Amanda Holden and Richard Blackwood cast in Shrek the Musical

As predicted on 25th June Britain's Got Talent Amanda Holden is playing Princess Fiona in the West End production of Shrek the Musical which is scheduled to open at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane after Oliver! closes.  
 
Tickets for Shrek the Musical are on sale from 1st October with the previews in May 2011 and the opening night in early June.  The new stage musical will be booking until February 19th 2012.

Richard Blackwood (radio and TV presenter, comedian and actor) will be playing Donkey (the part created in the Shrek movies by Eddie Murphy).

Other casting rumours are that Nigel Lindsay (Nathan Detroit in Michael Grandage's Guys & Dolls) and Nigel Harman (EastEnders and Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls) are in very early talks to play Shrek and Lord Farquaad respectively. 

Shrek will be directed by Tony Award® nominee Jason Moore (Avenue Q) and Rob Ashford (Promises, Promises) – who worked with Miss Holden when she  appeared on the West End stage in Thoroughly Modern Millie seven years ago.

A number of changes are expected for the West End show with new numbers, a new opening and spectacular improved illusions with a redesigned dragon and Shrek.