Olivia Vadnais and Reed Allen Worth Will Skate Into Pittsburgh CLO in XANADU; Cast Announced!

Pittsburgh CLO has announced the cast of the Pittsburgh premiere of XANADU, October 12-December 17 at the CLO Cabaret.

As part of its Next Generation Campaign efforts, Pittsburgh CLO debuted a new version of the original Broadway show, conceived specifically for the CLO Cabaret, this spring during New Musicals Weekend at the Benedum Center. Now, a multi-talented cast is set to lace up for this "roller" coaster of a musical comedy!

RELIVE THE '80s WITH "A RETRO FEEL-GOOD NIGHT OF NOSTALGIA!" From the golden age of romantic comedies, legwarmers and Pac-Man...XANADU is a classic tale of boy meets girl - except that girl is actually Greek muse "Kira" sent from the heavens to Venice Beach, California to help struggling artist, Sonny, achieve his greatest dream - to open the first ROLLER DISCO! When Kira falls into forbidden love with this mortal, her jealous sisters take advantage of the situation, and chaos [and hilarity] abound. This hysterical '80s musical adventure "rolls" along to a legendary hit score featuring "Magic," "All Over The World," "Suddenly," "I'm Alive," "Evil Woman," "Have You Never Been Mellow" and "Xanadu," to name a few.

Tickets are now available online at CLOCabaret.com, by phone at 412-456-6666 or in person at the Theater Square Box Office. XANADU is also available as part of a CLO Cabaret Series subscription package.

Performances run: Wednesdays at 7:30pm; Thursdays at 1:00pm* 7:30pm; Fridays at 7:30pm; Saturdays at 2:00pm & 7:30pm; and Sundays at 2:00pm. *Select dates with buffet lunch.

Tickets start at $38.75 and are available online at CLOCabaret.com, by calling 412-456-6666 or at the Box Office at Theater Square. Groups of 10 or more can call the Group Sales Hotline at 412-325-1582 to learn more about special discounts, priority seating and corporate discounts. Visit pittsburghCLO.org for more information.

ABOUT THE CAST:

OLIVIA VADNAIS (Kira) is making her Pittsburgh CLO debut. She is a recent graduate of Carnegie Mellon University where she obtained a BFA in Vocal Performance and studied in the School of Drama. In 2016 Ms. Vadnais attended the Moscow Art Theatre's Stanislavsky Summer School in Cambridge, MA and performed the role of Dina in Pirandello's So It Is (If You Think So). In Pittsburgh, she has been seen in productions with City Theatre, Hambones Theatre Company, and most recently in Quantum Theatre's Collaborators.

REED ALLEN WORTH (Sonny) was last seen in Pittsburgh CLO's Pump Boys & Dinettes at the CLO Cabaret. National Tour: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (Grover). Others: Beauty and the Beast (Lumiere), Cabaret (Cliff), Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (Andrew Jackson), Oklahoma! (Will Parker), Godspell (Jesus), Footloose (Chuck). Point Park University graduate.

Tim Brady (Danny) returns to the CLO Cabaret where he last appeared on stage in Forbidden Broadway, Forbidden Broadway: SVU and My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra. He has also served as Production Stage Manager for 12 Cabaret seasons. Additional acting credits include: 11 productions of Pittsburgh CLO's A Musical Christmas Carol and various Summer Season productions with Pittsburgh CLO. Other local theaters that Mr. Brady has performed with include The Pittsburgh Pops, Starlight Productions, The New Pittsburgh Jewish Theatre, Stage Right and The Theatre Factory. Mr. Brady was also the managing director of the Conley Inn Dinner Theater in Irwin for 17 years and starred in the Jason Coll television pilot, "Munhall."

Lara Hayhurst (Calliope) returns to Pittsburgh CLO where she has previously appeared in A Musical Christmas Carol and Legally Blonde The Musical. Broadway: Lady Day... starring Audra McDonald. Off Broadway: Do Re Mi. National Tour: Bye Bye Birdie (Kim). Selected regional includes Flat Rock Playhouse, Sacramento Music Circus, Pittsburgh Public (Company), Maine State Music Theatre, Fulton Theatre, PMT (Young Frankenstein, Legally Blonde, The Sound of Music.) BFA Pace University, NYC.

DREW LEIGH WILLIAMS (Melpomone) returns to the CLO Cabaret stage after her role as Rhetta Cupp in Pump Boys & Dinettes. Credits include Chicago's Stage 773, Drury Lane Oakbrook and Fremont St., to name a few. Favorite roles: Sara Jane Moore (Assassins), Lucienne (A Flea in Her Ear), Dionyza (Pericles) and Mrs. Walker (The Who's Tommy). MFA: CCPA.

Caroline Nicolian (Understudy) recently played Mayor/Ma Ferd in Pittsburgh CLO's The Toxic Avenger and Casey in First Date at the CLO Cabaret. Other favorites include Eve/Mama Noah in Children of Eden at The Strand, Side by Side by Sondheim and Judge Jackie Justice with Pittsburgh CLO, Jacques Brel... with PICT, A Grand Night for Singing at St. Vincent's and My Fair Lady with Pittsburgh Public Theater. BFA in Musical Theater, Point Park University.

David Toole (Understudy) last appeared as Jim in Pittsburgh CLO's Pump Boys & Dinettes at the CLO Cabaret. Recent professional credits; Theatre Raleigh: Rock of Ages (Drew), Pittsburgh CLO: First Date (Reggie & Gabe), The Toxic Avenger and The Student Prince; Front Porch Theatricals: The Last 5 Years (Jamie Wellerstein); PMT: Disney's Tarzan the Musical (Tarzan), Jesus Christ Superstar (Judas), Rent (Roger), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Joseph) and West Side Story (Tony); LPPAC: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Phoebus). Additionally, Mr. Toole is one of five rotating National Anthem singers for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and front-man for Rock/Alternative band "Identity X."

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM:

Kate Galvin (Director) is a Barrymore Award-winning director from Philadelphia, where she recently directed the rock musical Lizzie (11th Hour Theatre Company). Other recent credits: Buyer & Cellar (Portland Stage Company), Wit (North Carolina Theater), A Moon for the Misbegotten (Walnut Street Theatre/National Tour), Other Desert Cities (Walnut Street Theatre, Fulton Theatre). Ms. Galvin is the Associate Producer at 11th Hour Theatre Company, and previously served as Casting Director/Assistant to the Producing Artistic Director at the Walnut Street Theatre.

Mark Burrell (Choreographer) is joining Pittsburgh CLO for the first time. Credits include: PIPPIN Broadway, First National Tour and International Tours (Assistant Dir./Associate Choreo./Dance Captain/Swing); Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular NYC and Tours (Assistant Choreo./Dance Captain/Swing): Fosse, CATS, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Broadway for Hillary, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and The Producers : A Movie Musical. Television: Late Show w/David Letterman, Late Night w/Conan O'Brien. Industrials: Macy's, Ford, IBM, and Tupperware. Mr. Burrell is an Assistant Professor of Dance at Point Park University. BFA from The Juilliard School.

ISAAC HARLAN (Music Director) returns to the CLO Cabaret after serving as Music Director for Pump Boys & Dinettes. He is a Pittsburgh native who studied classical piano at Penn State University. For the past seven years he has lived in NYC where he has worked as a pianist, music director and arranger. Mr. Harlan has played concerts for Renee Goldsberry, Norm Lewis, Eden Espinosa and Michael McElroy. Most recently he orchestrated songs for the first annual Lincoln Center Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, honoring Audra McDonald and Yo-Yo Ma among others. Mr. Harlan also frequently works as an arranger and pianist for the Broadway Inspirational Voices.

BRITTON MAUK (Scenic Designer) is a Pittsburgh-based scenic designer. He was recently profiled as a "theatre person to watch" by americantheatre.org. Britton designs regularly for Pittsburgh Playhouse, where he earned rave reviews for shows such as Heads, Of Mice and Men, Urinetown, Into The Woods and Wig Out!, and many more. During his time as Resident Scenic Designer at Quantum Theatre, some of his favorite designs were Chickens in the Yard and The River. Mr. Mauk earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Scenic Design from Carnegie Mellon University and a BFA from California Institute of the Arts. He has taught Scenic Design at Point Park University and mentors young designers as part of the USITT Gateway program.

Stephanie Shaw (Costume Designer) is a free-lance designer from the South Jersey/Philadelphia area, enjoying her third design opportunity with Pittsburgh CLO's Cabaret Series. Previous designs at the Cabaret include The 39 Steps and Pump Boys & Dinettes. Additional Pittsburgh credits: Pittsburgh CLO's Mamma Mia!, City Theatre's Feeding the Dragon, Hand to God and Nine (Seton Hill University). Additional design credits: World Builders (Contemporary American Theatre Festival), The Spitfire Grill (Ole Miss Theatre), Blood Brothers (Texas Shakespeare Festival), The Taming of the Shrew (TSF), The Merry Wives of Windsor (TSF), The Little Shop of Horrors (puppet design/construction, Purdue University).

Keith A. Truax (Lighting Designer) returns to the CLO Cabaret after Pump Boys & Dinettes, First Date, Altar Boyz and The Toxic Avenger. PICT Classic Theatre's: Sive, The Lion in Winter, The Merchant of Venice, Two Tales of Terror, Oliver Twist, Sharon's Grave, How The Other Half Love and Women and Scarecrow. NYMF 2017 Ben, Virginia & Me (The Liberace Story), Seven Angels Theatre Trav'lin The Musical, John Engeman Theatre Jekyll & Hyde, NYC Fringe Festival Walken on Sunshine, Othello: The Remix at The Westside Theatre Downstairs.

Since 1946, Pittsburgh CLO has been the driving force behind live musical theater in Pittsburgh and the entire Southwestern Pennsylvania region. Under the direction of Van Kaplan since 1997, this not-for-profit arts organization appreciates the support of nearly 200,000 patrons yearly who attend its performances at three venues in the Cultural District: a seasonal subscription series at the Benedum Center, A Musical Christmas Carol at the Byham Theater and year-round shows at the CLO Cabaret. Its dedication to the musical theater art form includes educational programs such as the CLO Academy for Performance and Art, the CLO Mini Stars, the Gene Kelly Awards, the Richard Rodgers Award and The National High School Theatre Awards. As part of its new works development, the organization has been involved with 22 Broadway shows (29 Tony Awards), and in 2014 produced the world premiere of An American in Paris, on Broadway (4 Tony Awards) and in London's West End.

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