From the creators of Gorillaz (Damon Albarn, Jamie Hewlett), a Gorillaz-inspired musical entitled, 'Monkey: Journey to the West', is set to make it's New York premiere at this year's Lincoln Center Festival at the David H. Koch Theater from July 6-28. The music featured in the musical was composed by Damon Albarn himself and features animation and designs by the one and only Jamie Hewlett.
Directed by opera and film director Chen Shi-Zheng, the musical is based on the classic 16th century Chinese folktale, “Journey to the West.” The show first debuted in London at the O2 theater in 2007, and has also been performed in Paris, and in 2008 at the Spoleto Festival USA in South Carolina. Here's a better description straight from the musical:
"Be transported into the enchanting, fantastical world of Monkey: Journey to the West in a vibrant musical retelling of the Chinese classic by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, creators of the wildly popular supergroup Gorillaz. Equal parts epic music theater and stunning animation, this hugely successful production includes a remarkable cast of Chinese acrobats, singers, mind-bending contortionists, martial artists, and transfixing animated displays, all under the inspired direction of Chen Shi-Zheng. This spectacular event tells the story of a monk, Tripitaka, who journeys from China to India to find the Buddha and receive the scriptures' enduring impossible challenges. The irrepressible Monkey King leads the monk and his animal companion protectors, creating havoc along the way."
Who knows when Albarn and Hewlett may work together again, so this could be the last collaboration we see from the duo for quite some time. More information about the musical can be found at their official website. Check out a trailer for the musical below along with a portrait of the Monkey King himself, which Hewlett designed for the U.S. run of the show--sure has a Gorillaz-esque influence... (via Buzz Feed)
This year marks the 10th anniversary of 
