Fun, Savings and Good Times Roll Out for XANADU Audiences To Celebrate National Tour

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The Orange County Performing Arts Center is offering a plethora of fun events to celebrate the kick-off of the XANADU National Tour at the Center from December 15 through 27. These include roller skating on the Center's community plaza on December 19 and 20, street muralist Melanie Stimmell Van Latum creating a 225-square-foot mural inspired by XANADU, a special Talk Back with cast members on December 22 and three Kids' Night on Broadway performances – December 15, 16 and 17. 
 
This engagement of XANADU at the Center is the only Southern California stop. XANADU is the hilarious roller skating musical adventure set in the year 1980 that 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. "I laughed the entire time! It's great fun for the whole family!" exclaimed Olivia Newton-John. XANADU is 90 minutes of family fun and inspiration to follow your dreams despite the limitations.
 
• The Center opens its community plaza as a free roller skating rink on Saturday, December 19 and Sunday, December 20 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Experienced skating enthusiasts can bring their own skates, while rental skates will be available for $5. Roller skaters will be able to show off their moves on the plaza as they listen to hit songs from the XANADU soundtrack, including "Strange Magic," "All Over the World," "Suddenly," "Have You Never Been Mellow" and "Evil Woman," as well as other popular tunes from the '80s. The XANADU roller skating party is part of the Center's Free for All Series, which gives audiences opportunities to experience the Center and exciting entertainment in new and intriguing ways – and all for free. 
 
• December 15, 16 and 17 are Kids' Night on Broadway performances. Parents who purchase one full-priced ticket to XANADU can receive a second ticket free for a child between the ages of 8 and 18. And starting one hour before curtain, kids (and their parents who remain kids at heart) will also have opportunities to enjoy interactive fun in the lobbies, including '80s video games, dance classes and a chance to really break loose in the Third Tier Lobby disco. 
 
• In the spirit of XANADU's hero Sonny, who is a chalk artist in the show, Melanie Stimmell Van Latum will create a 15x15-foot XANADU-inspired mural on the Center's plaza. Stimmell will begin working on Monday, December 14 and complete her work in time for the performance on December 16. The artist is an internationally recognized street painter with clients in Turkey, Holland, France, Canada and throughout the United States (Pending weather developments, Stimmell will work on the plaza itself or in a sheltered space visible to the public.)
 
• Following the Tuesday, December 22, 7:30 p.m. performance, XANADU cast members will return to the stage for a special Talk Back with the audience. Patrons will have the opportunity to speak with cast members about their careers and their experiences as part of the National Touring company.
 
XANADU, described as "Heaven on Wheels" by The New York Times, is based on Universal Pictures' cult classic movie of the same title, which starred Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly. It was nominated for the 2008 Tony® Award for Best Musical and is being presented by producers Robert Ahrens, Dan Vickery, Mickey Liddell, Tara Smith/B. Swibel in association with Latitude Link.
 
Regular ticket prices to XANADU start at $20 and are on sale now. They can be purchased on-line at OCPAC.org, by calling 714.556.2787 or at the Center's Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. To take advantage of the Kids' Night on Broadway opportunity, use promo code KIDS. For inquiries about group ticket discounts for 15 or more, call Group Services at office at 714.755.0236.

The TTY number is 714.556.2746. The 2 p.m. performance on Saturday, December 26 will be sign-language interpreted.
 
The Center applauds Wells Fargo for its support of the 2009-10 Broadway Series. Cox Communications is the Media Partner of the Broadway Series. 
 
Douglas Carter Beane has written the book for XANADU based on the film of the same name and was the winner of the 2008 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical. The score, by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar, includes the hits, "Magic," "Xanadu," "Party All Over the World" and "I'm Alive" – all top 20 Billboard hits. Lynne wrote and produced all of the music of Electric Light Orchestra (E.L.O). Farrar was also responsible for most of the hits that were performed by Olivia Newton-John in the 1970s.

XANADU is directed by Christopher Ashley and choreographed by Dan Knechtges. The show features 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.
 
For more information on the XANADU presentation of Kids Night on Broadway, visit ocpac.org/kids. For more information on the show, visit xanaduontour.com.
 

The Orange County Performing Arts Center presents a broad range of programming each season for audiences of all ages from throughout Orange County, and beyond, including international ballet and dance, national tours of top Broadway shows, intimate performances of jazz and cabaret, contemporary artists, classical music performed by renowned chamber orchestras and ensembles, family-friendly programming, free performances open to the public from outdoor movie screenings to dancing on the plaza and many other special events. It is Orange County's largest non-profit arts organization as well as the artistic home to Pacific Symphony, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County and Pacific Chorale.

It offers many education programs designed to inspire young people through the arts. These programs reach hundreds of thousands of students of all ages with vital arts-in-education programs, enhancing their studies and enriching their lives well into the future. 
For more information, visit OCPAC.org.
 
XANADU
Orange County Performing Arts Center - Segerstrom Hall
December 15 – 27, 2009
 
Tuesday – Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday at 2 & 7:30 p.m. 
Sunday at 1 & 6:30 p.m.
*Performance on Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24 will be at 2 p.m. 
 
Kids' Night on Broadway: December 15, 16 & 17 at 7:30 p.m.
 
The 2 p.m. performance on Saturday, December 26 will be sign-language interpreted
 
Orange County Performing Arts Center
600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA
 
Tickets:   Tickets start at $20
 
In person -  The Center Box Office
600 Town Center Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
Online -  OCPAC.org 
Phone -  714.556.2787
Open 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily
TTY number - 714.556.2746
Group Sales -  714.755.0236
 
Information provided is accurate at the time of printing, but is subject to change. Orange County Performing Arts Center is a private, non-profit organization. "Orange County Performing Arts Center" is a registered trademark.

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