Maryland performances including Theater, plays, ballet and opera

Review: “Xanadu” presented by Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre

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Published on Monday, 13 August 2012 14:24

Written by Mike Liberto

What do you get when you put Greek gods, roller disco, and Venice Beach on stage? You get "Xanadu," an upbeat comedy set in 1980 about a young artist and the muse who inspires his work.

When the film "Xanadu," starring Olivia Newton-John, came out in 1980, it was a critical and financial flop. But it immediately gained a loyal fan base and had a soundtrack that became more famous than the film itself. Twenty-seven years later, a musical parody of the film opened on Broadway and, ironically, was a smash hit, running for more than 500 performances and securing Tony Award nominations for Best Musical and Best Book. Written by Douglas Carter Beane, with music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar, the musical tells of a day in the life of Sonny Malone, a poor artist who discovers that his true calling in life is to open a roller disco. Leading him towards this goal, constantly clad in a pair of roller blades and leg warmers, is the Greek muse Clio, cleverly disguised as an Aussie named Kira. The musical's biggest strength is that it does not take itself seriously, embracing the absurdity of both the 1980s and the original film. Many of the jokes are corny, but because the musical is so lighthearted, every witty line will have audiences laughing.

This production requires advanced roller skating skills, which can be a challenge for a community theater troupe. Particularly outstanding was Jeffrey Walter, in the role of Sonny Malone. He is a fine actor, talented singer, and a good skater to boot. A four-piece, onstage band conducted by Music Director Ken Kimble provides live accompaniment, when many small theater production these days are using recorded music. Kimble does an admirable job of transitioning back and forth between moving ballads and upbeat disco numbers, while keeping the musical balance in sync with the vocal performances.

Directed by Melissa Huston, with choreography by Felicity Stiverson, this upbeat production will keep you laughing. An enjoyable production, Xanadu is likely to become even better as its run at Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre continues.

"Xanadu" runs through September 2, 2012 (Thurs-Sun only), at Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre in downtown Annapolis. The performance runs approximately 2 hours including a 15 minute intermission. Tickets are available at summergarden.com.

Mike Liberto is a drama major/English minor at Washington College, Chestertown, MD. When not acting, singing, or reading, Mike enjoys puppies, his girlfriend, and video games.

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