Shrek: The Musical

[Cordy_Biddle]

Not that this doesn't surprise me. Here's the story:

Green Turns to Gray: Broadway's Shrek Will Close in January 2010
By Kenneth Jones
21 Oct 2009

Shrek the Musical will play its final performance at the Broadway Theatre on Jan. 3, 2010, following 441 performances and 37 previews.

The national tour of the family-friendly musical based on the DreamWorks film and kid-lit favorite will launch at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre for a limited engagement, July 13–Sept. 5, 2010.

Bill Damaschke, president of DreamWorks Theatricals, said on Oct. 21, "Bringing Shrek the Musical to Broadway has been a joyous and thrilling adventure, and we couldn't be more proud of our first Broadway show. We now look forward to taking the production to audiences on tour in the U.S. and beyond."

The cast was told Oct. 21.

Shrek features a book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winner, David Lindsay-Abaire, music by Olivier Award-winner Jeanine Tesori, and is directed by Tony Award nominee Jason Moore. Following a pre-Broadway engagement at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, Shrek the Musical opened at the Broadway Theatre on Dec. 14, 2008.

The show "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."

In recent weeks, Neil Diamond's "I'm a Believer" (from the film) was added to the curtain call.

Tickets for remaining performances are available by calling Telecharge.com at (212) 239-6200, (800) 432-7250 outside the NY metro area, online at Telecharge.com, or in person at The Broadway Theatre box office (1681 Broadway at 53rd St).

[PrincePhillipFan]

Thanks for the info Cordy.

My family and I are heading up to New York to see it in two weeks time. I'm glad we were able to get tickets for it in advance before the news of this came out. I'm mostly excited just to see Sutton Foster and Christopher Seiber on stage.

[PixarFan2006]

Another short lived Broadway show. First Little Mermaid, now this.

[Cordy_Biddle]

Seriously, did anyone think this show would run more than two years? I'm surprised it's lasted this long.

[SpringHeelJack]

Another short lived Broadway show. First Little Mermaid, now this.

Yes, well, the thing those shows have in common also is that they are both terrible. I'm shocked either coasted on name recognition as long as they did. "Shrek" would have been wise to find a better lyricist. One who was, you know, funny. I bet Bobby Marx and Jeff Lopez could have made it into something I wouldn't minded seeing.

[UmbrellaFish]

So, from what I understand... Broadway's been really terrible, right? That is to say, recently.

[Cordy_Biddle]

Yeah, it's been...quite disappointing, really. "Rock of Ages" is another show Broadway could do without.

[blackcauldron85]

Learn something new every day- I didn't know that Neil Diamond wrote "I'm a Believer". Or if at one point I did know that, I had forgotten.

I read this this morning; I didn't actually read an article on it, but I read a headline about it and that's all I needed.

I agree with Cordy- did people think that this would be good? My DreamWorks loathing aside, it just didn't seem like a good idea. To me at least.

[Poody]

Yeah, everything on Broadway is closing LOL and this is one that I'm gald is....

I'm still bitter about 9 to 5 closing!

[Cordy_Biddle]

Yeah, everything on Broadway is closing LOL and this is one that I'm gald is....

I'm still bitter about 9 to 5 closing!

Me too! And I've never quite forgiven audiences for letting "Grey Gardens" go so quickly.

[PeterPanfan]

Oh... how surprising...

[SpringHeelJack]

So, from what I understand... Broadway's been really terrible, right? That is to say, recently.

No, not really. The crap seems to get weeded out fairly quickly (see "The Little Mermaid", "Shrek", "Legally Blonde", "9 to 5" etc. etc.), and you have "Hair", "South Pacific", "39 Steps", "God of Carnage", "Billy Elliot", "Next to Normal", "Wishful Drinking", and soon "Ragtime" and "A Little Night Music" will open. And though they are lousy productions, you have "West Side Story" and "Chicago". Not to mention all that crap the tourists eat up like "Wicked", "Mamma Mia", and "The Phantom of the Opera", which are all pretty crappy, but people eat it up anyhow.

I'm sure it's not the strongest it's ever been, but it sure as hell isn't the mid to late 80's. So much lousy Brit-pop.

[estefan]

I'm still majorly disappointed Young Frankenstein was closed. I saw the show on Broadway last year and thought it was fantastic.

Oh, well. At least, the Touring Company is going around now. I don't think anyone could top Roger Bart and Megan Mullally, though.

[Cordy_Biddle]

Speaking of the divine Megan Mullally, is everyone aware that she's currently working on a new musical based around Karen from "Will & Grace"? Sounds like it will be a real blast!

[Siren]

I actually would have liked to see it. I got the soundtrack and several of the tracks are very good. Certainly not as good as Lion King, but I would have rather seen Shrek than Little Mermaid.

The problem is....Beauty and the Beast worked on Broadway because really...the movie was written very Broadway-esque.

Lion King was a shock to a lot of people. Taking an all animal cast and using humans for a live stage musical. People compared it to Cats far before they saw it. How it won over audiences wasn't just the music, but IMO, mostly the design. The costumes were original, nothing ever seen like that on Broadway.

It seems all these other adaptations are done just because they can. But I don't think Disney or any company will capture the magic that B&B and LK brought to Broadway.

Though I'd like to see the Hunchback one, but I think that was in Germany only.

[PeterPanfan]

I actually would have liked to see it. I got the soundtrack and several of the tracks are very good. Certainly not as good as Lion King, but I would have rather seen Shrek than Little Mermaid.

The problem is....Beauty and the Beast worked on Broadway because really...the movie was written very Broadway-esque.

Lion King was a shock to a lot of people. Taking an all animal cast and using humans for a live stage musical. People compared it to Cats far before they saw it. How it won over audiences wasn't just the music, but IMO, mostly the design. The costumes were original, nothing ever seen like that on Broadway.

It seems all these other adaptations are done just because they can. But I don't think Disney or any company will capture the magic that B&B and LK brought to Broadway.

Though I'd like to see the Hunchback one, but I think that was in Germany only.

And Paris, I believe.

But anyway, Kristin Chenoweth was also just cast in a musical for B'way.

[Cordy_Biddle]

Fantastic! It's about time that The Cheno was back on Broadway.

Slightly o/t:
What does everyone think of Catherine Zeta-Jones playing Desiree in the upcoming revival of "A Little Night Music"; and specifically the reality of Angela Lansbury playing her mother? Stunt casting? I know Catherine has a stage background (Peggy in the London production of "42nd Street" in addition to "Chicago") but still I'm having a hard time trying to imagine her as Desiree. It's a role that comes easily for the likes of Glynis Johns, Judi Dench, etc., but Catherine?...

[SpringHeelJack]

I am apprehensive but very interested in seeing how she'll do it. She's a good actress, but I can't help but think she reads a little too young for the part. I always imagine Desiree to be at least mid-forties, and though Catherine is 40, she still looks younger.

Angela Lansbury, it's like, whatever, she could do her one-woman show "Angela Lansbury Sings a Sixth-Grade Math Textbook" and I'd still see it. The only thing I'd really think is that much like Catherine looks younger, Madame Armfeldt's going to look like she had Desiree at age 50.

Still, it's like that cast and one of my favorite musicals? You better believe I'm seeing that at least once. I just hope the direction is good.

[Cordy_Biddle]

Oh, Angela is a total goddess and can't have enough Tony Awards in my opinion . The wonderful fact that ALNM is coming back in the first place should thrill most fans, without worrying about Ms Zeta Jones.

I can just imagine how deliciously Lansbury will tackle "Liaisons".

[SpringHeelJack]

I will be interested in hearing if she'll sing-speak it like so many Madame Armfeldts, or sing it. I hope she sings it. It would feel like a shame if she didn't.