Douglas Carter Beane Jeff Lynne John Farrar Table of Contents
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“…INDEFENSIBLE AND IRRESISTIBLE...” -NY TIMES BOOK BY music + lyrics by DOUGLAS CARTER BEANE JEFF LYNNE JOHN FARRAR TABLE OF CONTENTS About ATC . 1 Introduction to the Play . 2 Synopsis . 2 Song List . 3 Meet the Characters . 4 Meet the Creators . 4 The Road to Xanadu . 5 Greek Mythology in Xanadu . 6 Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “Kubla Khan” . 8 Kublai Khan, Marco Polo and Xanadu . 10 A Brief History of Roller Skates . 11 A View from the 1980s . 11 References and Glossary . 13 Discussion Questions and Activities . 14 Dane Stokinger and Jessica Skerritt in Arizona Theatre Company’s Xanadu. Photo by Mark Kitaoka . Xanadu Play Guide written and compiled by Katherine Monberg, ATC Literary Associate . Discussion questions and activities provided by April Jackson, Education Manager, Amber Tibbitts and Bryanna Patrick, Education Associates . SUPPORT FOR ATC’S EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY: APS JPMorgan Chase The Lovell Foundation Arizona Commission on the Arts John and Helen Murphy Foundation The Marshall Foundation Bank of America Foundation National Endowment for the Arts The Maurice and Meta Gross Foundation Blue Cross Blue Shield Arizona Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation City Of Glendale PICOR Charitable Foundation The Stocker Foundation Community Foundation for Southern Arizona Rosemont Copper The William L . and Ruth T . Pendleton Cox Charities Stonewall Foundation Memorial Fund Downtown Tucson Partnership Target Tucson Medical Center Enterprise Holdings Foundation The Boeing Company Tucson Pima Arts Council Ford Motor Company Fund The Donald Pitt Family Foundation Wells Fargo Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Foundation The Johnson Family Foundation, Inc . A ABOUT ATC Arizona Theatre Company is a professional, not-for-profit theatre company . This means all of our artists, administrators and production staff are paid professionals, and the income we receive from ticket sales and contributions goes right back into our budget to create our work, rather than to any particular person as a profit . Each season, ATC employs hundreds of actors, directors and designers from all over the country to create the work you see on stage . In addition, ATC currently employs about 100 staff members in our production shops and administrative offices in Tucson and Phoenix during our season . Among these people are carpenters, painters, marketing professionals, fundraisers, stage directors, computer specialists, sound and light board operators, tailors, costume designers, box office agents, stage crew – the list is endless – representing an amazing range of talents and skills . We are also supported by a Board of Trustees, a group of business and community leaders who volunteer their time and expertise to assist the theatre in financial and legal matters, advise in marketing and fundraising, and help represent the theatre in our community . Roughly 150,000 people attend our shows every year, and several thousand of those people support us with charitable contributions in addition to purchasing their tickets . Businesses large and small, private foundations and the city and state governments also support our work financially . All of this is in support of our vision and mission: OUR VISION IS TO TOUCH LIVES THROUGH THE POWER OF THEATRE. Our mission is to create professional theatre that continually strives to reach new levels of artistic excellence and that resonates locally, in the state of Arizona and throughout the nation . In order to fulfill our mission, the theatre produces a broad repertoire ranging from classics to new works, engages artists of the highest caliber, and is committed to assuring access to the broadest spectrum of citizens . The Temple of Music and Art, the home of ATC shows in downtown Tucson . The Herberger Theater Center, ATC’s performance venue in downtown Phoenix . 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE PLAY Xanadu Book by Douglas Carter Beane Music and Lyrics by Jeff Lynne & John Farrar Based on the Universal Pictures film Screenplay by Richard Danus & Marc Rubel Director: David Ira Goldstein Choreographer: Kathryn Van Meter Music Director: Tim Symons It’s hilarity on wheels in the award-winning musical comedy for anyone who has ever wanted to feel inspired . In this smash Broadway hit, Kira, a beautiful, magical Greek muse, is sent on a quest from the heavens to inspire a young artist to achieve his greatest dream – to build the first roller disco . (Hey, it’s 1980!) A delightful musical spoof of the classic Olivia Newton-John/Gene Kelly film, this hilarious roller-skating, disco-dancing adventure weaves a tale of endless fun perfect for the whole family . Featuring popular ‘80s songs like “Magic,” “All Over The Company of ATC’s production of Xanadu. Photo by Mark Kitaoka . the World,” “Suddenly,” “I’m Alive,” “Evil Woman,” and “Xanadu ”. SYNOPSIS (SPOILER ALERT!) Sonny Malone, a young artist in Venice, California is painting a mural of an ancient Grecian panorama, to be titled “The Ancient Greek Arty Chicks ”. Dissatisfied with one of the figures in his mural, he tears up his drawing plan in a fit of self pity . The nine muses gather to witness his desperate need for inspiration; their leader, Clio, decides to descend to the earth to be Sonny’s muse, disguised as an Australian roller skater named Kira . Kira emerges from the mural just in time to interrupt Sonny’s suicide, convincing him to live and follow his destiny as a great artist . With her encouragement, Sonny discovers his true passion lies in converging all of the arts in one place: a roller disco . Actor Dane Stokinger, who plays Sonny Malone Kira returns to her sisters to celebrate their successful inspiration; she has been visited by Zeus in a dream, who in ATC’s production of Xanadu. told her that she and Sonny would be granted Xanadu, the greatest of all mythological places . Melpomene reminds her that she is forbidden to fall in love with a mortal, on pain of death, according to the decree of Zeus . When she departs, Melpomene and Calliope concoct a plan to curse Kira with love for Sonny, which will result in her death according to Zeus’ proclamation . Kira and Sonny happen upon the Xanadu Theater – the perfect place for a roller disco! – and head to down- town L .A . to speak to the landlord, businessman Danny Maguire . Danny remembers Kira from his own youth, when she inspired him through the guise of a woman named Kitty, and agrees to let Sonny use the theater if he can fix it up by sundown . Sonny convinces Kira to help him draw up the plans – but the creation of art is forbidden to the muses . Melpomene and Calliope curse Kira with love, and their evil plan is complete . Actor Jessica Skerritt, who plays Kira/Clio in ATC’s production of Xanadu. 2 When Sonny declares his love for Kira, she reveals to him her true nature as a muse . Sonny then rejects her love, believing it to be a byproduct of the curse orchestrated by Melpomene and Calliope . Heartbroken, Kira departs through the chalk mural on a Pegasus to receive her punishment from Zeus . While she despairs, Danny convinces Sonny to go after her . Meanwhile, Kira arrives before Zeus and several goddesses to be tried for her crimes . Thetis, goddess of the sea, declares that Kira’s love for Sonny is real, and urges Zeus to be lenient . She claims that Kira’s leg warmers make her impervious to curses, proving the truth of her love . Zeus allows Kira to live as Sonny arrives at Mount Olympus to save her from Zeus’ wrath . Everyone breaks into song to celebrate love and art, as disco balls descend from the sky . SONG LIST ACT ONE I’M ALIVE . Kira, Muses MAGIC . .. Kira, Muses EVIL WOMAN . Melpomene, Calliope, Ensemble SUDDENLY . Kira, Sonny WHENEVER YOU’RE AWAY FROM ME . Danny, Kira DANCIN’ . Danny, Sonny, Muses STRANGE MAGIC . Melpomene, Calliope, Kira, Sonny ALL OVER THE WORLD . .. Sonny, Danny, Muses Actor Lisa Estridge, who plays Melpomene in DON’T WALK AWAY . Sonny, Muses ATC’s production of Xanadu. ACT TWO FOOL . Kira, Muses THE FALL . Sonny, Muses SUSPENDED IN TIME . Kira, Sonny, Muses HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW . Company XANADU . Company “Xanadu,” “All Over the World,” “The Fall,” “I’m Alive,” “Evil Woman,” “Don’t Walk Away” and “Strange Magic” written by Jeff Lynne, published by EMI Blackwood Music Inc . “Magic,” “Suddenly,” “Dancin’,” “Suspended in Time,” “Whenever You’re Away From Me,” “Fool” and “Have Actor Christine Riippi, who plays Calliope in You Never Been Mellow” written by John Farrar, published by John Farrar Music . ATC’s production of Xanadu. 3 MEET THE CHARACTERS Actor Jeff Steitzer, who plays Danny Actor Michael Feldman, who Actor Richard Peacock, who plays Actor Jessica Low, who plays Actor Taylor Niemeyer, who plays Maguire in ATC’s production of Xanadu. plays Thalia/Young Danny in ATC’s Terpsicore/Hermes in ATC’s production Erato/Eros in ATC’s production Euterpe/Thetis in ATC’s production production of Xanadu. of Xanadu. of Xanadu. of Xanadu. SONNY MALONE: A young California artist facing a crisis of creativity until, DANNY MAGUIRE: The California businessman from whom Sonny attempts to inspired by a muse, he ambitiously embarks on a quest to open his own roller purchase the building for his roller disco; inspired by Kira/Clio in earlier days, disco: Xanadu . when she was disguised as a woman named Kitty . KIRA/CLIO: Clio is the Greek muse of history and the leader of the muses who THALIA: The Greek muse of comedy and idyllic poetry; the eighth-born of the visits earth to inspire Sonny Malone to new artistic possibilities by disguising nine muses . herself as Kira, a friendly Australian roller skater with a fondness for leg warmers . TERPSICORE: The Greek muse of dance and the dramatic chorus .