Lights, Camera, Xanadu

Xanadu is a musical based on the unimpressed sidewalk chalk artist Sonny Malone who’s falling in love with Kira, an unspoken for Muse. We place them at a roller disco in Venice Beach and Mount Olympus. Sonny is feeling disappointed with himself and Clio, the bubbly Muse, decides to persuade the other muses to travel to Venice Beach to enlighten Sonny Malone. However, being a muse comes along with rules; those rules are set by Zeus. Zeus’s rules are that Muses must always be concealed from mortals. So Clio disguises herself and takes the name Kira. Kira and the muses travel to Venice. Meanwhile, we have an artist trying to find his new inspiration, Sonny is trying to mesh the Arts and Athletics together for a new piece: a roller disco is born. Sonny and Kira begin to feel a rule-breaking love between them. Zeus’s rules say that Mortals and Muses can’t fall in love. Sonny doesn’t know he’s breaking a rule for Kira and Kira doesn’t know how to stop herself. Xanadu, which is the state of enlightenment, was promised to Kira.  The two sisters Melpomene and Calliope are beyond envious of Clio/Kira because she is the youngest and is the leader of the muses. Since they are jealous of Clio/Kira they plan to curse Sonny and Kira to fall in love thus breaking the rules and getting Kira ultimately banished. This whole plan is completely fueled by jealousy and resentment. Xanadu the musical is an updated “star-crossed lovers”, just on skates.

The actors and actresses that are portraying these characters feel more than honored to have the roles they have. As I interviewed the following people they shared some beautiful feelings and thoughts that I believe are just a whisper of a voice saying that the arts are now starting to get noticed. Shayne Lowry is playing Sonny Malone, and as I interviewed Shayne he shared some very powerful feelings about how this role will show that the arts can bring people together, “Portraying hope,” Shayne said. A new confidence was instilled. Bailey Harris is playing Kira and while I was interviewing her she was sharing some very interesting things with me. Bailey was saying plenty about how this role was like nothing she had ever played before and that she was so proud to be able to have her name attached to the cast list. I also talked to the stage manager Jody. Jody and all of the actors and actresses that I interviewed shared a common statement: they all said that this performance has built a family. They all feel supported in this open community that they were invited into with open arms. A family, a new learning experience, and confidence-building is what these actors and actresses described how they feel about being in Xanadu the musical, to quote Bailey Harris when she was asked how she felt about the role she is portraying,”[I am] giving into my bliss and the events that followed” is a perfect way to sum up the feelings this performance entails. 

The showings for Xanadu will be November the 15th, 16th, and 22nd at 7 pm (doors open at 6 pm), and two showings on the 23rd, one at 2 pm (doors open at 1) and the final performance at 7 pm (doors open at 6 pm).