An Introduction to the Cast of Shrek The Musical
Shrek The Musical is back this summer for more fairy tale fun. Playing for a limited six-week period at the Eventim Apollo, London, Shrek is sure to delight both theatre fans and lovers of the original 2001 DreamWorks animation. Incorporating elements of Shrek 2 and Shrek Forever After, as well as William Steig’s 1990 book Shrek, the musical revives the West End hit.
Shrek stars a highly talented cast, who will be bringing the adventure to life from 19 July until 30 August 2024. Be sure to book your London show tickets before they sell out! In the meantime, here’s an overview of the production’s stars.
Antony Lawrence - Shrek
With a powerful voice that fills the theatre and makes him instantly lovable, Antony Lawrence plays the role of Shrek. His previous credits include The Lion King, Mary Poppins, Matilda The Musical and We Will Rock You.
Speaking of landing the lead role in Shrek the Musical, Lawrence said: “Shrek was the very first show I saw on Broadway…I remember being so excited when it was coming over to London. I was at drama school at the time and remember thinking, gosh, I’d love to play this role.”He continued, “Shrek’s song Who I’d Be is one I’ve used at so many auditions. It’s so cliché to say that it’s a dream role, but it really is.”
Brandon Lee Sears - Donkey
Theatre favourite Brandon Lee Sears takes to the stage as Shrek’s lovable sidekick, Donkey. In a role that ‘does Eddie Murphy proud’ (Love Dublin), Brandon Lee Sears offers an exuberant performance that really captures Donkey’s loyal and fun-loving personality.
He most recently starred as Jimmy Early in the first UK and Ireland tour of Dreamgirls to tremendous acclaim. Brandon’s other credits include Come From Away, Motown the Musical, and On the Town. On screen, Brandon’s credits include Artemis Fowl and Cinderella (Disney) as well as Marriage of Reason and Squalor (Sky Arts) and Greta (Metropolitan Films).
Joanne Clifton - Princess Fiona
Former Strictly Come Dancing star, Joanne Clifton, will hit the West End stage as the beautiful but cursed Princess Fiona. A winner of numerous ballroom dancing titles, she retired from competitive dancing in 2013 and made her theatre debut in 2015. She has since appeared in Norma Jean The Musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Flashdance The Musical. When speaking her portrayal of Princess Fiona, Clifton said:“I know that I need to bring what people want and love of each character but I also bring a lot of myself to it…the description that I get often when playing [Princess Fiona] is that I’m feisty.”
Cherece Richards - Dragon
Italia Conti graduate Cherece Richards will play the role of Dragon on the London stage. She performed in Once On This Island at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, and while in training, took on roles such as The Witch in Big Fish and Young Lucy in Sweeney Todd.
Lord Farquaad - James Gillan
As a theatre and TV regular, James Gillan is no stranger to the spotlight. He was nominated for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical at the 1997 Laurence Olivier Awards for his West End debut in The Who’s Tommy at the Shaftesbury Theatre. Most recently, he created the role of Tray in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre. This summer, he’ll play the immoral and self-centred Lord Farquaad.
Book your London musical tickets with KX Tickets to join the fun this summer. As a leading distributor of London play tickets, we have a range of shows and events to choose from throughout the year.
