A talented Llanfair Caereinion performer has landed the lead role in a major touring production of Shrek that will visit some of Britain’s most prominent entertainment venues next year.
Steffan Harri has fended off some of the country’s finest theatre talent to secure the role of the lovable ogre in Shrek The Musical, with Call The Midwife star Laura Main playing Princess Fiona.
The 25-year-old is fast becoming one of the most sought after stage talents having graduated from the Guildford School of Acting in 2013 and already enjoying West End credits in Les Miserable, Spamalot and Children of Eden.
He also previously toured with Shrek as a cover Lord Farquaad but has come through the gruelling audition process to land the top role this time around.
“I am thrilled to have landed the role and cannot wait to get out there to perform,” said the Welsh speaker who also played Lyn in S4C soap opera Rownd a Rownd.
“I had a few rounds of auditions in front of the director/musical director/casting director. Then a final audition in front of the producers and then recorded the audition to send to the American producers for the green light!” he added.
Rehearsals will start in November in London, before the curtain comes up with a December run in Edinburgh and then onto the full UK tour through to January 2019.
“We are at the Cardiff Millennium Centre in April next year and will also play in Llandudno later in the summer 2018 so I am looking forward to the challenge.”
During his schooling at Caereinion High School, Steffan developed a passion for acting and joined Ysgol Theatr Maldwyn which he said “made me want to go to drama school in London”.
He will now be performing in front of tens of thousands of people during the tour, which is a long way from the upbringing he had on a farm just outside the town.
To transform into one of Dreamworks' most popular characters, he will have to go through up to 90 minutes of make-up before he takes the stage each night.
Shrek the Musical will be touring throughout the UK and tickets are available at https://shrekthemusical.co.uk/buy-tickets/