Shrek the
Musical Presented by Dallas Summer Musicals
edited by
Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady
 DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions, Ltd. are pleased to
announce that SHREK THE MUSICAL with book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire
and music by Jeanine Tesori, directed by Jason Moore and Rob Ashford, will
be presented by Dallas Summer Musicals at the Music Hall at Fair Park for
three weeks.
September
28-October 17 at the Musical Hall at Fair Park
The role
of everyone’s favorite swamp-dwelling ogre, Shrek will be played by Eric
Petersen, who joins the tour from the Broadway production.
He recently appeared as the socially challenged Barfee in the
National tour of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
Haven Burton, also from the Broadway Company will play the feisty
Princess Fiona. Haven previously
played Margo the Dog Whisperer on Broadway in Legally Blonde and
understudied Elle Woods. Alan Mingo,
Jr. is Shrek’s lovably annoying best friend Donkey.
He was an original company member of The Little Mermaid where he
played the role of Sebastian, and prior to that played the role of Tom
Collins in RENT on Broadway.
Todd Buonopane plays the vertically challenged villain Lord Farquaad.
He performed on Broadway as Roger in Grease! and was a member of the
original Broadway Company of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
Rounding
out the cast of misfit fairy tale characters, the peoples of Duloc and Far,
Far Away are: Joe Abraham, Kevin
Boseman, Holly Ann Butler, Carrie Compere, Emily Cramer, Tyrone Davis, Jr.,
Sandra DeNise, Scarlett Diaz, David Foley, Aymee Garcia, Brian Gonzales
(from Dallas!), Justin Greer, Lisa Ho, Benjamin Howes, Madison Mullahey,
Mara Newbery, Denny Paschall, Sarah Peak, Keven Quillon, Morgan Rose,
Blakely Slaybaugh and David F.M. Vaughn.
“We are
thrilled to send SHREK THE MUSICAL to theatres across the country,” said
Bill Damaschke, President of DreamWorks Theatricals, “and for American
families to experience their favorite ogre and fairy tale creatures live on
stage.”
An
entirely new musical, SHREK THE MUSICAL is 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.
SHREK THE
MUSICAL 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.
SHREK THE
MUSICAL features a book and lyrics by Pulitzer® Prize-winner David Lindsay-Abaire
(Rabbit Hole), music by Olivier Award-winner Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly
Modern Millie, Caroline, or
Change), and is directed by Tony® Award-nominee Jason Moore (Avenue Q) and
Tony® and Emmy® Award-winner Rob Ashford (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Promises
Promises). SHREK THE
MUSICAL has set and costume designs by Tony® Award-winner Tim Hatley
(Private Lives, Spamalot), lighting design by Olivier Award-winner Hugh
Vanstone (A Steady Rain), sound design by Peter Hylenski (Rock of Ages);
choreography by Josh Prince, music supervision by Tim Weil, music direction
by Andy Grobengieser, and orchestrations by Danny Troob and John Clancy.
SHREK THE
MUSICAL was initiated when Sam Mendes, a big fan of the first Shrek film,
suggested the idea of creating a musical to DreamWorks Animation’s Jeffrey
Katzenberg around the time the second film was in production. The musical is
produced by DreamWorks Theatricals (Bill Damaschke, President of DreamWorks
Theatricals and Co-President of Production for DreamWorks Animation) and
Neal Street Productions, Ltd. (principals Sam Mendes and Caro Newling).
The
chart-topping original Broadway cast album for SHREK THE MUSICAL is
available on Decca Broadway. DreamWorks Animation (NASDAQ: DWA).
SHREK THE
MUSICAL will play September 28 through October 17 at the Music Hall at Fair
Park, with the following performance schedule: <
Tue.,
September 28, 8 p.m.
Wed., September 29, 8 p.m.
Thu., September 30, 8
p.m.
Fri., October 1, 8 p.m.
Sat., October 2, 2 and 8 p.m.
Sun.,
October 3, 2 and 8 p.m.
Tue.,
October 5, 8 p.m.
Wed., October 6, 8 p.m.
Thu., October 7, 8 p.m.
Fri., October 8, 8 p.m.
Sat., October 9, 2 and 8 p.m.
Sun., October
10, 2 and 8 p.m.
Tue.,
October 12, 8 p.m.
Wed., October 13, 8 p.m.
Thu., October 14, 2 and 8
p.m.
Fri., October 15, 8 p.m.
Sat., October 16, 2 and 8 p.m.
Sun.,
October 17, 2 p.m.
SHREK THE
MUSICAL will be the 2010 State Fair of Texas musical. The State Fair will
run from Sept. 24- Oct. 17 and tickets are $15 for general admission to the
fair. Tickets to the musical will be
honored as admission tickets to the fair on the day of the show purchased.
Principal Cast Biographies
ERIC
PETERSEN (Shrek), Broadway: Shrek The Musical (Shrek Standby/Papa Ogre/Straw
Pig). Other credits include: First National Tour of The 25th Annual Putnam
County Spelling Bee (Barfee), many Theatreworks USA productions, readings of Zorba
(w/Antonio Banderas), Up Here, among numerous others. Regional: ...Spelling
Bee (Northshore/Barrington Stage), The Foreigner (Engeman Theatre), The
Producers (Barn Theatre), Oliver! (Charleston<
Stage). TV: "Law & Order," "Law & Order: SVU," "As The World Turns," "Evan
& Gareth Trying To Get Laid," and an upcoming NBC pilot with Jimmy Smits.
Eric is a proud graduate of
Bradley
University
and member of Actor's Equity. Check out more at
www.EricPetersenOnline.com.
HAVEN BURTON< (Fiona), is elated
to be playing a Princess at long last as she returns to her Shrek family.
Originally from Los Angeles<, she moved far, far away to
Broadway where she was most recently seen in Shrek The Musical as Gingy and
Sugar Plum Fairy, and she understudied Fiona and Teen Fiona.
Other Broadway credits include Legally Blonde where she played Margot
the dog whisperer while she understudied Elle, and in RENT where she played
Maureen. She also performed in
the First National tour of RENT in the role of Mrs. Cohen. Haven graduated
with a BA from the New York University Tisch
School
of the Arts.
ALAN
MINGO, JR. (Donkey). Broadway Credits: Sebastian in Disney's The Little
Mermaid, where he was an original company member, Tom Collins in RENT.
Prior to joining RENT on Broadway he staged, choreographed, and
performed in the Italian version of RENT for Luciano Pavorotti.
He also performed in both national companies. Other National tours:
Seaweed in Hairspray, and Simba in the
Los Angeles<
company and the first national tour of Disney's The Lion King. Regional
Credits: The Wiz at La Jolla Playhouse, A
Christmas Story: The Musical at Kansas City Rep. TV Credits: "Frasier,"
"Law & Order," "The Wayne Brady Show," and "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."
M.F.A.: University of California,
Irvine<.
www.alanmingo.com.
TODD
BUONOPANE (Lord Farquaad) appeared on Broadway as Roger in Grease and in the
original Broadway Company of ...Spelling Bee. Off-Broadway, he was
seen in Henry & Mudge, Don’t Quit Your Night Job and The Butter and Egg< Man.< Regional favorites
include Mr. Snow in Carousel, Ralph Malph in Happy Days, Herschel in Gemini,
The Musical (Barrymore nomination). Television/Film credits include the
recurring role of Jeffrey Weinerslav on 30 Rock, The Black Donnellys, Law &
Order: CI and the new film A Kiss For Jed Wood. BFA in Musical Theater
from the
University
of Michigan.
Special thanks to whole Shrek team and the boys at Talent House.
Creative Biographies
DAVID
LINDSAY-ABAIRE (Book & Lyrics) was most recently nominated for two Tony
Awards for his work on Shrek The Musical:
Best Book of a Musical and Best Score (with composer Jeanine Tesori).
Prior to that he was awarded the 2008 Ed Kleban Award as America’s
most promising musical theatre lyricist and the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for
Drama for his play Rabbit Hole, which premiered on Broadway at MTC’s
Biltmore Theatre. Rabbit Hole also received five Tony Award nominations,
including Best Play, and the Spirit of America Award. His other shows
include Fuddy Meers, Kimberly Akimbo, Wonder of the World, High Fidelity and
A Devil Inside, among others. In addition to his work in theatre, David's
screen adaptation of Rabbit Hole is scheduled for release this Fall.
It stars Nicole Kidman and is directed by John Cameron Mitchell.
David is a proud New Dramatists alum, a graduate of
Sarah Lawrence College
and the
Juilliard
School,
as well as a member of the WGA and the Dramatists Guild Council.
JEANINE
TESORI (Music) has written four Tony-nominated scores for Broadway: Twelfth
Night (Lincoln Center); Thoroughly Modern Millie (lyrics, Dick Scanlan);
Caroline, or Change (lyrics, Tony Kushner), and Shrek The Musical (lyrics,
David Lindsay-Abaire). The production of Caroline, or Change at the National
Theater in
London< received
the Olivier Award for Best New Musical. Her first musical, Violet, written
with Brian Crawley, received the New York Drama Critics Circle Award in
1997. She has been the recipient of many other honors including Drama Desk
and Obie Awards, and was cited by ASCAP as the first woman composer to have
“two new musicals running concurrently on Broadway.” She composed the music
for the New York Shakespeare Festival’s Mother Courage, as translated by
Tony Kushner, starring Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline. She has written songs
for the movie Shrek The Third.
Her film scores include Nights in Rodanthe, Winds of Change, Show Business
and Wrestling With Angels. She composed songs for the movie Disney DVD
releases Mulan II, Lilo and Stitch II and The Little Mermaid III. She has
produced sixty CD’s for Silver-Burdett Ginn’s Making Music and the original
cast albums for Twelfth Night, Violet and Caroline, or Change.
Ms. Tesori, a Barnard graduate, is on the council of the Dramatists
Guild. Her next project is a new musical with the playwright Lisa Kron.
JASON
MOORE (Director). Broadway: Shrek The Musical, Avenue Q, Steel Magnolias.
Carnegie Hall: Jerry Springer: The Opera. Off-Broadway: Speech and Debate
(Roundabout), Avenue Q (the Vineyard), Guardians (the Culture Project), The
Crumple Zone. Associate directing: Les Misérables (Broadway, national tour),
Ragtime (Vancouver<). Writer: The Floatplane Notebooks
(Charlotte Repertory Theatre). TV directing: episodes of “Dawson<’s Creek,” “Everwood,” “One Tree Hill”
and “Brothers and Sisters.” Jason has a BS in performance studies from Northwestern
University.
ROB
ASHFORD (Director) is director and choreographer of the current Broadway
revival of Promises, Promises (Tony nomination, Best Choreography) starring
Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth. Other Broadway credits include Thoroughly
Modern Millie (2002 Tony Award, Best Choreography), The Wedding Singer (Tony
nomination), Curtains (Tony nomination), Cry-Baby (Tony nomination). In
London, A Streetcar Named Desire starring Rachel Weisz at the Donmar
Warehouse (Olivier nomination, Best Revival), Parade at the Donmar Warehouse
(Olivier nominations for Direction and Choreography), Evita (Olivier
nomination), Guys and Dolls (Olivier nomination), Thoroughly Modern
Millie (Olivier nomination), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the
Forum), Once in a Lifetime (National Theatre). Other credits
include Parade (Mark Taper Forum), Candide (English National Opera, La Scala,
Milan<, Chatelet, Paris), Tenderloin, Bloomer Girl, A Connecticut Yankee… and Pardon My
English (Encores!). He provided choreography for the film Beyond the
Sea directed by and starring Kevin Spacey. Mr. Ashford won an Emmy
Award for Outstanding Choreography for his work on the “81st Annual Academy
Awards,” and was recently appointed an Associate Director at The Donmar
Warehouse in London<.
JOSH
PRINCE (Choreographer).
Broadway: Shrek The Musical (Outer Critics Circle
Nom). Off-Broadway:
The Kid (The New Group).
New York City: The Bridge
Project (BAM/The Old Vic ’09/’10); The Jerry Springer Opera (w/Harvey
Keitel) at Carnegie Hall; Camelot (w/Gabriel Byrne) with the NY Philharmonic
at Lincoln Center (PBS); and All Singing All Dancing (Town Hall ‘09).
Josh also recently had the pleasure of choreographing the 2010
Kennedy Center Spring Gala. Additional credits:
Tales From The Bad Years (Theater Works Palo Alto, dir.); Calvin
Berger (MTC 7@7 Series, Dir.);
Emerald Man (NYMF, Dir.); Barnum (Dir.); Cabaret (Dir.); Guys and Dolls;
One Way Ticket To Hell (Dir.); The Full Monty; The Big Funk (Dir.);
La Boheme; Anything Goes and Singin’ In The Rain.
TIM
HATLEY (Set, Costume & Puppet Design). Winner of the 2009 Tony Award for
Best Costume Design for his work on Shrek The Musical. Winner of 2002 Tony
and Drama Desk Awards for Private Lives on Broadway. Winner of the 2002
Olivier Award for Humble Boy and Private Lives in the West End and a 1997
Olivier Award for Stanley< at
the Royal National Theatre.
Broadway credits: Spamalot, Private Lives, Vincent in Brixton, The
Crucible, Stanley. Film
credits: Stage Beauty, Closer and Notes on a Scandal. Previous theatre work
includes working with Theatre de Complicite, Royal National Theatre, Royal
Shakespeare Company, English National Opera and London<’s West End. Graduated from Central Saint Martins School of
Art, London<.
HUGH
VANSTONE (Lighting) has designed lighting for plays, musicals and operas in London<, New York< and around the world. He
has received three Olivier Awards for his work in London<.
New York credits: A
Steady Rain (Schoenfeld), God of Carnage (Jacobs), Mary Stuart (Broadhurst
Theatre – TONY & Drama Desk nominations for Best Lighting), Shrek The
Musical (Broadway), Boeing-Boeing (Longacre); Spamalot (Shubert - TONY
nomination for Best Lighting); Bombay Dreams (Broadway); Life (x) 3 (Circle
in the Square); Uncle Vanya, Twelfth Night and Hamlet (BAM); The Graduate
(Plymouth); Follies (Belasco); Blast! (Broadway); The Unexpected Man
(Promenade); The Blue Room (Cort); Closer (Music Box); Art (Royale).
PETER
HYLENSKI (Sound Designer).
Grammy, Tony and Olivier award nominated. Selected Broadway: Shrek the
Musical; Rock of Ages; Lend Me A Tenor; Cry Baby; The Times They Are A-Changin;
The Wedding Singer; Sweet Charity; Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me; Little
Women; Brooklyn. Other credits: Le Reve: Wynn Las Vegas; Ragtime (West End);
Walking with Dinosaurs; Mame; Opening Doors; The Scottsboro Boys;
Annie. He has designed for Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden
and The Kennedy Center. Recently
Peter co-produced the cast album of Shrek, the Musical with Jeanine Tesori
and was the re-record mixer on his fourth film for the American Museum of Natural
History titled: Journey to the
Stars.
DREAMWORKS THEATRICALS (Producer) was established in 2007 by DreamWorks
Animation SKG, Inc. (NASDAQ: DWA) to produce stage productions based on its
films and other original and adapted works. Bill Damaschke serves as
President of DreamWorks Theatricals and Co-President of Production for DWA.
DWA is devoted to producing high-quality family entertainment through
the use of computer-generated (CG) animation. DWA’s current and upcoming
film slate includes How to Train Your Dragon, Shrek Forever After and
Megamind; past titles include Shrek, Shrek 2, Shrek the Third,
Madagascar, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa,
Kung Fu Panda and Monsters vs. Aliens. Shrek was the winner of the
first-ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Jeffrey Katzenberg
currently serves as DWA’s CEO and on the Board of Directors and was a
co-founder of DreamWorks Studios in 1994. Shrek the Musical is DWA’s first
venture in legitimate theatre.
NEAL
STREET
PRODUCTIONS (Producer) formed in 2003 by Sam Mendes, Caro Newling and Pippa
Harris to produce film and theatre. Films:
Revolutionary Road, Jarhead, Stuart: A Life
Backwards, Starter for Ten, Things We Lost in the Fire. Theatre: The Bridge
Project with Brooklyn Academy of Music/Old Vic Theatre, Mary Stuart, West
End Premiere of Three Days of Rain, Sunday in the Park with George, The
Vertical Hour. Mendes and Newling established and ran the Donmar Warehouse
Theatre, London, 1992 to 2002, originating some 70 productions including, on
Broadway, The Blue Room, Electra, True West and the Tony Award winners
Cabaret, The Real Thing, Take Me Out.
www.nealstreetproductions.com
ABOUT
DREAMWORKS ANIMATION. DreamWorks Animation creates high-quality
entertainment, including CG animated feature films, television specials and
series, live entertainment properties and online virtual worlds, meant for
audiences around the world. The Company has world-class creative talent, a
strong and experienced management team and advanced filmmaking technology
and techniques. DreamWorks Animation has been named one of the “100 Best
Companies to Work For” by FORTUNE® Magazine for two consecutive years. In
2010, DreamWorks Animation ranks #6 on the list.
All of
DreamWorks Animation’s feature films are now being produced in 3D. The
Company has theatrically released a total of 19 animated feature films,
including the franchise properties of Shrek<, Madagascar<,
Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon. DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming
feature film releases for 2010 are Shrek Forever After and Megamind.
Get
your tickets now
Single
ticket prices range from $29-133.50 and will go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday,
July 26. Tickets will be available at The Box Office, 542 Preston Royal Shopping
Center, all Ticketmaster outlets, by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or by
calling 214-631-ARTS (2787). Group orders of 15 or more may be placed by
calling 214-426-GROUP.
For more
information, visit
www.ShrekTheMusical.com or
www.DallasSummerMusicals.org.
Join the
award-winning Shrekster.com, the Official Fan community of Shrek The Musical
delivering news, media and exclusive contests to fans of the Shrek Series
and Shrek the Musical. Log in
and join your city group for access to the most up to date news, information
and member’s only exclusive content from Shrek and Donkey’s first
“whirlwind, big city adventure” across the country:
www.shrekster.com/dallas.
Thanks to the Sponsors <
Season
sponsors for Dallas Summer Musicals, presented by Comerica Bank, are WFAA TV
Channel 8 and American Airlines.
Now celebrating its 70th season, Dallas Summer Musicals, Inc. (DSM) is the
largest producer of live theatrical entertainment in the Southwest, the
second oldest summer theater organization in the United States, and the
sixth largest non-profit theater company.
DSM has been entertaining North Texas
audiences with the finest in live, musical theatre entertainment since 1941.
In addition to presenting national Broadway tours, DSM also produces
shows on Broadway, presents and tours local productions, and is involved in
developing new works. Dallas
Summer Musicals’ affiliates include DSM Management Group, Inc. (DSMMGI),
which manages the Music Hall at Fair
Park.
As a
non-profit organization, DSM relies on a variety of funding sources to bring
the Best of Broadway to Dallas<
at affordable ticket prices, as well as to preserve the beautiful historic
theatres, educate young audiences and create important community programs.
DSM’s Seats for Kids program provides a meaningful arts education
experience to thousands of low income, at-risk and special needs children.
DSM and the Dallas Police Department partner together to provide positive
incentives for youth that are at risk for gang membership through the Stage
Right program. In addition, the DSM Academy of Performing Arts offers
professional theatre arts training and scholarships to talented students in
need. Ticket sales alone do not sustain these endeavors.
Only support from committed businesses, foundations and individuals
make these programs possible. For more information about Dallas Summer
Musicals, presented by Comerica Bank, visit their website at
www.DallasSummerMusicals.org or call (214) 421-5678.
Madelyn
Miller is a travel and food writer who tries to attend every performance of
the Dallas Summer Musicals. Read her stories on
www.travellady.com,
www.carladynews.com,
www.yogayaya.com,
www.chocolateatlas.com,
www.cocktailatlas.com,
www.teaAtlas.com,
www.coffeeatlas.com
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