The Broadway version of "Shrek," Dreamworks' popular franchise, has finally found its ogre, singing actor Brian d'Arcy James, who was recently seen in the Off-Broadway musical "Next to Normal."

James previously starred in the Broadway productions of "The Apple Tree," "The Lieutenant of Inishmore," "Sweet Smell of Success" and "Titanic."

"Shrek the Musical" had already started pulling a team together, which includes Sutton Foster as Princess Fiona, Christopher Sieber as Lord Farquaad and Kecia Lewis-Evans as The Dragon, but the roles of Shrek and Donkey turned out to be harder to cast.

James will be joined on stage by Broadway veterans "Cry-Baby's" Chester Gregory II as Donkey and "Avenue Q" Tony nominee John Tartaglia as Pinocchio.

Additional casting will be announced soon, representatives for the show added.

The musical is set for a debut later this year, with preview performances scheduled to begin on November 8, after a pre-Broadway run at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre from August 14 through September 21, before opening on Broadway on December 14.

Based on the story and characters from William Steig's book "Shrek!," as well as the DreamWorks Animation film "Shrek," "Shrek The Musical" will  feature 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 will be 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").