday 19 August 2014 - Sunday 7 September 2014
BRISTOL HIPPODROME
www.atgtickets.com/bristol
0844 871 3012

Wednesday 10 September 2014 - Sunday 28 September 2014
NOTTINGHAM THEATRE ROYAL
www.trch.co.uk
0115 989 5555

Wednesday 8 October 2014 – Sunday 19 October 2014
BELFAST GRAND OPERA HOUSE
www.goh.co.uk
02890 241919

Tuesday 21 October 2014 – Sunday 9 November 2014
BORD GÁIS ENERGY THEATRE, DUBLIN
www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie
00 353 (0) 818 719 377

Wednesday 12 November 2014 – Sunday 16 November 2014
NEW THEATRE, OXFORD
www.atgtickets.com/oxford
0844 871 3020

Tuesday 2 December 2014 - Sunday 11 January 2015
PALACE THEATRE, MANCHESTER
www.atgtickets.com/manchester
0844 871 3019

Wednesday 21 January 2015 - Sunday 8 February 2015
HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE, ABERDEEN
www.boxofficeaberdeen.com
01224 641 122

Wednesday 11 February 2015 – Sunday 1 March 2015
MARLOWE THEATRE, CANTERBURY
www.marlowetheatre.com
01227 787 787

Wednesday 11 March 2015 - Sunday 29 March 2015
NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL
www.theatreroyal.co.uk
0844 811 2121

Wednesday 29 April 2015 – Sunday 17 May 2015
KINGS THEATRE, GLASGOW
www.atgtickets.com/glasgow
0844 871 7648

Wednesday 27 May 2015 - Sunday 7 June 2015
LYCEUM THEATRE, SHEFFIELD
www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
0114 249 6000

Further venues to be announced