Broadway star Chester Gregory is extremely busy these days. But he doesn't mind. Call it an entertainment high point in his life, if you will.

The actor/singer/songwriter recently released his debut album "In Search of High Love," and he's deep in rehearsals for the upcoming Broadway show "Shrek the Musical!"

"The album has been in the works for three years," said Gregory, speaking by phone last week from Seattle, where he was rehearsing his role as Donkey in "Shrek."

The production will have its preBroadway run Aug. 14 to Sept. 21 in Seattle before its December opening at the Broadway Theatre in New York City.

Gregory, a Gary native, said he's finally satisfied with his debut release after changing the course of the CD several times.

"The album is just an expression of myself through music about the journey I went through with the ups and downs of love," Gregory said. The thematic album, he said, definitely tells a story.

"People are used to seeing me portray a role as someone else. But this album is personal, and it's a sharing of my thoughts, feelings and ideas," he said.

Included on the album are tunes he's penned as well as standards such as "I Only Have Eyes for You," and Jackie Wilson's "Higher and Higher." Gregory, a singer with a vocal range of five octaves, gives his own interpretation to the standards, making them shine.

Gregory said record company executives originally wanted him to "take the Usher route" with the album, but he refrained from imitating the popular R&B singer.

He's also looking forward to stamping his own personality onto the character of Donkey in "Shrek" and not merely making himself an exact copy of Eddie Murphy's Donkey from the hit 2001 animated film.

"Dreamworks Theatricals decided they didn't want someone to imitate Eddie Murphy. They wanted an actor to bring the essence of the character to the stage and then give something else to it. Eddie Murphy has his own unique way of speaking and it's unmistakable. I use a natural speaking voice for Donkey," Gregory said. He added he's eager to "dive" into the role of the smart-aleck sidekick to ogre Shrek.

Gregory has garnered attention over the last several years while starring in a number of Broadway shows, including "Hairspray," "Cry Baby" and "Tarzan." He wowed theater fans as the star of "The Jackie Wilson Story," a musical written by Chicago's Black Ensemble Theatre's Jackie Taylor and Jimmy Tillman, which had its debut in 1999 in Chicago. It later toured successfully.

For Gregory, the entertainment field has long been a big draw. He said watching legendary entertainers such as Sammy Davis Jr., Gregory Hines and his all-time favorite Michael Jackson were major influences on his career decision.

"They inspired me to become a performer. And just seeing Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' video kind of did for me," he said.

Though Gregory has never seen Jackson perform live, he said it was an honor to be in his presence when Jackson returned home to Gary in 2003 to receive the key to the city and participate in other events. Gregory was one of the performers who sang during a special tribute to Jackson during his trip to Northwest Indiana.

"He gave me a standing ovation," Gregory said, adding he was happy to be a part of the event.

Gregory said his mother also has been a big inspiration in his pursuit of show business. She took him to see many of the big musical theater productions in Chicago as he was growing up.

"She's always been so supportive, and she's a lot of the reason I'm a performer. She knew how important it was to expose me to theater and music," Gregory said.

His mother, who recently retired from teaching at East Chicago Public Schools, had a great love of the arts.

"She coached me (in singing) or provided me with the coaching I needed," he said, adding his mother was honest with him and let him know when he needed to strengthen his skills.

"She didn't lie to me," he said.

In addition to performing in "Shrek," Gregory hopes to schedule some concerts of his own in the future.

To learn more about his new CD, visit www.chestergregory.com or myspace.com/chester gregory.