d'Arcy James, Gregory II and Tartaglia Join Shrek Cast

Variety announced additional casting for Broadway's upcoming Shrek. Brian d'Arcy James will play Shrek, Chester Gregory II will play Donkey and John Tartaglia, Pinocchio. Shrek The Musical will open December 14 at the Broadway Theatre, after beginning previews on November 8.

The cast will also include Tony Award-winner Sutton Foster (Young Frankenstein) as the princess Fiona, Christopher Sieber (Monty Python's Spamalot) as Lord Farquaad and Kecia Lewis-Evans (The Drowsy Chaperone) as the Dragon.

Shrek The Musical will play an exclusive world premiere engagement at The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, August 14 – September 21, prior to opening on Broadway in the Fall of 2008. Preview performances will begin in early November at a theater to be announced.

Shrek The Musical is an entirely new musical based on the story and characters from William Steig's book Shrek!, as well as the DreamWorks Animation film Shrek, the first chapter of the Shrek movie series.

Shrek The Musical features a book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winner, David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole), music by Jeanine Tesori (Olivier Award- winner for Caroline, or Change and three-time Tony Award nominee), and is directed by Jason Moore, who staged the Tony Award-winning Best Musical, Avenue Q. Other members of the Shrek The Musical creative team include Tony Award-winning set and costume designer, Tim Hatley (Monty Python's Spamalot, Private Lives, among others) and three-time Olivier Award-winning lighting designer, Hugh Vanstone (Monty Python's Spamalot, Bombay Dreams).

The choreography is by newcomer Josh Prince, and Tim Weil (Rent) is serving as music director.

Shrek The Musical is based on a popular 1990 book by William Steig.  The characters of Shrek, Donkey and Fiona, and the other inhabitants of 'Far, Far Away,' have been featured in three major animated films and a popular television special to date. The first Shrek feature film hit theaters in the summer of 2001, and went on to win the first-ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The 2004 sequel, Shrek 2, remains the third highest grossing movie of all time and highest grossing animated film of all time. The latest chapter of the Shrek story, Shrek the Third, is the 2nd highest grossing film of 2007.  Shrek the Halls, the recent ABC television special, was one of the most watched TV programs of 2007. www.shrekthemusical.com