Cubby Bernstein to Speak at Xanadu's One-Year Anniversary Celebration

By Andrew Gans
22 May 2008

Kerry Butler and Cheyenne Jackson in Xanadu.
Kerry Butler and Cheyenne Jackson in Xanadu.
Photo by Peter Lueders/Paul Kolnik Studio

Tony Award campaign manager Cubby Bernstein, the teenager who has been causing a bit of a sensation on YouTube, will make a rare public appearance when the Tony-nominated musical Xanadu celebrates its one-year Broadway anniversary later this month.

On May 28 in front of the Helen Hayes Theatre — where Xanadu plays — Cubby will deliver a speech and will join Xanadu cast members to sell "cub-cakes" to the public. The event is scheduled from 4-6 PM.

All proceeds from the bake sale will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Tony strategist Cubby Bernstein chooses one show a season to lead to Tony victory. This season the young mogul has chosen the new musical Xanadu.

Xanadu began previews at the Helen Hayes May 23, 2007, and officially opened July 10. The musical was recently nominated for four 2008 Tony Awards, including Best Book of a Musical, Best Leading Actress in a Musical, Best Choreography and Best Musical.

Xanadu features Cheyenne Jackson, Kerry Butler, Tony Roberts, Jackie Hoffman, Mary Testa, Kenita Miller, Patti Murin, Kyle Dean Massey and Andre Ward.

Xanadu boasts a book by Little Dog Laughed playwright Douglas Carter Beane 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."

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 more information visit www.xanaduonbroadway.com or www.cubbybernstein.com.