national Arts Festival Banner

Thursday, April 10, 2025

SHREK THE MUSICAL FOR NEW MILKWOOD THEATRE

 


Fun, love and adventure in the swamp: Shrek will be staged by KZN’s Young Performers’ Project at the Milkwood Theatre, Danville from April 25– May 4, 2025.

Love is green: Shrek the Musical will be the first production for 2025 to be staged by the Young Performers Project, coming to the new Milkwood Theatre in Durban North.

YPP is the brilliant musical theatre youth initiative started in 2001 to nurture aspirant young “triple threat” performers.

Shrek the Musical will be staged at the eagerly-anticipated brand new 290-seater Milkwood Theatre at Danville School in Durban North.

Shrek is the delightful, charming and hugely funny West End musical adaptation of the Dreamworks smash hit film. Lyle Buxton played the title role a decade ago and reprises his role as the professional performer in the 2025 staging.

The production team comprises Lisa Bobbert (director and set design); Evashnee Pillay (choreography); Des Govender (music direction); Anthony Govender (sound design) and Kathy and Dominic Singery (costumes, set and prop build).  

Shrek will have cast of 35 performers – comprising senior primary and high school learners, as well as post-matric learners studying at the International School of Performing Arts (I.S.P.A.). 

Alongside the adult Shrek (Lyle Buxton), the cast comprises James Armstrong (I.S.P.A) as Donkey; Chloe Marot (St Mary’s DSG) as the adult Fiona, and Damien Butt (I.S.P.A) as Lord Farquaad.

Young Performers Project has for the past 24 years staged an annual musical theatre show with a professional production team and a youthful cast (and at least one experienced industry performer every time) to provide the next generation of theatre practitioners with valuable experience of performing in a professional context. 

“YPP is a structured programme designed to nurture performing arts talent from senior primary school level, to post matric and beyond,” explains YPP’s Des Govender. “Over the festive season, we staged the fun and fabulous Elf the Musical at the Durban ICC. We are delighted to open the year with Shrek – it is such a feel-good story loved by young and old. We are thrilled that Lyle Buxton is going to be our green friendly ogre, and we are so chuffed to be the first outside production at the new Milkwood Theatre. Our project is all about supporting each other’s initiatives, so we very consciously wanted to be part of the excitement and brave act of opening a brand-new theatre space.”

Booking for Shrek the Musical is through Webtickets.

The show runs in the Milkwood Theatre, Danville, Durban North.

Performances as follows:

Fri April 25: 14h00 & 19h00

Sat April 26: 14h00 & 19h00

Sun April 27: 14h00

Tues April 29: 14h00

Wed April 30: 19h00

Thurs May 1: 14h00

Fri May 14h00 & 19h00

Sat May 3: 14h00 & 19h00

Sun May 4: 14h00