SHREK

THE MUSICAL

Exclusive World Premiere at Seattle ’s 5th Avenue Theatre

August 14 - September 21, 2008

Opens on Broadway Fall 2008

SEATTLE – ONCE upon a time in a land not so far, far away a new musical began its journey to Broadway.

DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions, Ltd. have announced that SHREK THE MUSICAL will play an exclusive world premiere engagement at The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle , August 14 – September 21, prior to opening on Broadway in the Fall of 2008. Preview performances will begin in early November at a theater to be announced.

SHREK THE MUSICAL is an entirely new musical 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 features a book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize® winner, David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole), music by Jeanine Tesori (Olivier Award-winner for Caroline, or Change and three-time Tony Award® nominee), and is directed by Jason Moore, who staged the Tony Award®-winning Best Musical, Avenue Q.

SHREK THE MUSICAL is DreamWorks Animation’s first venture in legitimate theater. The production was initiated by Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chief Executive Officer of DreamWorks Animation, and Sam Mendes, who has a long-term relationship with DreamWorks. Mendes, a big fan of the first Shrek film, suggested the idea of creating a musical to DreamWorks’ Jeffrey Katzenberg around the time the second film was in production. The musical is being produced by DreamWorks Theatricals (Bill Damaschke , President) and Neal Street Productions, Ltd (principals Sam Mendes and Caro Newling).

Other members of the SHREK THE MUSICAL creative team include Tony Award®-winning set and costume designer, Tim Hatley (Monty Python’s Spamalot, Private Lives, among others) and three-time Olivier Award-winning lighting designer, Hugh Vanstone, whose Broadway credits include Monty Python’s Spamalot, Bombay Dreams, The Blue Room and Art.

The choreography is by newcomer Josh Prince, and Tim Weil (Rent) is serving as music director.

Casting and additional members of the creative team will be announced shortly.

“Without a doubt this will be the major event of Seattle ’s theatrical season,” said 5th Avenue Theatre Producing Artistic Director David Armstrong, continuing, “What I am most excited about is the first class creative team that has been assembled for this production. These are some of the most talented and exciting artists working in the musical theater today. Once again our audience will have the opportunity to experience the creation of a new Broadway musical.”

“We are delighted that SHREK THE MUSICAL will play in Seattle prior to Broadway,” said Bill Damaschke, President of DreamWorks Theatricals. “ Seattle audiences are well known for their enthusiastic support of new work and their discerning taste. This, in addition to the experience and expertise of The 5th Avenue Theatre team, provides us with a fantastic environment for the creation of our show.”

SHREK THE MUSICAL is based on a popular 1990 book by William Steig. The characters of Shrek, Donkey and Fiona, and the other inhabitants of “Far, Far Away” have been featured in three major animated films and a popular television special to date. The first Shrek feature film hit theaters in the summer of 2001, and went on to win the first-ever Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature. The 2004 sequel, Shrek 2, remains the third highest grossing movie of all time and highest grossing animated film of all time. The latest chapter of the Shrek story, Shrek the Third, is the 2nd highest grossing film of 2007. Shrek the Halls, the recent ABC television special, was one of the most watched TV programs of 2007.

5th Avenue Theatre season subscriptions go on sale Monday, February 4 and single tickets for SHREK THE MUSICAL go on sale Friday, June 13. For more information about The 5th Avenue Theatre, visit www.5thavenue.org.

www.shrekthemusical.com