Raleigh Little Theatre's XANADU Reopens The Gaddy-Goodwin Next Weekend

Raleigh Little Theatre's Teens on Stage and Teens Backstage programs present "Xanadu," written by Douglas Carter Beane with music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar. The musical is based on the 1980 Universal Pictures film of the same name, which features a screenplay by Richard Danus and Marc Rubel. The production runs July 22-31 and will be the first show back in RLT's Gaddy-Goodwin Teaching Theatre since before the COVID-19 pandemic began. "Xanadu" is sponsored by First Citizens Bank and Mindtracs Sound Design and is directed by RLT's Director of Education, Meredyth Pederson Cooper.

"It's exciting for the Teens on Stage and Teens Backstage program to return to the Gaddy-Goodwin Teaching Theatre for the first time since summer of 2019, and having the space filled with the energy and delight of the teens involved this year is so refreshing and fun," said Pederson Cooper. "This talented and hard-working cast and crew connects so beautifully with the themes of the show. These amazing young people remind me every day of the joy of connecting with one another and making art together!"

RLT's "Xanadu" follows the journey of a magical and beautiful Greek muse, Kira, who descends from the heavens of Mount Olympus to Venice Beach, California in 1980 on a quest to inspire a struggling artist, Sonny, to achieve the greatest artistic creation of all time - the first roller disco! (Hey, it's 1980!) But, when Kira falls into forbidden love with the mortal Sonny, her jealous sisters take advantage of the situation, and chaos abounds. The musical based on the 1980 cult classic film features familiar hits of the era like "Evil Woman," "Strange Magic," and "Have You Never Been Mellow." The show runs approximately 90 minutes and is best suited for ages 12 and up.

The Teens on Stage and Teens Backstage summer program at RLT is a six-week intensive composed of classes and rehearsals that culminate in a complete production. The program is open to students aged 14-18 and is designed to further students' theatrical training by connecting theatre classes to production work and to develop students as theatre artists by connecting theatre to the world and society. Classes focus on topics such as movement, voice and speech, text analysis, set construction, costume construction, lighting, and sound.

"Xanadu" is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. (www.mtishows.com) This program is funded in part by the City of Raleigh based on recommendations of the Raleigh Arts Commission. The production is supported by the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, as well as the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

The Sunday, July 31, performance at 3:00 p.m. will feature audio description for those with visual disabilities. For the safety of audiences and volunteers, masks that cover both the mouth and nose will be required for attendees over age 2 at all performances.

"Xanadu" runs from July 22-31 in the Gaddy-Goodwin Teaching Theatre at Raleigh Little Theatre, 301 Pogue St., Raleigh, NC 27607. Tickets start at $5 and can be purchased by calling the box office at 919-821-3111, Monday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m., or by visiting the theatre's website at www.RaleighLittleTheatre.org.

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