Don't Gag! Shrek The Musical Launches its Tour in Chicago!

By Suzy Evans in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 29, 2009 3:40PM

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear Shrek The Musical? It’s probably somewhat similar to your reaction to Legally Blonde The Musical, which comes to Chicago in exactly two weeks. Well, we’re going to go out on a limb here and say that Shrek The Musical brings an unexpected delight and you should go see it when it launches its first national tour in Chicago in June 2010.

Remember before the first film came out and there were obscure ads everywhere for this character named Shrek? And then when it premiered, the movie became a huge sensation. Well, Shrek The Musical does the same except with song and dance. No, “Accidentally in Love” does not play on repeat and the musical does not recreate the film’s musical montage finale. Shrek and Fiona do have a farting and burping duet though. That probably isn’t helping our case…

The show was just nominated for Best Musical for both the Drama Desk Awards and the Outer Critics Circle for Best Musical. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire wrote the book and lyrics and Jeanine Tesori, award-winning composer of Thoroughly Modern Millie, wrote the score. Stage-darling Sutton Foster, who plays Princess Fiona in the Broadway production, gives a backstage tour here. The website also has some entertaining webisodes.

We realize the show won’t be here for a while, but we just thought we should let you know that it isn’t half bad. All you have to fear now is the touring cast.

Brian D’Arcy James (Shrek), Daniel Breaker (Donkey) and Sutton Foster (Fiona) in Shrek The Musical. Photo by Joan Marcus.