They Call It Xanadu

I must say of all the shows I have seen on Broadway that have been adapted from previous source material, mainly movies, I never thought in my life I would see quite possibly the worst movie ever made turned into a successful stage show.

Xanadu is the story of Clio/Kira(Kerry Butler) a muse who is sent to earth to inspire a young man Sonny(Cheyenne Jackson) to create art, and what else would you create if you were living in the 80's a time of roller skates and at the tail end of the disco movement? A Roller Disco of course!

The play and the movie only have one thing in common, the score. The book which was wonderfully redone by Douglas Carter Beane(Broadway's The Little Dog Laughed), is full of theater jokes and stabs at the original screenplay. The best one of these stabs is to explain where the Australian accent that Clio/Kira uses when she comes down to earth. So as to disguise herself from the mortals. This explanation also works to explain why she wears leg warmers and roller skates.

Of course since this is a musical comedy, we need to have antagonists, enter Clio's sisters Calliope and Melpomene, brilliantly played by Jackie Hoffman and Mary Testa respectively. Who out of jealously try to halt their sister's plans to inspire art, set a curse upon their sister to make her fall in love with Sonny. I don't want to ruin what happens in the end, because I want to give you all some incentive to go see it.

The score by ELO's Jeff Lynne and John Farrar is full of the catchy melodic hooks that made the original songs top 40 hits. Brilliantly sung by the cast and staged by director Christopher Ashley and choreographer Dan Knechtges. The numbers actually make sense in this version unlike in their movie counterpart. And if they don't which some of them do not, it doesn't effect the musical like some others where songs are just placed in for no reason.

There were amazing things in the musical, the book for one, was a series of jokes, that worked to tell the loose story. The score was amazing, seeing these songs sung live as opposed to listening to them on the original soundtrack made the musical more of a concert experience ala Mamma Mia, as opposed to a traditional book musical.


The cast was seamless, I have trouble envisioning Sonny being played by anyone other than Jackson. His portrayal of the character as a dopey stoner with no clue of his surroundings made the musical more enjoyable. Granted I have not see James Carpinello in the role, but I cannot really see anyone else but Mister Jackson playing Sonny.

Kerry Butler in the role she helped to originate in workshop readings of the production, but replaced in the pre-broadway workshops by 3o Rock star and Tony Winner for her work in Nine Jane Krakowski, is brilliant as Clio/Kira. Her comic timing is impeccable! Her strong and powerful belt suits this role. The best from Butler comes when she imitates Olivia Newton John's breathy Soprano in the classic songs "Suddenly" and "Suspended In Time" the latter in which she sings upon Pegasus! Truly inspired! If she doesn't at least get a Tony Nomination(she should have gotten one for her work as Penny in Hairspray), there is seriously something wrong with the Tony voters!

Jackie Hoffman and Mary Testa as the sisters are a riot. They shout out one liners and witty repartee some of which seems to be improvised, but a lot of it thrown in by Beane. One of the best numbers in the show is the ELO classic "Evil Woman" while not included in the original movie, is blended seamlessly into the score. Testa seems at ease with the writing delivering one of the best lines in the show.


Clio: You mean to tell me that you believe my sister's placed a curse on you to make you fall in love with me, but you don't believe that I am a muse from Ancient Greece.
Sonny: Well that one has a sort of Witchie-Poo look about her.
Melpomene: Well I try to keep the look simple and let my personality shine through.

Brilliant writing and brilliant performances make this new musical a must see. I know I will be going back, next time I will be sitting on stage.