Lutcher Theater presents 'Shrek the Musical'

DreamWorks Theatricals and NETworks Presentations, LLC. are pleased to announce that SHREK THE MUSICAL with book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire and music by Jeanine Tesori, will play the Lutcher Theater in Orange, Texas for two performances only, November 6, 2011 at 3 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and are available at http://www.lutcher.org or by calling the Lutcher box office at 409-886-5535.

An entirely new musical which opened on Broadway December, 2009, 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.

The role of everyone’s favorite swamp-dwelling ogre, Shrek will be played by Lukas Post. Liz Shivener will play the feisty Princess Fiona. Lutcher patrons will remember Liz as Belle in last season’s Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. André Jordan is Shrek’s lovably annoying best friend Donkey and Merritt David Janes plays the vertically challenged villain Lord Farquaad.

“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.”

SHREK THE MUSICAL features a book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize® winner David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole, Good People), music by Olivier Award-winner Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Caroline, or Change). SHREK THE MUSICAL is directed by Stephen Sposito who recently served as Associated Director of the current Broadway revival How To Succeed In Business starring Daniel Radcliff. Sets and costumes are based on the Tony Award® winner designs by Tim Hatley (Private Lives, Spamalot) and Chris Bailey will recreate the original choreography by Josh Prince (The Bridge Project, The Jerry Springer Opera).

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 NETworks Presentations, LLC.

NETworks Presentations, LLC (Producer) was founded in 1995 by Kenneth Gentry, Seth Wenig and Scott Jackson.

NETworks has produced and managed over 80 national and international touring productions.

Previous productions: Little Women starring Maureen McGovern; Cinderella starring Eartha Kitt and Deborah Gibson; Fosse starring Ben Vereen and Ruthie Henshall; The Light in the Piazza; My Fair Lady co-produced with Cameron Mackintosh; Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!; Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake; Annie; Hairspray; The Wizard of Oz, Handel’s Messiah Rocks, Spring Awakening, A Chorus Line and many others.

Joining returning productions of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast; Young Frankenstein; Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific, based on Lincoln Center Theater Production; Blue Man Group National Tour and The New 25th Anniversary Tour of Les Misérables this season are Shrek The Musical, Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins and Lincoln Center Theater production of War Horse touring the U.S.

SHREK THE MUSICAL will play Lutcher Theater for two performances only, Nov. 6 at 3 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and are available at http://www.lutcher.org or by calling the Lutcher Theater box office at 409-886-5535. Groups of 10 or more should call 409-886-5535.

SHREK THE MUSICAL is sponsored locally by Akrotex and by Southeast Texas Arts Council.