CHATTER: Amanda Holden To Play Fiona in West End's SHREK?

According to Baz Mabigboye in The Daily Mail, Britain's Got Talent's Amanda Holden scored in her SHREK audition for the West End production and reportedly "played a blinder and was brilliant." No casting has been announced as of yet, however rumors are abuzz that Holden will be the choice lady ogre.

Among Holden's past roles are Mia Bevan in Cutting It, Sarah Trevanion in Wild at Heart, and the title role in Thoroughly Modern Millie, for which she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award. She is one of the judges on Britain's Got Talent, and has presented a range of other one-off TV shows.

SHREK THE MUSICAL features a book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize® winner David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole), music by Olivier Award-winner Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly Modern Millie; Caroline, or Change), and will be directed by Tony Award® nominee Jason Moore (Avenue Q) and Rob Ashford (Promises, Promises). SHREK THE MUSICAL has set and costume designs by Tony Award® winner Tim Hatley, lighting design by Olivier Award winner Hugh Vanstone, sound design by Peter Hylenski; choreography by Josh Prince, music direction by Tim Weil, and orchestrations by Danny Troob & John Clancy.

Many changes are expected for the West End installment of the show. According to Bamigboye "There's a new opening, new songs, improved illusions, a newly styled dragon and Shrek, I'm told, has a bigger heart."  Ashford has allegedly restaged several numbers, as well.

SHREK THE MUSICAL is 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 tells the story of a swamp-dwelling ogre who goes on a life-changing adventure to reclaim the deed to his land. Joined by a wise-cracking donkey, this unlikely hero fights a fearsome dragon, rescues a feisty princess and learns that real friendship and true love aren't only found in fairy tales.

SHREK THE MUSICAL was initiated when Sam Mendes, a big fan of the first Shrek film, suggested the idea of creating a musical to Dreamworks Animation's Jeffrey Katzenberg around the time the second film was in production. The musical is produced by DreamWorks Theatricals (Bill Damaschke, President of DreamWorks Theatricals and Co-President of Production for Dreamworks Animation) and Neal Street Productions, Ltd. (principals Sam Mendes and Caro Newling).

The chart-topping original Broadway cast album for SHREK THE MUSICAL is available on Decca Broadway.

For more information, visit www.ShrekTheMusical.com.