Full casting for new tour of Shrek the Musical

Based on the Oscar®-winning DreamWorks Animated film, a new UK  tour of Shrek the Musical  kicks off from July 2023. Directed and choreographed by Nick Winston and Samuel Holmes with  design by Phil Whitcomb, it is produced by Mark Goucher and will open at Theatre Royal Plymouth on 21st  July, with further dates to be announced.

Ccasting news is that Anthony Lawrence (The Lion King tour, Matilda the Musical) is Shrek, alongside Joanne Clifton (Strictly Come Dancing, Windfall, The Addams Family) as Fiona. Also cast are Brandon Lee Sears (Dreamgirls, Be More Chill, Come From Away) as Donkey with James Gillan (Everybody's Talking About Jamie), playing Lord Faquaad. They will be joined by  Cherece Richards (Once on This Island) as the Dragon, with Leo Abad, Scotty Armstrong, Imogen Bailey, Jabari Braham, Georgie Buckland, Natasha Cayabyab, Mark Darcy, Jonathan David Dudley, Remi Ferdinand, Sonny Grieveson, Edward Leigh, Bethany Kate, Jessica Lim, Andile Mabhena, Bronte MacMillan, India Thornton. Talia Duff, Gabby Gregorian, Roy Shafford and Jamie Jonathan.

Shrek The Musical | UK and Ireland tour cast introduction

 

Antony Lawrence will play Shrek. His previous credits include Scar in The Lion King, (International Tour) Mary Poppins (National Tour), Matilda the Musical (Cambridge Theatre/RSC) and We Will Rock You (International Arena Tour).

Joanne Clifton, best known for her time as a professional dancer on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, will play Fiona.  She joined the iconic TV show after winning the World Professional Showdance Champion and the European Professional Ballroom Championship. During her time on the show, she won the Christmas Special with McFly’s Harry Judd and went on to win the glitterball trophy as the 2016 champion with her partner Ore Oduba.  On stage Joanne Clifton was most recently seen in Windfall (Southwark Playhouse) and The Addams Family (UK Tour).  

Olivier Award-nominee James Gillan (Lord Farquaad) most recently created the role of Tray in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue) – a role he stayed with through the show’s entire West End run. He has also performed in productions of Wicked, Starlight Express and Taboo!

Brandon Lee Sears (Donkey) most recently played the role of Jimmy Early in Dreamgirls (UK tour).  His previous theatre credits include the original West End productions of Be More Chill (Shaftesbury Theatre), Come From Away (Phoenix theatre); Heathers (Theatre Royal Haymarket); Motown the Musical (Shaftesbury Theatre); and On The Town (Regents Park Open Air Theatre).