Shrek The Musical to begin previews in Nov 2008.

DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions, Ltd. have announced that Shrek: The Musical will play an exclusive world premiere engagement at The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, 14 Aug to 21 Sep 2008, 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).

Shrek: The Musical will be directed by Jason Moore, who staged the Tony Award-winning Best Musical, Avenue Q, and be choreographed by newcomer Josh Prince.

Set and costume design by Tim Hatley and lighting by Hugh Vanstone.

Casting and additional members of the creative team will be announced shortly.

Dreamwork Animations have released three box-office hit animation movies based on William Steig children's book written in 1990, about a young ogre who finds the ogre of his dreams when he leaves home to see the world. The name 'Shrek' is taken from the German and Yiddish word "Schreck"/"Shreck", meaning "fear, terror".

Shrek: The Musical will be Dreamwork Animations's first theatrical production. The production was initiated by Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chief Executive Officer of DreamWorks Animation, and Sam Mendes, who has a long-term relationship with DreamWorks. Mendes, a big fan of the first Shrek film, suggested the idea of creating a musical to DreamWorks� Jeffrey Katzenberg around the time the second film was in production.

The musical is being produced by DreamWorks Theatricals (Bill Damaschke, President) and Neal Street Productions, Ltd (principals Sam Mendes and Caro Newling).