The theatre department is coming to the stage, bringing bright disco lights, roller skates and Greek gods with the musical Xanadu, bringing this retro classic to life. Xanadu is a story of the Greek muse Kira, who comes down from Mount Olympus and meets a mortal named Sunny Malone, and devises a plan to make a rollerskating disco. Kira’s two evil sisters, Melpolmene and Calliopea, plan to sabotage Kira and Sunny with a love spell that could lead to her eventual punishment by death from her father, Zeus, as a repercussion for falling in love with a mortal.
“I think Xanadu is really different from anything we have ever done. For instance, it is a jukebox movie, which is when you take popular music and put it together with a story. Also, this is based on the 1980s cult classic with Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly, and I watched it as a kid, and seeing it come in as a musical is a lot of fun and very nostalgic, and I think the parents are going to enjoy that nostalgia. I think the colors, the lights, costumes, disco balls, and roller skates create a very colorful experience, and the cast and crew are doing an amazing job,” Theatre Director Margret Hubbard said.
Xanadu is a good fit for this year’s theme, setting the stage with bright disco lights, immersive music, and a story of romance. Bringing the theme’s name to life literally and figuratively, offering a sense of nostalgia that brings back the charm of the retro era.
“It is light and love because it shows how love can bring light into your life and how it can bring you joy. The story is about a muse that falls in love with a mortal, which Zeus does not like; she ends up cursing, and there are a lot of different 80s characters, but I do not want to give too much away,” Hubbard said.
Even with the snow days, everyone has been trying hard to put in the work to make up for lost time. They have worked extra hard on choreography and have had fun doing something new compared to past musicals.
“The kids have been working really hard, and we have put in some extra hours. We had our Saturday choreography day, where we got a lot done. Our wonderful choreographer, Ikesha Nicole Oatsbar, has done a fabulous job with the dancing and helping coach and clean that up. All the senior students, I think they appreciate that it’s something different other than The Adams Family and Anastasia. It’s light, humorous, and funny. It’s silly, and I think the older kids are appreciating the difference, and I think that is helping them,” Hubbard said.
This musical will combine elements of retro and ancient to bring a unique twist to the stage. The tech crew has been working to bring these designs to life, challenging themselves creatively by incorporating these things together.
“This design was inspired by the 80s. It is very 1980s Venus Beach combined with Greek Olympian elements. I have the initial design, and as we build it, the technical leaders and students are adding their own inputs when they paint. I give them a general idea and they kind of paint it with their own creativity, and it has been really fun to see them explore all this beach and Greek mythology,” Hubbard said.
The cast has been enjoying the overall performance aspects of the play. Liking the high-tempo feeling performances and unique choreographies.
“I like how upbeat the whole play is and the fun of it all, as well as all of the dances we have in the musical. Our choreographer is really good and is doing a good job,” junior Jurney Atwater said.
The cast has done a lot to prepare for these roles, having to try things out of their comfort zones. They have had to learn how to sing in vocal ranges unfamiliar to them and adjust to doing new kinds of things on stage.
“Playing Sunny has challenged me to change my singing voice because he sings a lot higher than I do, so I have to work my way around that, which has been a challenge in itself. And as for my roles in the past, this is my first musical, so it is a really good opportunity to understand what this experience is even like,” senior Erik Monroe said.
Many members of the cast felt satisfied with their performances feeling like it stood out among the ones they have done over the years. They enjoyed everything from the choreography to the execution of the music.
I feel great about my performance and I have been told it was one of my best. I had so much fun and my favorite part was doing the choreography for the last song Xanadu,” senior Connor Holmes.
Every night of the performance they focused on things to improve on working harder to better the show every night. They feel like Xanadu was as successful as possible and are going to miss putting on the musical.
“I am going to miss everything about the show. From the characters to the people doing the show and being able to play this character of just hilariousness and fun,” senior Camille Caldwell.
Be sure to congratulate the cast and crew of xanadu on their performance in this years musical
