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Sitting in the backseat on family road trips, Nicholas Hambruch was glued to the portable DVD player.
“I wore out the Shrek 2 bonus feature. It was great, I loved it,” Fountain Hills native and award-winning Broadway stage performer Hambruch said.
Like a dream come true, Hambruch will play the role of the sensitive green ogre when “Shrek The Musical” comes to Phoenix on March 8 and 9 on The Broadway National Tour.
A story written for the young-at-heart, “Shrek The Musical” follows the unlikely hero on a life-changing journey with his sidekick Donkey and the reluctant Princess Fiona.
Through thick and thin, Shrek learns to embrace his uniqueness and ultimately finds true happiness through self-acceptance and by allowing others to accept him as well.
“‘Ogres are like onions. Onions have layers. Ogres have layers,’” Hambruch said, quoting one of his favorite lines of the musical. “Those classic Shrek-isms are just so fun.”
Hambruch moved to Fountain Hills in 2012 and attended Desert Mountain High School. He pursued other interests besides the performing arts but didn’t quite find the same sense of unity he felt when he was on stage.
At the Fountain Hills Theater, Hambruch performed in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “Assassins,” and more.
Hambruch has performed throughout the Valley and most recently returned from performing in a 300-show national tour of “Jesus Christ Superstar” before auditioning for “Shrek The Musical.”
NITE OUT Entertainment
Presented by Sam and Leah Katz of NITE OUT Entertainment, audiences can expect a refreshingly new take on the tale of friendship and self-acceptance.
“Having a show of this caliber be presented here in Arizona makes us very happy,” Sam Katz said, who is overjoyed to bring a family-friendly musical to the Valley.
NITE OUT Entertainment is also offering a special VIP experience on opening night (March 8).
Book Writer David Lindsay-Abaire and original Composer Jeanine Tesori have reunited to bring a refreshing performance to audiences across America.
“We are really excited for the tour to kick off and to have a Valley local playing Shrek is really spectacular and special for Phoenix,” Leah Katz said.
Hambruch looks forward to performing on The Broadway National Tour but admits nothing quite compares to the community theater days of his youth.
“When you’re doing a community show for the first time, you have this feeling of family. Everyone is working together to create something great,” he said.
“Shrek The Musical” performs on Friday, March 8, at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday, March 9, at 3 and 7:30 p.m. at the Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St. in Phoenix.
We invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. Cyrus Guccione can be reached at cguccione@iniusa.org.
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