The English-language production will kick off Jan. 22 in Istanbul, Turkey, and will tour to Europe, the Middle East and Asia; cities will include Abu Dhabi, Jakarta and Singapore, among others.
The production is choreographed by Chris Bailey and directed by Stephen Sposito. Costumes are by Tony winner Tim Hatley.
The cast will be headed by Kyle Timson as Shrek, Jared Howelton as Donkey, Lindsay Dunn as Fiona, Tyler Brandon as Farquaad and Olivia Fanders as Young Fiona.
"Shrek The Musical marks the anniversary of our partnership with NETworks Presentations as we continue to deliver first-class productions. Our new approach to touring has reinvented the traditional model of live theatrical distribution, creating a framework for delivering quality titles to an extended network of international presenters and venues," stated Liz Koops of Broadway Entertainment Group.
Ken Gentry of NETworks Presentations added, "We are thrilled to be launching our second international tour with Broadway Entertainment Group. Following the success of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Shrek The Musical, with its wide appeal toward all audiences around the world, seemed the perfect choice for our next international venture. NETworks is thrilled be able to bring this top quality production into markets like Istanbul, Abu Dhabi, Jakarta and Singapore." Based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film of the same name, the musical is described as such: "In a far away kingdom turned upside down, things get ugly when an ogre – not a handsome prince – shows up to rescue a feisty princess. Throw in a donkey that does not keep quiet, a villain 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."
