Image from Oasis Journals

Rating: 3 out of 5 masks

You’re probably wondering why anyone in their right mind would make a stage musical out of one of the worst movies of all time.  But I guarantee you, it’s worth checking out.

The show takes place in Santa Monica and Mount Olympus.  It’s about an artist, portrayed by Cheyenne Jackson, who through a muse named Kira (Kerry Butler) realizes his dream of Xanadu, which is basically a roller disco.  I’m assuming there’s a lot of inside jokes related to the movie, since I had never seen the movie.

The set is pretty sparse, with some risers for the audience onstage and the occasional piece of scenery coming in to show the scene change for Mount Olympus.  I really liked the lighting and visual effects, especially in the first scene, where the chalk mural that Cheyenne Jackson’s character works on comes to life.  There’s a lot of color onstage, almost like different colors of spilled paint.

My favorite characters were Calliope and Melpomene, who were two of Kira’s sisters.  They were so hilarious and definitely stole the show.  I loved how they interacted with the audience that were sitting onstage.  My favorite scene was towards the end when one of them explains why she appeared in a scene without her sister due to the fact that one of them had to play another character in the same scene.  It’s funny for people who get theatre and I’m guessing quite informative to people who aren’t familiar to theatre.

Image from Playbill

I think one of the best parts of the production is the audience onstage during the show.  I think it’s cool to be able to see the show happening around you, especially if once in awhile, you get to have your chance in the spotlight.  The only characters that I remember interacting with the audience were Melpomene and Calliope.

Image from Photo Bucket

I would recommend this show to anyone who is actually a fan of the movie.  It is completely appropriate for people of all ages.  And if you find yourself actually not liking this show, rest assured, it’s only 90 minutes long.

Running time: 90 minutes, no intermission