Voices of the Wind - The Story of the Ninja (a.k.a. The Ninja Project) is a new musical based on historical accounts of Ninja in Japan, currently in development under Katie Takahashi's artistic direction.

Voices of the Wind - The Story of the Ninja creates a unique and authentic view of Japanese history for American audiences through the description of the complex lives of ninja during the civil war period in 16th Century Japan. The fictional story is closely aligned with, and inspired by, Japanese history wherein repetitious cycles of retaliation were constant, clearly speaks to the need for less violent solutions to social and political conflict, and reflects upon current events and the need for world peace in the 21st century. The Ninja, a cross between intelligence agent and warrior, with strong family bond, engaged in espionage activities for the powerful feudal lords and lived in the shadows of their glory. The presentation also strives to move past today’s stereotypes of the Ninja as violent, as heartless individuals, but instead the ones who struggled between personal desires and community responsibility.

Voices of the Wind - The Story of the Ninja combines East and West in all aspects of the production. Exploring stylistic relationships between cultures (particularly music that have nomadic roots), original song book is cross-over world music influenced by Flamenco, Bossa Nova, and Rock in which Japanese traditional instrument, Koto, is used as one of the string instruments. Choreography explores a marriage of martial arts-inspired movements, Japanese dance, modern and ballet.

Truly an innovative way of telling an authentic 16-Century Japanese period drama.

Check out the nytheatre.com review on our show at the New York International Fringe Festival in 2005