Slow Burn Theatre Company Opens New Season With SHREK, THE MUSICAL

Slow Burn Theatre Company, which has won nine Carbonell Awards for Theatrical Excellence with 73 nominations since becoming eligible in 2013, will open its 2019-2020 with a monster hit starring everyone's favorite ogre. JetBlue presents Shrek The Musical sponsored by American National Bank at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts Friday, October 25-Sunday, November 10.

Based on the Oscar®-winning Dreamworks Animation motion picture and the book by William Steig, the Tony Award®-winning musical features all new songs from Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly Modern Millie; Caroline, or Change) and a hilarious book by David Lindsay-Abaire.

It's happily from start to ever-after for audiences in this funny fairy tale world of adventure and romance when an ogre and his sidekick donkey set off to rescue a temperamental princess from her tower. Throw in a short-tempered bad guy, a cookie with an attitude and over a dozen other fairy tale misfits and you've got an irreverent production that's fun for the whole family.

The cast is headed by Wesley Slade as Shrek, Carbonell winner Clay Cartland as Lord Farquad, Kimmi Johnson as the adult Fiona, Reynel Reynaldo as Donkey and Matthew Korinko as the Big Bad Wolf. They are joined by a talented cast featuring: Jerel Brown; Lauren Didato; Nicolette Quintero; Nicole Kinzel; Cindy Pearce; Samantha O'Donnell; Kristi Rose Mills; Alexandra Frost; Trevor Wayne, Brian Piedra; Mark Parello, Jr; Sahid Pabon; Ellie Rose Pulsifer; Miranda Ferreira; Randall Swinton; and Zachary Weinstein.

Slow Burn Theatre Artistic Director Patrick Fitzwater will direct and choreograph the production as he heads a creative team that includes music director Michael Ursua, scenic designer Kelly Tighe, costume designer Dawn Shamburger and lighting designer Jose Santiago.

The full production will be presented in a sensory-friendly performance on Saturday, November 2 at 2 p.m. that is specially designed for individuals with sensory processing and autism spectrum disorders. The adaptive performance includes special seating arrangements, pre-curtain family activities, modifications to stage and auditorium lighting, lower sound volumes and the use of noise-cancelling devices as well as the availability of a quiet room for those experiencing sensory overload. The Broward Center's sensory-friendly programming is made possible through the generous support of The Batchelor Foundation, The Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation, Florida Blue Foundation and The Taft Foundation.

Costs for mounting this production were covered, in part, by the Alfred and Rose Miniaci Family Foundation. Produced by Slow Burn Theatre Company and the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, this production is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

Performances are held: Friday, October 25 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, October 26 2 at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, October 27 at 2 p.m.; Thursday, October 31- Saturday, November 2 at 7:30; Sunday, November 3 at 2 p.m.; Wednesday November 6 at 11 a.m.; Thursday, November 7 and Friday, November 8 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, November 9 at 2 and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, November 10 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $49-$65 with tickets to the sensory-friendly performance on Saturday, November 2 at 2 p.m. priced at $15 with a $5 per ticket discount available when purchased two weeks prior to the performance.

Ticketmaster is the only official ticketing service of the Broward Center, Parker Playhouse and affiliated venues. Buy tickets online at BrowardCenter.org or Ticketmaster.com; by phone at 954.462.0222 or the Broward Center's AutoNation Box Office. Know who you are buying from when you purchase tickets.

The Broward Center for the Performing Arts is located in the Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District at 201 SW Fifth Avenue in Fort Lauderdale.

For more information visit BrowardCenter.org