Shrek: The Musical to Bow on Broadway in 2008

Shrek, the new musical based on the blockbuster DreamWorks movies, will bow on Broadway in 2008, according to the New York Post's Michael Riedel/>.

A workshop has also reportedly been slated for early next year.  While no casting for the production has been announced, Riedel mentions that Kevin Chamberlin/> (Seussical) and Tony Award-winner Dan Fogler/> (Spelling Bee) are frontrunners for the title role in the musical - a comedic love story about a green ogre and a uniquely enchanted princess.

Currently capitalized at around $15 million, the production will integrate the plots and characters of Shrek and Shrek 2, the 2001 film's even more lucrative 2004 sequel.

Shrek: The Musical will feature music by Jeanine Tesori (Caroline, or Change, Thoroughly Modern Millie) and book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire/> (High Fidelity, Rabbit Hole).  Jason Moore/> (Avenue Q) is set to direct.

Shrek is DreamWorks Animation's first venture in legitimate theatre. The production was initiated by Jeffrey Katzenberg and Sam Mendes when the studio made a first-look deal with Mendes' producing entity, Neal Street Productions, Ltd.   The two have been developing the project for three years.

The Shrek films, which have grossed more than $1 billion worldwide, featured the vocal talents of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow, among others.