XANADU
book by Douglas Carter Beane
music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar
March 2 – April 1, 2012
Believe in the magic again.
Escape with us and revel in this outrageously fun romantic adventure on skates.Based on the 1980 cult classic film, Xanadu is a sweet story about following your muse, risking it all for love and making your dreams come true. Kind of like The Wedding Singer on skates!
There are a limited number of onstage couch seats for each performance of XANADU. Those seats must be reserved by telephone: 303-739-1970.
Xanadu Preview Condensed- Rebecca Gholson
Get ready for roller skates, short shorts, and mythological mayhem. It is time for Xanadu—the musical, a musical comedy about an artist and his encounter with the muses. Premiering regionally at The Aurora Fox Theatre March 2 through April 1, 2012, the adaptation is not your mamma’s Xanadu.
Based on the 1980 film starring Olivia Newton John, the Broadway hit which debuted in 2007, pays homage to the original story line and music, but gives it a much needed reworking.
The story is stripped down, simplified. It is the naïveté of Sonny’s conundrum which paves the way for wit at his expense and the intervention of the supernatural. Sonny is the archetypical, idealistic artist. So, it only makes sense he finds himself influenced by the crème-de-la-crème of archetypes, Greek mythology.
Enter Clio, head muse, a young spirit charged to inspire, just as hopelessly idealistic as her new project. Armed with an Australian accent and a pair of skates, she is perfectly situated for an unintended romance. Working her magic on Sonny’s dream to open an “apex of the arts,” a building where all art collides in the form of a roller disco, Clio, under the alias Kira, is alternately inspired by Sonny’s ability to create.
If Sonny and Kira’s romance is not enough to set your heart atwitter, malicious sister muses and a conniving real estate titan threaten to crush the lovebirds’ dreams for want of power and sheer love of mischief. Maniacal laughter abounds as these stereotypical fiends weave their tapestry of deception with all the conviction of Wile E. Coyote.
The adaptation’s ability to laugh at itself and popular culture is precisely what makes the story enjoyable. Writers Douglas Carter Beane (book), Jeff Lynne and John Farrar (music and lyrics) craft a script based on clichés, but not in a bad way. It is the kind of social self-flagellation which is the foundation of all good comedy.
At read-through director Ben Dicke laid out his vision for the cast: “To me I find the script very funny and I think the comedy is born out of this aping of the film and these writers seeing that, oh, there is this strange cultural iconic thing in Xanadu and we can invest ourselves in that and we can also comment on it at the same time. And I think there’s humor to be found in that.”
The set will take on its own late ‘70s flair with Grecian columns and, of course, a disco ball. “There’s that sense of…[the] Pan-Pacific Theatre in LA,” says Dicke. “[The Aurora Fox] is the perfect venue, plus its intimate, which this show must be.” Like its Broadway cousin, the Fox will have limited audience seating on stage giving some lucky patrons the ability to physically engage in the world of Xanadu, “welcoming this audience into this world,” as Dicke puts it.
To reserve tickets for Xanadu visit www.AuroraFox.org or call the Box Office at 303-739-1970. Onstage seating is limited and must be booked in advance. The Aurora Fox Theatre is located at 9900 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora, five blocks west of Havana. Parking for the venue is free and located behind the theatre. Doors open half an hour prior to curtain and concessions are available for purchase upon arrival. For any additional information, contact the Box Office.
