Sweet! Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman Eye Musical Adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Tony-winning Hairspray songwriting duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and playwright David Greig will team for a new stage musical adaptation of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Reuters reports. And the deal gets sweeter: Oscar and Tony winner Sam Mendes will produce the confection in partnership with Caro Newling, and is eyeing the production as a potential directing project. 

The musical would mark the third major incarnation of the story, about the adventures of a boy and his grandfather through the whimsical factory of an eccentric candy guru. The most recent version was Tim Burton's 2005 film adaptation, featuring Freddie Highmore as the title character and Johnny Depp as chocolatier Willy Wonka. Director Mel Stuart also transferred the story to the screen in 1971, with Gene Wilder starring as Willy Wonka. Both films incorporated musical numbers throughout their sugary tales, with the latter winning the Academy Award for Best Original Score. The 2005 film took some lyrics directly from Dahl's original poetry in the book.  

Broadway regulars Shaiman and Wittman are best known for their award-winning collaboration on  Broadway's Hairspray, as well as Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me and Patti LuPone on Broadway. The pair also collaborated on the new musical Catch Me If You Can as well as numerous award-winning film projects.

Scottish playwright Greig's stage works include Damascus, The American Pilot and The Architect, which jumped to the screen in 2006.

Mendes, the director behind films including American Beauty,Road to Perdition, Jarhead and Revolutionary Road, is the former artistic director of London's Donmar Warehouse. His Broadway credits include Cabaret, The Blue Room, Closer and Gypsy.

Dahl has been a hot source for subject material recently. The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory news comes just days after an announcement from The Royal Shakespeare Company of a musical adaptation of the author's classic children's tales, Matlida.

No additional details about the new stage version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory have been released.