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By Andrew Gans
30 Apr 2008

Kerry Butler in Xanadu.
photo by Paul Kolnik

Xanadu producers Robert Ahrens, Tara Smith, Brian Swibel, Cari Smulyan and Dale Smith announced April 30 that the stars of their new musical have all renewed their contracts through January 2009.

Kerry Butler (Kira), Cheyenne Jackson (Sonny), Tony Roberts (Danny), Jackie Hoffman (Caliope) and Mary Testa (Melpomene) have signed on through Jan. 25, 2009. Xanadu, based on the film of the same name, plays the Helen Hayes Theatre.

In a statement producer Ahrens said, "We are so thrilled that our cast has all extended their contracts. We have an incredibly talented group of actors that make magic eight times a week. They have taken Douglas Carter Beane's sophisticated book and have made audiences of all ages laugh for 90 minutes. We see them leave the theatre with smiles on their faces. What more could we ask for?"

Xanadu boasts a book by Little Dog Laughed playwright Douglas Carter Beane — a 2007 Tony Award nominee — and utilizes songs from John Farrar and Jeff Lynne's film soundtrack. The musical, according to press notes, "tells the story of one of the nine muses of ancient Greece who comes to earth to inspire the greatest of artistic achievements – a roller disco. Along the way she falls in love, bumps into an old acquaintance and for the first time, feels the desire to create herself." Xanadu plays the Helen Hayes Theatre.

Xanadu recently received six Drama Desk nominations, including Best Musical, Best Book (Douglas Carter Beane), Best Director (Christopher Ashley), Best Actor (Cheyenne Jackson), Best Featured Actress (Mary Testa) and Best Choreography (Dan Knechtges). The show also received Best Musical nominations from the Outer Critics Circle and the Drama League. Kerry Butler and Cheyenne Jackson are nominated for Outstanding Performance Awards from the Drama League.

The Xanadu cast recording is available on the PS Classics label.

The Helen Hayes Theatre is located in Manhattan at 240 West 44th Street. For tickets call (212) 239-6200.

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