Phil Collins, who is writing additional songs for the project, told the Chicago Sun Times, "I've written six or eight new songs, and we've done a workshop with actors singing the songs . . . we're going to do another big one in January. It's a slippery animal. It's constantly evolving. With the film, at least it finishes. With this, come opening night, they may hate one or more of the songs." A spokesperson for the Disney musical confirmed that the workshop will be a private one for the creative team.

David Henry Hwang has written the book for the new musical, which will feature design and direction by Bob Crowley. Matthew Morrison, the resident hunk of the Tony-winning Hairspray, played the title role in the last workshop of the musical. No casting has been announced for the upcoming reading.

Tarzan is based on the 1999 animated Disney film of the same, which featured songs by Phil Collins. Collins, in fact, won an Oscar for the "Tarzan" tune "You'll Be In My Heart." The film featured the voices of Tony Goldwyn (Tarzan), Minnie Driver (Jane Porter), Glenn Close (Kala), Brian Blessed (Clayton), Nigel Hawthorne (Porter), Lance Henriksen (Kerchak), Wayne Knight (Tanor), Alex D. Linz (Young Tarzan) and Rosie O'Donnell (Terk).