STAGE TUBE: ElizaBeth Stanley and Max Von Essen Talk XANADU Tour

The national tour of the musical adventure XANADU opens at the Orange County Performing Arts Center on December 15 and runs through December 27. This engagement is the only Southern California appearance scheduled on the national tour. XANADU is based on Universal Pictures' cult classic movie of the same title, which starred Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly. XANADU is being presented by producers Robert Ahrens, Dan Vickery, Mickey Liddell, Tara Smith/B. Swibel in association with Latitude Link.

In this special inside peak, Xanadu stars ElizaBeth Stanley (Kira) and Max von Essen (Sonny) talk about the tour and why they are particularly happy to be performing in Costa Mesa.  Check it out below! 

This unique roller skating musical adventure set in the year 1980 follows the journey of a magical and beautiful Greek muse, Kira, who descends from the heavens and lands in Venice, California to inspire the first roller disco! Along the way she falls in forbidden love with a mortal, Sonny, and chaos ensues when her jealous sisters take advantage of the situation. 

The journey of XANADU, which won the Best New Musical Award from the Outer Critics Circle and garnered four Tony® nominations, including Best New Musical, is not the traditional story about the creation of a critically acclaimed Broadway show. Book is by Douglas Carter Beane, with music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar.

Joining Stanley and von Essen on the tour are Sharon Wilkins, Joanna Glushak, Larry Marshall, Tallia Brinson, Amy Goldberger, Vincent Rodriguez III, Jason Michael Snow, Kristofer L. Stock, Julius Thomas III, Tiffany Topol, and J.B. Wing. On Broadway, Kerry Butler and Cheyenne Jackson played the lead roles.

XANADU also features choreography by Dan Knechtges, scenic design by Tony Award winner David Gallo, costume design by David Zinn, lighting design by Tony Award winner Howell Binkley, sound design by Dan Moses Schreier, projections design by Zachary Borovay, wig and hair design by Charles LePoint and musical direction by Eric Stern.

Tickets to XANADU start at $20 and are available online at OCPAC.org, at the Center's Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling 714.556.2787. For more information visit: xanaduontour.com.