But Vicencio's ideas for modern musical theater go beyond Western classics. The artist also wants to integrate Chinese culture into Western productions.

"One of my goals is to produce and write the first martial arts musical, hopefully producing it completely in China - with Chinese talents and skills, but marketed for the West," says Vicencio. "I have a few possible stories, which I am now developing."

Shanghai audiences were first introduced to full-scale Western musical productions in 2002, when the world's longest-running musical Les Miserables came to town. After a successful three-week engagement, other popular Western musicals began showing in Shanghai and Beijing, all of which received a warm reception.

"With these great shows coming into town, there is definitely a great and positive impact," says Vicencio. "More musicals mean more exposure, which can only generate more appreciation and anticipation for musical theater to come."

This November, a Chinese-language version of Les Miserables will premiere at Beijing's new National Theater. The production is a collaboration between the China Arts & Entertainment Group and Western production company Cameron Mackintosh Limited.

The joint venture provides a long-term plan to produce Chinese-version Western musicals, to run in Shanghai, Beijing, and other cities across China.

"I have always said that Shanghai will be the next West End, or Broadway," says Vicencio. "I truly believe it will (become that), perhaps even bigger and greater than its counterparts. I look forward to the day and am glad that I will have the privilege of being here as it happens."

Vicencio says as more musical professionals come to Shanghai, there's a greater need for these artists to find a way to communicate with locals. That's what pushed him to set up the website www.AskBenny.cn. It's an online community that aims to teach foreigners Mandarin and educate foreigners about Chinese culture through creative means including the use of games, comics, videos and interaction between online users around the world.

"Musical theater is a new form of art to Chinese people - just like what Mandarin is to the West," says the native-English speaker, who began learning the Chinese language when he arrived in Shanghai. "And, it is no doubt the first step for interested Westerners to get a better understanding of Chinese culture."

Apart from the website, Vicencio has also been working on his first book. Nine Invaluables to Auditioning in Musical Theater shares his industry experience and focuses on advice for auditions. Vicencio, whose career highlights also include acting roles in Hollywood movies Marco Polo, the re-make of Jesus Christ Superstar and Spanish science fiction film Arachnid, says he chose to write the book because industry books on the topic of auditioning are lacking - or are often only given from the perspective of the director or producer.

"My book brings together 10 years of my experience, sharing perspectives from both sides of the table, with empathy for the actor and ways in which the auditionee can help themselves counter the effects of auditioning," says Vicencio.

Vicencio's book is set to be released in September and will be printed in both English and Chinese.

(China Daily April 28, 2008)