XANADU Comes to Metropolis in July
Xanadu previews begin Thursday, July 13; opening and press night is Saturday, July 15, at 7:30 pm and runs through August 13.
By: Stephi Wild Jun. 22, 2023
Closing the 2022 – 2023 Season at Metropolis is the cult movie classic turned musical comedy Xanadu. Kevin Wiczer directs the glitter explosion with choreography by Kristine Burdi and musical direction by Kenneth McMullen. Xanadu previews begin Thursday, July 13; opening and press night is Saturday, July 15, at 7:30 pm and runs through August 13 in the 329-seat Metropolis Theater. Tickets ($10 – $45) are available now at MetropolisArts.com or by phone at (847) 577-2121.
The Tony Award-nominated Xanadu is a hilarious musical about following your dreams. It surprised audiences and critics when it transformed the 1980 film starring Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly into the hottest comedy on Broadway in 2007.
Xanadu follows the journey of a mythological muse, Kira, who descends from Mt. Olympus (complete with Greek chorus) to inspire a struggling artist, Sonny, to achieve the most incredible artistic creation of all time – a 1980s roller disco!
When Kira falls into forbidden love with the mortal Sonny, her jealous sisters take advantage of the situation and chaos abounds. With a score of pop gems and a script that celebrates musical theatre satire, Xanadu is a moving, electrifying tale of endless fun that will keep audiences in stitches while the original legendary, chart-topping tunes lift them out of their seats.
"The first time I saw Xanadu, my face hurt from smiling so hard," says Artistic Director Brendan Ragan. "It's an outrageously fun, goofy satire of the famously bad film, but it also manages to honor the era well with lively power ballads and endearing pop hits. And did I mention they do it on rollerskates? It's really the perfect show for summertime."
THE CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Book by Douglas Carter Beane
Music & Lyrics by Jeff Lynne & John Farrar
Based on the Universal Pictures film
Screenplay by Richard Danus & Marc Rubel
Originally produced on Broadway by Robert Ahrens, Dan Vickery, Tara Smith/B. Swibel, Sara Murchison/Dale Smith & Cari Smulyan
Directed by Kevin Wiczer, Choreographed by Kristine Burdi, Musical Direction by Kenneth McMullen, Costume Design by Rachel Parent, Sound Design by Daniel Etti-Williams, Lighting Design by Alexa Wiljanen, Dramaturgy by Linda Scheufler, Props Design by Patrick McGuire, Wig, Hair & Makeup Design by Alice Salazar, Intimacy Direction by Christa Retka, Scenic Design by Shane Cinal, Stage Management by Lili Bjorklund, Assistant Stage Management by Bridget Kearbey, Production Management by Alexis Nau, Assistant Music Direction by Anna Wegener, Assistant Sound Design by Elijah Miller, and Dialect Coaching by Saren Nofs Snyder.
ORCHESTRA
Keys 1 Kenneth McMullen
Keys 2 Anna Wegener
Guitar Jared Forth
Drums Colin Rambert
Bass Jeremy Wayne
ENHANCED AND ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES
Visit MetropolisArts.com/accessibility/ for more information about Metropolis Performing Arts Centre accessibility efforts.
ASL-interpreted: Thursday, July 20, 2023 at 7:30 pm
INDUSTRY, MILITARY, GROUPS, AND OTHER DISCOUNTS
Single Tickets for Industry Members are $10 with proof (for example: union card, resume, headshot, website, etc.); please contact our Audience Services team with the show, date, and time of the performance you would like to attend at customerservice@metropolisarts.com or (847) 577-2121; not valid for more than one ticket unless noted otherwise; not valid for a Presented Works Series performance unless noted otherwise.
Group Tickets are available at a 20% discount off the single ticket price for groups of 8 or more for select shows. All ticket fees are waived on group sales. To reserve group tickets, please contact Jana Kramer (Group Sales Coordinator) at jkramer@metropolisarts.com or (847) 577-5982 ext 228 with your preferred performance date/time and estimated number of attendees. More information on Group Sales is available at https://www.metropolisarts.com/groups/.
ABOUT METROPOLIS PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE
Metropolis is a not-for-profit arts and education organization. Led by Artistic Director Brendan
Ragan and Executive Director Brookes Ebetsch, the theater offers inspirational live entertainment, imaginative arts education, and impactful community partnerships, delivering artistic excellence, shared multi-generational connections, and inclusive experiences that engage the community.
By creating a space of belonging for the Metropolis’ broad and diverse community, the organization is actively building a community of patrons, students, supporters, artists, and staff through strengthening and nurturing the relationship between the artistic community and the organization that cultivates lifelong appreciation and involvement in the arts.
As an arts and community hub dedicated to the vibrancy of equity, diversity, accessibility, and inclusion, the Metropolis School of the Performing Arts curates arts and theater curricula for students ages two – 65+ through various educational programming.
Metropolis was founded in 2000, and in January 2005, the Village of Arlington Heights purchased the Metropolis theater space, a portion of the lobby (now known as the Whisler Family Lobby), second-floor classrooms, and a dance studio, 13 music studios, and administrative offices. This promising partnership reinforces Performing Arts at Metropolis’s proud leadership role in the community and the community’s great expectations of the institution, which Metropolis will continue to strive to meet and surpass.
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