Bruce Lee on Broadway: Journey to the West

There's been talk of a Broadway musical based on Bruce Lee for years. See our article on the subject as far back as May 2006. However, it seems the production is finally full speed ahead to portray the martial arts legend known for his "fists of fury" on stage.

Just last week we had the casting notices for the lead role of Bruce Lee, as well as a young Bruce Lee "Jun Fan"on Martial Arts Talent: Casting Males for Bruce Lee Broadway Musical

Casting for dancers with martial arts backgrounds for the production was on Martial Arts Talent in the Fall of 2008.

The Broadway production, based on a book by David Henry Hwang (pictured at right), is called Bruce Lee: Journey to the West.

The musical is now targeted for the 2010-2011 Broadway season. A few years ago, the production was envisioned for a 2008 start, presumably to be right in line with the year of the Beijing Olympics.

Bruce Lee: Journey to the West tells of the martial arts legend's difficult road to success, as figures from Chinese mythology follow his quest and The Monkey King, a beloved warrior god, becomes his heavenly ally.

In a show fusing sources as diverse as martial arts, Chinese Opera, modern dance, and pop music, Bruce struggles to master his skills, purify his spirit and forge a link to unite East and West.

Choreography for Bruce Lee will be created by Dou Dou Huang, the Artistic Director of the Shanghai Song and Dance Ensemble, referred to by Time as a Chinese "national sensation" who has "reinvented mainland dance for the 21st century."  

Bartlett Sher, a Tony Award nominee for his direction of South Pacific, will direct the new musical. Bruce Lee: Journey to the West will be produced on Broadway by Elephant Eye Theatrical.

Watch the video below for a flashback of Bruce Lee "in his own words".

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