Avenue Q director Jason Moore will stage the work penned by bookwriter David Lindsay-Abaire (High Fidelity, Fuddy Meers) and composer Jeanine Tesori (Caroline, or Change; Thoroughly Modern Millie).

Tony Award winner Tim Hatley (Private Lives, Spamalot) will handle sets and costumes while Tony-nominated Hugh Vanstone (Spamalot, Bombay Dreams) covers lighting.

"The team has been working on developmental readings of the musical and are planning a production schedule working towards a debut for the musical as early as 2008," according to a release.

Based on a William Steig children's book, the green ogre-with-a-heart character has been featured in "Shrek" and "Shrek 2"; a third chapter is currently scheduled to be released in theaters on May 18, 2007.

DreamWorks Animation's first venture in legitimate theatre, the developing 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. DreamWorks and Neal Street share producing credits.