"When I first visited Xi'an, I went to see the Terracotta Warriors, and the moment that the crowd parted and I could suddenly see them (the soldiers) for the first time, I burst into tears. It was a profound experience that went beyond intellect. It was existential, elemental and emotional," says Acito.

"I wanted to capture that kind of experience for a young contemporary person going into the past, to understand the value in putting down your phone and dealing with the places and people right in front of you."

Director Gabriel Barre made many trips to China. He worked with Chinese performers in the musical, which is influenced by the Broadway style.

"There are a lot of themes in the show, which is normal for a Broadway musical, but the one that sticks out to me is the story of how precarious the connection between all of us as human beings is," he says.

Contact the writer at chennan@chinadaily.com.cn