(Image Source: WBN)

BY RICHARD LAYCOCK

Almost everyone knows the songs from Rocky.  Ya know -- Eye of the Tiger.  Now, you’ll be able to hear it performed live on stage ... it’s Rocky -- the Musical. It’ll debut in Germany and is the latest pet project for Sylvester Stallone.

But don’t expect the musical to be phoned in, says the Telegraph. Stallone has enlisted heavy weights of the theatre industry to work on the production.

“It was Stallone’s idea to commission this musical show, which has been written by Tony Award-winning Ragtime songwriters Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty and Tony-winning librettist Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray) wrote the musical.”

According to The Guardian, Stallone says he wants to bring Rocky to the stage all because of one four-letter word.

“At the end of the day, Rocky is a love story and he could never have reached the final bell without Adrian. To see this story coming to life on a musical stage makes me proud. And it would make Rocky proud.”

Stallone is slated to team up with heavyweight boxing champs, Vladimir and Vitali Klitschko, to teach the actors how to box convincingly. But a writer for WTVJ doesn’t pulling any punches with his snide remarks.

“According to Stallone, the brothers will also teach the actors how to convincingly box. On stage. While singing. Because, really, if there's one thing theater audiences will not stand for, it's an incorrectly thrown shoeshine combination. It nearly ruined George Abbott.”

Finally, Broadway World notes, it’s not just Germany on the horizon for Rocky.

“...the production will open … in Hamburg, Germany, in November, 2012.  As previously speculated, the production is aiming for Broadway in 2013.”

Stallone’s not actually gonna be singing in the production. Germany’s The Local quotes him as saying if he did quote “the show would close after one day.”