Photo Flash: NYMF's Journey to the West in Rehearsals

Journey to the West, an epic musical story combining Asian theatre conventions with Cirque du Soleil artistry, will play the 37 Arts Theatre (450 W. 37th St.) from September 25th through October 1st as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival.

"A thrilling combination of martial arts, Kabuki theatre, Peking opera, modern dance, puppetry, masks and acrobatics, Journey to the West is based on the legendary Chinese fable written during the Ming Dynasty. It tells the universal tale of man's purpose in life – to live honorably, to triumph over adversity, to follow the path that lies ahead, and to reach the paradise that waits at the journey's end," state press notes.  The show is created, directed and composed by Cirque du Soleil conductor Richard Oberacker, and co-written by Oberacker and Robert Taylor.  It features several veterans of Cirque du Soleil among its design team.

Journey to the West 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.

For tickets, visit www.nymf.org or call 212-352-3101. For more information and the entire cast recording available for download, please visit: www.journeytothewestthemusical.com.

Photos by Tom Donoghue

Shanon Stoeke with Monkey King puppet

Kevyn Morrow with Demon puppet

Philip Solomon shows off the head of the Tsunami Dragon

W. Wong rehearses for the martial arts battle sequences

A. J. Ocampo and Daniel Therrien with Monster Goldfish puppet head

Philip Solomon

Creator/director Richard Oberacker