'Cirque' Artists Among Creative Team for NYMF 'Journey'

By: BWW News Desk Aug. 24, 2006

Journey to the West, an epic story set to premiere at the New York Musical Theatre Festival this fall, will feature several Cirque du Soleil veterans among its creative team. Presented as part of the Next Link series, it will play the 37 Arts Theatre (450 W. 37th St.) from September 25th through October 1st.

The team of Cirque artists is led by Richard Oberacker, the composer and co-writer of Journey to the West, who nightly conducts the orchestra for Cirque du Soleil's largest spectacle, KA, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Oberacker, a five year veteran of the avant garde company, has enlisted the talents of Bai Ge, the captain of the KA Wu-Shu Martial Arts team, Julie Fotheringham, an aerial acrobat also performing in KA, and designers John Rager and Kelly Burton-Gilmore, who serve on the KA props team and wig department respectively.

"Journey to the West is based on the legendary sixteenth-century Chinese literary masterpiece of the same name, and tells the story of a scholar monk's messianic quest across Asia in search of the salvation of mankind. The production takes a modern and fantastic approach to the adaptation, blending many different cultural elements including Peking Opera, kabuki theater, modern dance, hip-hop and puppetry. This hybrid style of creativity honors the philosophies behind the groundbreaking art of Cirque du Soleil. The artists rallying around Journey to the West share these uniquely diverse and specific talents, backgrounds, and expertise to a traditional American art form, musical theater," according to press notes.

"Bai Ge lends insights to the martial arts component for the show, blending in traditions of the Peking Opera. Bai Ge has toured the world for years with one of China's leading Peking Opera companies. Julie Fotheringham, an independent choreographer with an impressive track record, serves as associate choreographer. John Rager's extensive experience as a scene and costume designer before joining the Cirque family serves the production well. His designs of the many specialty props that will contribute Journey to the West's multi-layered sensory experience. Kelly Burton-Gilmore currently maintains the stunning wigs of KA and designs the unique hairstyles for Journey to the West."

Cirque du Soleil is fully supportive of the development of Journey to the West, allowing the creative team access to the exclusive Las Vegas Cirque du Soleil headquarters where a four-week choreography workshop took place to develop the difficult physical vocabulary of the musical. Many Cirque du Soleil performing artists participated in the workshop, including dancers from Love, Alegria and KA.

The show will star Steven Booth (Avenue Q in Vegas) as the monk Riversong, Angela Ai (Las Vegas Avenue Q) as the goddess Kuan-Yin, David Girolmo (Candide) as adversary Hou-Lia, Nicholas Kohn (Las Vegas Avenue Q) as spirit guide Tu-Bao, Philip Solomon (Hedwig and the Angry Inch) as water dragon Tsunami, W. Wong as Monkus, the Great Monkey King, Kevyn Morrow (Olivier-nominee for London Ragtime) as Buddha, Shannon Stoeke (European Hair tour) as the Boatman and Evil Abbott, Daniel Therrien as Tam, A.J. Ocamp as Brother Yi and Old Kao, Anne Burnett Mathews (Victor/Victoria, The Full Monty tours) as the Spider Queen, and Christine Hudman (Grease, The Full Monty tours) as Lei-Lei and Queen of the Bhiksu Kingdom.

The performance schedule is: September 25th, 8:00PM; September 27th, 5:00PM; September 29th, 1:00PM and 5:00PM; September 30th, 9:00PM; and October 1st, 1:00PM.

For tickets, visit www.nymf.org or call 212-352-3101. For more information and entire cast recording available for download (as well as to read Oberacker's online journal on the show), please visit: www.journeytothewestthemusical.com.

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'Cirque' Artists Among Creative Team for NYMF 'Journey'

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