Xanadu/Fanadu love thread!

Let the <3 begin!

1/16/09: first show, I was blown away! This cast is equally as good as the New York cast, and just as hilarious!! I laughed, I cried (because I was laughing), I snorted (because I was laughing), I danced, it was amazing! Max von Essen's Sonny is fantastic, he pulls off the whole surfer-dude relaxed vibe (as well as the short shorts!) with great humor and chill-ness. Elizabeth Stanley was a fantastic Kira/Clio! She had me in stitches, her accents were so funny and her singing was great. Every ensemble member/all the muses were also fantabulous, dancing was great as were individual "cameos" (the centaur, cyclops, the tap dancing, Melpomene & Calliope, etc. etc. etc.).

The show is also perfect in the space, I cannot imagine a better theater than the Drury Lane for this show. The size was perfect and the cast members were able to use the whole theater and interact with the on-stage audience members as well as with the closer "regular" seats. In addition, after seeing the show in NY vs the show here, I have to say the whole mural thing here was MUCH better! I hope I'm not spoiling anything but the cast members looked like they were really seriously coming out of that wall lol it was fantastic.

In short......GO SEE XANADU! Multiple times! lol I cannot WAIT to go back!!!

---

Yey!

And I agree about The Drury Lane being PERFECT for this show. If they had tried to stick it in the Oriental, The Palace, or (God forbid) The Auditorium, it would not have been nearly as good.

---

Saw the show in La Jolla a few times and had a blast! Great cast. I loved Max and Elizabeth as Sonny and Kira/Clio. I can't wait to see it in Chicago in a couple months....glow stick at the ready.

---

It says that on most of the cast's bios. I greatly enjoyed Friday's performance as well. I thought Max was GREAT as Sonny. I thought he was comparable to Cheyenne (I have now seen Max, Cheyenne, and Andre Ward). I loved Elizabeth's voice, but I like Kerry Butler's acting and line delivery more. Everyone else was great. It was interesting to see and hear subtle changes in the book, blocking, choreography, and character tracks.

On a side note, it was fun sitting onstage again (did it in ny once). Although, I felt like I was going to get hit with the phone booth and Elizabeth's arm when she skated off into the wings.

---

Updated On: 1/18/09 at 03:09 AM

Curtis Holbrook isn't in the show. He was in the show on Broadway though.

---

Can't seem to find our Playbill at the moment, but I meant the ensemble member who was from the original bway cast. I thought it was Curtis Holbrook, but guess I am wrong. Whoever he is, we saw him in NY too and he was fantastic there as well. We were perplexed as to how he was cast in the tour since tour casting was complete before the bway show closed, but were very happy to see him. He was great - as was Julius!

We forgot to ask about Student Rush - did anyone happen to find out?

Just read my playbill, and only one of the swings is from the Broadway cast.

---

Yeah, no rush is a bummer but at least the on-stage seats are only $25! :)

---

The only one from the original Broadway company (and new to this production in Chicago, he wasn't in La Jolla) is David Tankersly, who is the specialty skater and a swing. He only appears in the last song, "Xanadu."

If you're thinking of the other male muse ("Thalia"), you're thinking of Jason Michael Snow, who was not in the show in NY, but he is hilarious, it's true. :)

Me too, Lake. I cannot wait! I think I'm going to try to go on Feb. 6th, too!

haha we'll wave to you with our glowsticks :)

---

Yep, Johnny. We'll be onstage. And I'm pretty excited about it.