Broadway's Xanadu to Close in October
By Andrew Gans
16 Sep 2008
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Kerry Butler in Xanadu.
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| photo by Paul Kolnik | Xanadu, the Tony-nominated musical based on the infamous flop film of the same name, will play its final performance at Broadway's Helen Hayes Theatre Oct. 12.
When it closes the musical will have played a total of 49 previews and 528 regular performances.
In a statement lead producer Robert Ahrens said, "It was a joy to work on Xanadu, a project that I truly believed in. The cast, which became a family, was superbly talented as was the entire creative team. It's a rare treat to have such a special experience. All of my partners, including Tara Smith, B. Swibel, Dan Vickery, Cari Smulyan, Dale Smith, and Sara Murchison made their Broadway [producing] debuts with the show and their enthusiasm and belief in the project was unparallel. I thank them all."
Xanadu currently features 2008 Tony nominee Kerry Butler, Cheyenne Jackson, Tony Roberts, Mary Testa, Jackie Hoffman, Kenita Miller, Patti Murin, Marty Thomas, André Ward and Jacob ben Widmar. Christopher Ashley directed with Dan Knechtges providing the choreography.
Xanadu boasts a book by Little Dog Laughed playwright Douglas Carter Beane — a 2007 and 2008 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 received four 2008 Tony Award nominations, including one for Best Musical.
The Xanadu cast recording is available on the PS Classics label.
The national tour of Xanadu will kick off in November at the La Jolla Playhouse, followed by a six-month run at Chicago's Drury Lane Theatre. Additional tour dates will be announced at a later time.
A foreign production recently opened in Seoul, Korea. Plans are underway for productions in London (co-produced with David Ian and John Gore), China, Australia and the Philippines.
The Helen Hayes Theatre is located in Manhattan at 240 West 44th Street. For tickets call (212) 239-6200.
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