The original Chinese production 'Shimmer' would become the first Chinese musical to have an open-ended run in New York's Broadway in 2019.
The show is made possible after the musical's producer, Shanghai Hengyuanxiang (HYX) Drama Development Company, signed a deal with Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment on Monday to bring the production to Broadway.
The musical - directed by Xu Jun - follows the story of Jews who fled to Shanghai to escape Nazi persecution during World War II. The musical was first shown at the Shanghai Cultural Square in 2015 and later on, it was the opening show for the 17th China Shanghai International Arts Festival in the same year. Last year, it was also presented at the Edison Ballroom in Times Square.
The musical is a bilingual musical and performed in both English and Mandarin.
According to Chen Zhongwei, the president of Shanghai HYX Drama, the deal is a "milestone for Shimmer in its goal to further spread its influence to the world."
He adds, "In the next two years, our team will polish the story and the performance to Broadway standards, providing the audience with the highest level of musical art."
It will also be presented as a part of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Chinese-American diplomatic relations. "Through this drama, the audience can feel the charm of Chinese culture," said Sean Stein, consul general of the Consulate General of the United States in Shanghai.
He also adds, "With this play being shown on Broadway in the future, the ties between the Chinese people and Americans will be firmly strengthened."
For those who cannot watch the musical in Broadway, the musical is also slated to have an open-ended run in Shanghai in 2019.
