Shrek To Conclude Its Broadway Run In January

It's a hard life for an ogre on Broadway. Shrek, the new musical version of the book-turned-film franchise, has been struggling to bring in audiences since it opened to tepid reviews last season. You would think that the fact that the musical is both clever and family-friendly, and a much-needed alternative to Disney on Broadway, would have helped it, but apparently that was not enough - the show has announced that it will be closing up swamp on January 3, 2010. Based on William Steig's book, the Shrek musical starred Brian d'Arcy as grumpy green ogre Shrek, Sutton Foster as Princess Fiona, and Daniel Breaker as Donkey when it first opened at the Broadway Theatre last year. The show's book was written by playwright David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole, Fuddy Meers) and features songs by Jeanine Tesori (Caroline, or Change, Thoroughly Modern Millie).