'Journey to the West'gets bold new look   

经典名著《西游记》杂技歌剧版将在纽约精彩上演

New York (ECNS) -- "Monkey: Journey to the West," a vibrant musical adaptation of the 16th century Chinese classic "Journey to the West" by Wu Cheng'en, will soon hit the stage at New York's Lincoln Center.

Conceived and recreated by Chinese actor and director Chen Shi-zheng, the drama tells the tale of an irrepressible band of characters on a harrowing adventure in search of holy scriptures in India.

In comparison to the previous TV and movie versions of the classic, the drama features various elements including martial arts, acrobatics, dance and equestrian shows, said Chen.

"Characters like the Monkey King, Xuanzang (Tang Sanzang), the Dragon Prince, Pigsy and Sandy all take on cartoon looks in the drama" said Chen, adding that "the cartoon element can help attract more youngsters."

Damon Albarn, lead singer of the rock band Blur, has also been invited to write music for the drama, which will be staged from July 6 to July 28.