Pictured (l-r): Brian d’Arcy James (Shrek) and Daniel Breaker (Donkey) in “Shrek: The Musical.” ©Dreamworks Theatricals. CR: Joan Marcus.
By ANGELA DAWSON
Front Row Features
HOLLYWOOD—First it was a book. Then it was an animated movie. Then it was a Broadway stage production. Now the Broadway stage production of Shrek, called “Shrek the Musical,” is coming to home video.
DreamWorks’ highly acclaimed Broadway production is based on the smash-hit movie, and is available on Deluxe Edition Blu-ray and DVD on Tuesday, Oct. 15.
In conjunction with the release of the film on home video, DreamWorks Animation and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is making a $50,000 donation to the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), a non-profit organization whose mission is to support school music and arts programs. The donation will be used to create five $10,000 grants to help save music and arts programs in schools. Schools are invited to enter to receive a grant for their school music program at www.ShrekDay.com. All entries must be received by Oct. 31, 2013 and following a random drawing, five schools will be announced as winners on Nov. 4, 2013.
The musical received eight Tony Award nominations in 2009 including Best Musical, winning Best Costume Design of a Musical (Tim Hatley). It also received a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Show Album.
Featuring a toe-tapping score of 17 all-new songs, “Shrek The Musical” was filmed on stage to capture the magic of a Broadway performance and stars an amazing cast including Brian d’Arcy James (Shrek), Sutton Foster (Fiona), Daniel Breaker (Donkey), Christopher Sieber (Lord Farquaad) and John Tartaglia (Pinocchio).
The musical was shot live on Broadway with 10 cameras and directed by Michael Warren. Fans can join in on the performance with sing along Shrek songs on the Deluxe Edition Blu-ray, which comes with the DVD and Digital HD versions, or you can simply buy the single-disc DVD. The Deluxe Edition Blu-ray goes even deeper into the fairytale’s journey, taking viewers behind-the-scenes to see how the show became a smash hit.
“Shrek The Musical” 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 wisecracking 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.
The musical is based on the story and characters from William Steig’s book “Shrek!” as well as the 2001 DreamWorks Animation film and 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.
