Xanadu (musical) and Talk:Nicolae Tonitza: Difference between pages

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{{WPBiography

{{Infobox Musical

|living=no

|name= Xanadu

|class=

|image= XanaduBroadway.jpg

|priority=

|caption= Broadway poster

|music= [[Jeff Lynne]] and [[John Farrar]]

|lyrics= [[Jeff Lynne]] and [[John Farrar]]

|book= [[Douglas Carter Beane]]

|basis= 1980 film ''[[Xanadu (film)|Xanadu]]''

|productions= [[2007]] Workshop <br> [[2007]] [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]

<!-- Please do not include production-specific (acting, directing, etc.) awards -->

|awards=

}}

==jewish ancestry==

'''''Xanadu''''' is a [[musical theatre|musical]] comedy with a book by [[Douglas Carter Beane]], music and lyrics by [[Jeff Lynne]] and [[John Farrar]], based on the [[Xanadu (film)|1980 cult classic film of the same name]] which was, in turn, inspired by the 1947 [[Rita Hayworth]] film ''[[Down to Earth (1947 film)|Down to Earth]]''<ref name=NYMag>{{cite news|last=Martin|first=Michael|title=In ''Down to Earth'', Terpsichore, a muse from ancient Greece, infiltrates a Broadway show about the nine muses.|publisher=New York Times|date=|url=http://nymag.com/arts/theater/features/32380/|accessdate=2007-05-29}}</ref>. The title is a reference to the [[poem]], ''[[Kubla Khan]], or A Vision in a Dream. A Fragment'', by [[Samuel Taylor Coleridge]]. [[Xanadu]] is the name of the Chinese province where Khan establishes his pleasure garden in the poem.

What do you know exactly? Do you have some sources? --[[User:Eliade|<font color="blue">'''Eliade'''</font>]] 15:15, 31 July 2006 (UTC)

The story of the musical focuses on a magical Greek [[muse]], Kira, who descends from [[Mount Olympus (Mountain)|Mt. Olympus]] to [[Venice Beach, California]] in 1980 on a quest to inspire a struggling artist, Sonny, to achieve the greatest creation of his life - a [[roller disco]]. But, when Kira, disguised as an Australian roller girl, falls into forbidden love with the mortal Sonny, her jealous sisters take advantage of the situation, and Kira risks eternal banishment to the underworld.

:Not likely. Would have been mentioned somewhere by now. [[User:Dahn|Dahn]] 15:26, 31 July 2006 (UTC)

== Workshop productions ==

The musical was first given a workshop production and backers' audition at the Minetta Lane Theater in [[Greenwich Village]], [[New York City]], in January 2007, featuring performances by [[Jane Krakowski]], [[Tony Roberts (actor)|Tony Roberts]], and [[Cheyenne Jackson]]. Readings of the stage version had previously been held on April 21 and Aug. 3, 2006 at New World Stages in Manhattan.<ref name="pbilltease">{{cite news|last=Gans|first=Andrew|title=Xanadu Workshop — with Krakowski and Jackson — Presented Jan. 20-21|publisher=Playbill.com|date=2007-01-20|url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/105037.html|accessdate=2007-01-29}}</ref>

According to Beane, in rewriting the script for the Musical, he was influenced not only by the 1980 Xanadu film, but also by the 1981 fantasy film, ''[[Clash of the Titans]]'', prompting him to add the subplot "in which Kira’s jealous sister-muses doom her to fall in love with a mortal, incurring the wrath of their father, Zeus."<ref name=NYMag/> Krakowski was cast in the leading role of Clio/Kira for the Broadway run but dropped out, citing her TV shooting schedule on the NBC show ''[[30 Rock]]''.

==Broadway production ==

[[Image:Helen_Hayes_Theatre_NYC_2007.jpg|thumb|[[Helen Hayes Theatre]] showing ''Xanadu'', 2007]]''Xanadu'' began previews on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] on [[May 23]] [[2007]] at the [[Helen Hayes Theatre]] and opened on [[July 10]] [[2007]]. The show is directed by Christopher Ashley (''[[All Shook Up (musical)|All Shook Up]]'' and ''[[The Rocky Horror Show]]''), and choreographed by Dan Knechtges (''[[25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee|Spelling Bee]]'' and ''[[110 in the Shade]]''), with set and lights by [[Tony Award]] winners David Gallo and [[Howell Binkley]].

There is considerable skating for Kira and Sonny, and the set extends over the orchestra pit partly into the audience. The score includes the hits from the film and will also include new arrangements by [[Eric Stern]] of "I'm Alive," "Magic," "Suddenly," and "Dancin'," as well as interpolating two classic [[Electric Light Orchestra]] songs, "Strange Magic" and "Evil Woman," plus Farrar's "Have You Never been Mellow?" The show is presented partially in the round, with some audience members seated on benches on the stage. The small cast includes [[Kerry Butler]] as Kira, [[Cheyenne Jackson]] as Sonny Malone, and [[Tony Roberts (actor)|Tony Roberts]] as Danny Maguire. [[Jackie Hoffman]] and [[Mary Testa]] co-star as "evil" Muse sisters, a new plot twist introduced in the Broadway version. The show is presented without an intermission and runs 90 minutes.

[[James Carpinello]] was originally cast in the leading role of Sonny and played the role during May and June previews. The actor was forced to leave the production, however, after he injured his foot roller skating during a rehearsal on June 12th at the theater.<ref name="CarpinelloInjury">{{cite news|title=Xanadu Star James Carpinello Exits Roller-Skating Musical With Injured Foot|publisher=Broadway.com|date=2007-06-13|url=http://www.broadway.com/Gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=549560|accessdate=2007-06-13}}</ref> Carpinello's understudy, Andre Ward, who usually plays muse Terpsicore (among other roles) played the Sonny role on June 12th. Jackson was announced on June 14th as the new male lead. Two understudies and cast members, Ward and Curtis Holbrook, alternated in the role of Sonny until Jackson went onstage beginning June 21.

In his ''[[New York Times]]'' review<ref name="newyorktimes">{{cite news|last=Isherwood|first=Charles|title=Heaven on Wheels, and in Leg Warmers|publisher=New York Times|date=[[2007-07-11]]|url=http://theater2.nytimes.com/2007/07/11/theater/reviews/11xana.html|accessdate=2007-07-12}}</ref>, Charles Isherwood described the musical as "simultaneously indefensible and irresistible . . . there’s so much silly bliss to be had at the Helen Hayes Theater . . . there is enough first-rate stage talent rolling around in ''Xanadu'' to power a season of wholly new,old-school, non-jukebox musicals, if someone would get around to writing a few good ones . . . the show’s winking attitude toward its own aesthetic abjectness can be summed up thus: If you can’t beat ’em, slap on some roller skates and join ’em."

==Synopsis==

It is 1980, and chalk artist Sonny Malone is dissatisfied with his sidewalk mural of the nine Muses (daughters of Zeus) and determines to kill himself. On Mount Olympus, [[Clio]] (pronounced Klio – rhymes with Ohio), the youngest, perkiest Muse, convinces her eight sisters (two of whom are guys in drag), to travel to Venice Beach (rising out of the sidewalk mural) to inspire Sonny ("I'm Alive"). [[Zeus]]'s rules require that Muses must always be disguised from mortals, and all agree that Clio must appear on roller skates, wear [[legwarmers]], sport an [[Australia]]n accent, and change her name to something contemporary: Kira. Quickly inspired ("Magic"), Sonny decides that he can combine all the arts and "something athletic" all into one spectacular entertainment: a roller disco.

Two of Clio's sisters, [[Melpomene]] (the oldest sister) and [[Calliope]] (pronounced KaleeOHpee) are jealous that Clio (although the youngest) is the leader of the Muses and that Zeus had promised "Xanadu" to Clio, although no one knows exactly what that entails ("Evil Woman"). So they plot to discredit Clio and cause her banishment by tricking her into breaking one of Zeus's rules: a Muse must not fall in love with a mortal, so they will curse "Kira" and Sonny to fall in love.

Meanwhile, Sonny finds a good ___location for the roller disco, a long-abandoned theater in downtown Los Angeles called "Xanadu".

"Kira" inspires him to locate the owner in the phone book ("Suddenly"), and they set up a meeting with [[real estate]] mogul Danny Maguire, who used to be a [[big band]] [[clarinet]]tist before he started in the real estate game.

Sonny visits hard-hearted Danny in his posh office and tries to convince him to donate the theatre for the roller disco, because it would bring the arts to downtown L.A. and drive up real estate values. But Danny scoffs, even though he had plans to open the theatre himself, once upon a time. As Sonny leaves, "Kira" arrives, jogging Danny's memories of an old love and dance partner of his, who looked suspiciously like "Kira", named Tangerine ("Whenever You're Away from Me"). Tangerine tells Danny that although he had let his greed stop him from pursuing his dream to open the theatre 35 years ago, he has a chance to redeem himself now by opening the roller disco with Sonny. Danny finds Sonny and tells him that if he can get the disco up and running in one day, he'll give him 25% of the take from the Disco ("Dancin'"). Excited, Sonny readily agrees.

Sonny finds "Kira" and tells her the good news. She is not impressed with the deal that he has cut. It is then that the evil sisters work their curse, and the winged [[Eros]] shoots "Kira" and Sonny with the arrows of love ("Strange Magic"). "Kira" is soon overwhelmed with guilt over her loving feelings and of having created her own art (a hand-drawn picture) alongside Sonny – both violations of Zeus's restrictions on the Muses.

With the help of some of the muses, "Kira" and Sonny fix up the old theatre ("All Over the World"), and Danny agrees to go ahead with the opening. Clio realizes that she is falling in love with Sonny and tells him that she must leave ("Don't Walk Away"). But the evil sisters are not finished. Now they offer Danny piles of money if he will tear down the theatre and build condos. Danny can't resist and tells Sonny that the deal is off.

"Kira" comes back to tell Sonny that she loves him, but the evil sisters tell her that she has broken Zeus's rules, and that she must tell Sonny the truth. So "Kira" reveals all to Sonny, including that her name is Clio, but he does not believe her and is upset. He suggests that she is a crackpot. He also doubts that she really loves him, and she is angry and hurt ("Fool"). The evil sisters have triumphed ("The Fall"), and Kira sets off for Mount Olympus to receive her punishment from Zeus ("Suspended in Time").

Meanwhile, Sonny and Danny discuss "Kira" and after seeing her in the sky - it all makes sense. Danny tells Sonny not to let go of his muse because of foolish pride as he once did back in the 1940s. Sonny, realizing that he really loves "Kira", decides to find her - even if it means climbing Mount Olympus.

Back on Mount Olympus, Zeus's wives ask him to take pity on Clio ("Have You Never Been Mellow"). One of Zeus's wives, [[Thetis]], retells the story of [[Achilles]] and his vulnerable heel – all the demi-gods and demi-goddesses are so afflicted. This gives Clio an epiphany: She, too is invulnerable, except for her heels, but when the evil sisters had her shot with the arrows of love, she had been wearing the "mighty legwarmers", and so she must have been completely invulnerable. This means that she really did love Sonny!

Sonny reunites with "Kira" and they tell Zeus of their love for each other. Sonny brashly declares that he would even fight Zeus for the woman he loves. Zeus, impressed with his pluck, decides to pardon Clio. The evil sisters are displeased, but the lovers are reunited, and Zeus reveals what Xanadu is: "True love and the ability to create and share art." Clio and Sonny go back to L.A. and Xanadu.

==Musical numbers==

*"[[I'm Alive (Electric Light Orchestra song)|I'm Alive]]" &ndash; Kira and the Muses

*"Magic" &ndash; Kira

*"[[Evil Woman (Electric Light Orchestra song)|Evil Woman]]"&ndash; Melpomene, Calliope and the Sirens

*"Suddenly" &ndash; Kira and Sonny

*"Whenever You're Away From Me" &ndash; Danny and Kira

*"Dancin’" &ndash; Danny, Sonny and the Muses

*"[[Strange Magic]]" &ndash; Melpomene, Calliope and Kira

*"[[All Over the World (song)|All Over the World]]" &ndash; Sonny, Danny and the Muses

*"[[Don't Walk Away (Electric Light Orchestra song)|Don't Walk Away]]" &ndash; Sonny and the Muses

*"Fool" &ndash; Kira and the Muses

*"The Fall" &ndash; Sonny and the Muses

*"Suspended in Time" &ndash; Kira and Sonny

*"[[Have You Never Been Mellow (song)|Have You Never Been Mellow]]" &ndash; Kira and the Greek gods

*"[[Xanadu (Olivia Newton-John/ELO)|Xanadu]]" &ndash; Kira, Sonny, Danny and the Muses

== References ==

{{reflist|2}}

==External links==

*[http://www.xanaduonbroadway.com Official website]

*[http://www.playbill.com/events/event_detail/11565.html Xanadu on Playbill.com]

*[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/107992.html Playbill.com article from May 10, 2007]

*[http://www.broadway.com/Gen/Buzz_Video.aspx?ci=547920 Broadway Rehearsal video]

*[http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=18189 Broadway Rehearsal photos]

*[http://nymag.com/arts/theater/features/32380/ NY mag article]

*[http://www.playbill.com/multimedia/search.asp?EVENT_ID=11565 Playbill production photos]

*[http://broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=19866 Opening night curtain call with Olivia Newton-John and John Farrar]

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