Wax on (Broadway), wax off (Broadway)! The world premiere of The Karate Kid - The Musical is set to open May 25, 2022. STAGES St. Louis in Missouri will host a monthlong engagement of the musical ahead of a hopeful Broadway run. The 1984 movie follows a young boy who is trained in martial arts to win a competition against his bullies. It is a semi-autobiographical account of Robert Mark Kamen’s life. Kamen wrote the original screenplay and now provides the book for The Karate Kid - The Musical. Music and lyrics are by Drew Gasparini.


The Karate Kid - The Musical is a new adaptation of the hit 1984 film starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita. It tells the story of a young boy named Daniel LaRusso who takes martial arts lessons from his apartment building's handyman, the karate master Mr. Miyagi, to stand up to his school bullies and compete against them in a karate tournament.
Robert Mark Kamen, who wrote the original screenplay and on whose life The Karate Kid is based, wrote the book for the musical adaptation, with Drew Gasparini providing music and lyrics.
The Karate Kid - The Musical has its world premiere and pre-Broadway tryout in St. Louis, Missouri in 2022 at STAGES St. Louis. Afterward, the show is expected to head to New York. Amon Miyamoto directs the production.
Top image credit: Danny Zofness with DTK Studios