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Home , A New World Record, Jeff Lynne, John Farrar, Kubla Khan, The Shadows, Xanadu (musical)

“…INDEFENSIBLE AND IRRESISTIBLE...” -NY TIMES

BOOK BY music + lyrics by 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 ...... 5 in Xanadu...... 6 ’s “Kubla Khan”...... 8 , 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 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 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 . (Hey, it’s 1980!) A delightful musical spoof of the classic Olivia Newton-John/ 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 gather to witness his desperate need for inspiration; their leader, , 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 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 . 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 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 . , 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 ...... 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/ in ATC’s production / in ATC’s production /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 . MELPOMENE: The Greek muse of tragedy, firstborn of the muses . ERATO: The Greek muse of lyric poetry, particularly love and erotic poetry . CALLIOPE: The Greek muse of epics; Melpomene’s partner in evil whom Zeus removed from leadership of the muses upon the birth of her four daughters, the EUTERPE: The Greek muse of music, often referred to as the “giver of delight ”. Sirens; she plots against Clio out of jealousy .

MEET THE CREATORS

DOUGLAS CARTER BEANE (Book) wrote a new book for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, currently on Broadway, and was also represented on Broadway this season with the new play The Nance starring and directed by Jack O’Brien . Musicals: Lysistrata Jones (Tony Nomination, Best Book), Sister Act (Tony Nomination, Best Book) and Xanadu (Tony Nomination, Best Book, Drama Desk Best Book, Outer Critics Circle Best Musical); Plays: The Little Dog Laughed (Tony Nomination, Olivier Nomination, GLAAD Media Best Play), As Bees in Honey Drown (Outer Critics Circle), Mr. & Mrs. Filch (starring John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle), Music from a Sparkling Planet, The Country Club, Advice from a Caterpillar, The Cartells; Revues: White Lies, Mondo Drama; Screenplays: To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar and Advice From a Caterpillar. Artistic Director: Drama Dept 1994-2006, 2 Lortels, 2 Obies; Honors: Lortel Playwrights Sidewalk, Ovation Visionary Playwright Award; LIFE: Partner Lewis Flinn, son Cooper, daughter Gaby . Douglas Carter Beane

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JEFF LYNNE (Music & Lyrics) formed the , or E .L O. ,. in the 1970s . The group gradually developed from cult favorites into one of the 1970s’ leading recording acts, scoring international success with several platinum-selling , including and Out of the Blue. Lynne’s dual talents as a composer and producer ensured the group’s status but, sensing an artistic sterility, he abandoned his creation in 1986 . The artist then assumed an increasingly backroom role, but won praise for his production work with (Cloud Nine), (Land of Dreams) and () and he has also contributed his distinctive production qualities to much of ’s recent output . Lynne’s work with Orbison coincided with his position as Otis Wilbury in the , an informal ‘supergroup’ completed by Orbison, Harrison, Tom Petty and . This particularly prolific period was also marked by his work with on the ex-Beach Boy’s first long-awaited solo . In recent years, Lynne has produced lost tapes, notably “” and “Real Love” . Jeff Lynne He co-produced Paul McCartney’s in 1997 .

JOHN FARRAR (Music & Lyrics) is a music producer, songwriter, arranger, singer and guitarist . As a musician, Farrar is a former member of several groups including The Mustangs; The Strangers; Marvin, Welch & Farrar; and ; in 1980 he released a solo eponymous album . As a songwriter and producer, Mr . Farrar worked with Olivia Newton-John from 1971 to 1989 . He wrote her number-one hit singles: “Have You Never Been Mellow” (1975), “You’re the One That I Want” (1978 duet with ), “Hopelessly Devoted to You” (1978), and “Magic” (1980) . He also produced her number-one albums, If You Love Me, Let Me Know (1974); Have You Never Been Mellow (1975); Olivia’s Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (1982); and was a co-producer of (1978) – the soundtrack for the film of the same name . Farrar also produced Newton-John’s first U .S . number-one hit single, “,” which was awarded the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1975 . Farrar produced one side of the Xanadu soundtrack for the 1980 film of the same name, and John Farrar in 1995 he collaborated with Newton-John and lyricist for the musical score of , based on the Emily Brontë novel Wuthering Heights. Mr . Farrar currently runs the Moonee Ponds Studio at Sweetwater Road in Malibu .

THE ROAD TO XANADU

The Xanadu story begins on the 1970s streets of Venice Beach, California, where screenwriter Marc Rubel watched roller skaters whizzing by with fad-inspired enthusiasm . He imagined a story, loosely based on one of his colorful Venice Beach friends who painted the album covers for Tower Records, which would develop into the inspiration for a local rock club, Xanadu . Convinced by a friend to pitch the idea to future Hollywood producer Joel Silver, the next few months were dedicated to the development of the story, which began to morph from a comedy into a musical fantasy . The story was then sold to Warner Bros . as Olivia Newton-John as she appeared on the film poster for “a very low budget, no star, tiny small” project intended to piggyback on the growing roller disco craze . Xanadu (1980) .

Soon afterward, Silver was hired by Universal Studios, and took the concept of Xanadu with him . Hurried along by the announcements of impending roller disco productions from two other studios, director Robert Greenwald was hired with an anticipated production date of September 1979 . The scope – and budget – of the film was drastically increased with the addition of Olivia Newton-John to the cast, the star still riding the recent success of Grease (1978), followed by the signing of the legendary Gene Kelly to play Danny Maguire . Newton-John’s long-time musical partner John Farrar, Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra, and the rock band , known for their outrageous theatrical antics on stage, rounded The Tubes performing in , Norway, 1977 . Photo by Helge Øverås . out the high-profile production team .

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Filming began in September of 1979, and proved a chaotic journey of script and musical rewrites . At Xanadu’s public premiere in August of 1980, after a massive marketing campaign, viewers and critics destroyed the film in their reviews, nominating it for The Golden Raspberry Foundation’s “Razzie” Awards for worst actor, screenplay, song, director, and picture . The soundtrack, on the other hand, would earn Jeff Lynne the Novello Award for Best Film Theme Song for “Xanadu” and rise to #4 on the Billboard U S. . album charts .

The next decades kept Xanadu hovering in the underground film and media scenes as a prime example of ’80s nostalgia, until Annie Dorsen debuted a stage adaptation of the film, Xanadu Live!, at the 2000 Williamstown Theater Festival . Intended to be a one-night performance, strong audience response and producers Amy Pietz and Kenneth Alan Williams brought XL! to Culver City, California for a one-month run – and met with resounding success .

In 2001, producer Robert Ahrens approached the original Xanadu film team with a plan to write an official stage adaptation, complete with roller skating, disco dancing, and the original smash hit songs . Ahrens was finally granted the rights in 2006 and collected a team of young, ambitious producers and Tony-nominated playwright Douglas Carter Beane . Ahrens next recruited director , already established as a director of cult classic productions with his recent Broadway production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and the team embarked on the long journey of casting, rewrites, and workshops .

Opening in May 2007, the Broadway debut of Xanadu was a blur of success, breaking the opening night box office record of the Helen Hayes Theatre and earning four Tony Award nominations, in addition to nominations from the Drama Desk Awards, Drama League Awards, and the Outer Critics Circle Awards . It ran for 513 performances and was followed by massive success in productions around the country, its hummable songs, fast-paced roller skating, and enthusiastic disco themes capturing the imagination of audiences across the United States .

GREEK MYTHOLOGY IN XANADU

ACHELOUS: The river god, patron deity of the Achelous River, the largest river in Greece, making him the chief of all river deities; the consort of Melpomene and father of the Sirens .

ACHILLES: Greek hero of the Trojan War, his body invulnerable to injury except for one of his heels due to being dipped in the River Styx by his mother, Thetis .

APHRODITE: Greek goddess of love, beauty, and procreation, the daughter of Zeus and Dione .

CENTAUR: Mythological creature with the head, arms, and torso of a human being and the body and legs of a horse .

CYCLOPS: A giant, with a single eye in the middle of the forehead; the name is thought to mean “round- eyed” or “circle-eyed ”.

EROS: The Greek god of love, sometimes represented as the son of ; the Greek counterpart of the Roman Cupid .

HEPHAESTUS: The Greek god of blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, metals and metallurgy, fire, volcanoes, sculptors and artisans; he is the son of Zeus and , and makes all weapons for the gods . Bronze statue of a made to look like the Young Centaur, one of a pair known as the Furietti , based on Hellenistic models .

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HERA: The wife of Zeus and the goddess of women and marriage, noted for her jealous and vengeful nature .

HERMES: The god of transitions and boundaries, often portrayed as a messenger of the gods and the conductor of souls into the afterlife . He is the patron god of travelers, herdsmen, thieves, orators, literature, poets, athletics, invention, and trade .

MEDUSA: The only mortal Gorgon, a monster with the face of a hideous woman and venomous snakes in place of hair; meeting her gaze would turn her onlookers into stone .

MNEMOSYNE: The keeper of memory, with whom Zeus fathered the nine muses on nine consecutive nights . by Caravaggio . Oil on canvas, 1595-1596 . MOUNT OLYMPUS: The highest mountain in Greece and the home of the Twelve Olympian gods in Greek mythology .

MUSES: The nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, goddesses of inspiration of literature, science, and the arts; considered the source of knowledge .

PARIS: The son of Priam, king of Troy, who fatally wounds in the Trojan War .

PEGASUS: A divine winged stallion of Greek mythology, usually depicted as pure white in color .

RIVER STYX: A river in Greek mythology that forms the boundary between Earth and Hades, the Underworld .

SIRENS: Dangerous and beautiful creatures, femme fatales who lure nearby sailors to their deaths with their enchanting music .

THETIS: Goddess of the sea, a nymph, and the mother of Achilles .

URANIA: The muse of astronomy .

POLYHYMNIA: The muse of poetry, hymns, eloquence, agriculture, and pantomime . Pegasus sculpture on the roof of Poznan Opera House in Poland . Photo by Radomil . ZEUS: The king of the gods; god of sky and thunder .

7 SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE’S “KUBLA KHAN”

Samuel Taylor Coleridge is believed to be responsible for the first mention of Xanadu in an artistic forum when he penned the lines of his famous poem “Kubla Khan” after waking from an opium-induced dream in 1797 . According to the preface originally published with the poem, before falling asleep Coleridge had been reading about Xanadu, the famed summer palace of Kublai Khan, a Mongol ruler and Emperor of China during the thirteenth century .

The book that Coleridge was studying was entitled Purchas, His Pilgrimage by clergyman and geographer Samuel Purchas, a collection of writings describing places and religions of the world as discovered by explorers through the ages . This particular reference to Xanadu was based on a report by Marco Polo, who is believed to have visited Xanadu in his global explorations sometime around 1275 .

Coleridge woke from the dream with lines of poetry already formed in his mind; unfortunately, he was inter- rupted before he could copy down all 200-300 lines as they had appeared to his unconscious mind . Unable Portrait of Samuel Taylor Coleridge in 1795 by to remember the rest of the poem after the interruption, Coleridge left the poem unpublished, sharing it only Pieter van Dyke . with his friends until his friend and fellow poet urged him to submit it for publication in 1816 .

Though it was originally met with some disdain and skepticism regarding Coleridge’s description of its origin, today “Kubla Khan” is recognized as one of the most famous examples of English , and one of Coleridge’s three greatest poems alongside “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” and “ ”.

Theories are abound about the supposed meaning or meanings behind the words of “Kubla Khan,” but most literary critics agree that the poem speaks to the power of the imagination and the celebration of creativity, using the imagination as a lens through which to discuss issues of tyranny, war, reality, and poetry itself .

KUBLA KHAN: OR A VISION IN A DREAM

In Xanadu did Kubla Khan A stately pleasure-dome decree: Where Alph, the sacred river, ran Through caverns measureless to man Down to a sunless sea. So twice five miles of fertile ground With walls and towers were girdled round; And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills, Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree; And here were forests ancient as the hills, Enfolding sunny spots of greenery.

But O, that deep romantic chasm which slanted Down the green hill athwart a cedarn cover! A savage place! as holy and enchanted As e’er beneath a waning moon was haunted By woman wailing for her demon-lover! Copy of “Kubla Khan,” handwritten by Samuel Taylor Coleridge sometime before its publication in 1816, and And from this chasm, with ceaseless turmoil seething, donated to the British Museum by the Marquess of Crewe As if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing, in 1962 .

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A mighty fountain momently was forced: Amid whose swift half-intermitted burst Huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail, Or chaffy grain beneath the thresher’s flail: And mid these dancing rocks at once and ever It flung up momently the sacred river. Five miles meandering with a mazy motion Through wood and dale the sacred river ran, Then reached the caverns measureless to man, And sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean; And ’mid this tumult Kubla heard from far Ancestral voices prophesying war!

The shadow of the dome of pleasure Floated midway on the waves; Where was heard the mingled measure From the fountain and the caves. It was a miracle of rare device, A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!

A damsel with a dulcimer In a vision once I saw: It was an Abyssinian maid And on her dulcimer she played, Singing of Mount Abora. Could I revive within me Her symphony and song, To such a deep delight ’twould win me, That with music loud and long, I would build that dome in air, That sunny dome! those caves of ice! And all who heard should see them there, And all should cry, Beware! Beware! His flashing eyes, his floating hair! Weave a circle round him thrice, And close your eyes with holy dread For he on honey-dew hath fed, And drunk the milk of Paradise.

9 KUBLAI KHAN, MARCO POLO AND XANADU

Portrait of explorer Marco Polo. Xanadu, spelled Xandu by Marco Polo, on a map of Asia drawn by Sanson d’Abbeville, the geographer of King Louis XIV, in 1650 .

Kublai Khan was the fifth Khagan (Great Kahn) of the , which he ruled from 1260-1294 . The grandson of Genghis Khan, Kublai took the throne in 1260 amidst a war of succession that ended with the defeat of his younger brother, Ariq Böke . Though the real power of Kublai Khan centered in China and Mongolia, his domain as leader of the Mongol Empire stretched across one fifth of the world’s inhabited lands and stretched from the Pacific Ocean to the Black Sea, and from Siberia to modern day Afghanistan .

In 1271, Kublai Khan established the Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty, naming himself Emperor of China and conquering the previous Southern Song Dynasty in 1279 . He is known for his adoption of Chinese forms of government in lieu of the nomadic traditions of the Mongols, and for reestablishing the unity of China for the first time since the Tang Dynasty which ruled China from 618-907 . He established his own capital city in what is now Beijing and engaged in a series of unsuccessful wars to expand his Empire further and establish China as the center of the world . He is also celebrated for establishing paper money as the sole medium of exchange .

Kublai rose to international attention through the writings of Venetian merchant and adventurer, Marco Polo . Polo’s adventures, recorded in The Travels of Marco Polo¸ introduced to China and Central Asia for the first time, and documented his meeting with Kublai Khan in 1266 . Kublai Khan, always deeply interested in questions of religion, tasked Marco Polo with delivering a letter to the pope, and asked that an envoy bring him back holy anointing oil from Jerusalem . Polo and his companions returned with the oil and correspondence from the pope sometime between 1271 and 1275, meeting Kublai Khan at (Xanadu), his summer palace near present day Zhangjiakou .

Though the details of Marco Polo’s stay with Kublai Khan are unknown, it is suggested that Marco Polo became an official in Kublai Khan’s government, indicated by the descriptions of imperial visits in his manuscripts . Polo and his companions were several times denied permission to leave China until the nephew of Kublai Khan requested they return with him to Persia to celebrate his wedding in 1292 .

Marco Polo returned to Venice in 1295, to find Venice at war with Genoa . He was imprisoned, during which time he related his adventures to a fellow inmate, who collected the stories into the now famous The Travels of Marco Polo. Upon his release from prison in 1299, Marco Polo returned home to become a wealthy merchant, remaining in Venice until his death in January, 1324 .

10 A BRIEF HISTORY OF ROLLER SKATES

The first patented design of the roller skate appeared in France in 1819, several decades after their official debut in a stage performance in 1743 . Their lack of maneuverability led to their continued redesign until the four-wheeled quad skate, designed by James Leonard Plimpton, was introduced in in 1863 . Its innovative method of turning by simply leaning to one side was a huge success, leading to the first U S. . public skating rink in Rhode Island in 1866 . Continued innovations in wheel design and the introduction of the toe stop in 1876 further popularized the roller skate as a form of exercise and entertainment . Beginning in the 1880s, the mass production of roller skates was undertaken in America, leading to a boom period in roller skate sales . In 1898, Levant M . Richardson started the Richardson Ball Bearing and Skate Company, featuring his patented design that incorporated ball bearings in skate wheels to reduce friction, and began providing skates to professional racers . The Company of ATC’s production of Xanadu. Photo by Mark Kitaoka . In the late 1930s, the Roller Skating Association was formed to promote the sport and establish business practices of rink owners . New technology in the field of plastics revolutionized roller skates in the , allowing them to be made of lighter, more durable, and faster materials . Roller skating hit another boom in popularity as a leisure activity during the 1970s, when disco burst onto the American music scene, leading to a slew of roller skating disco films still fondly remembered as icons of ‘70s and ‘80s nostalgia . As disco and roller skating began to fall from the height of their 1970s popularity, the brothers Scott and Brennan Olson once again revolutionized the roller skating industry in 1983 with the introduction of the Rollerblade . This new type of in-line skate, based on the design of ice hockey skates, consisted of a single row of wheels rather than the two-row, four-wheel design of the previous century, and arguably dominates the roller skating industry into the present day .

A VIEW FROM THE 1980s

POLITICS The Cold War, generally agreed to span the years 1947-1991, continued through the ‘80s with increased U S. . pressure on the communist Soviet Union, and the eventual dismantling of the Wall in 1989 . The U S. . also undertook further anti-communist and anti-drug measures under President Ronald Reagan, including involvement in several direct and indirect conflicts in Central and South American countries . Elsewhere in the world, Canada, , , and Zimbabwe gained independence from the United Kingdom .

Former U .S . President Ronald Reagan.

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MUSIC The 1980s were hugely impactful to the development of the modern music industry . The ’80s saw the official launch of MTV, and the music video craze began to impact music popularity . Michael Jackson, Whitney , Duran Duran, , , and Queen all jumped onto the music video band- wagon, turning music videos into a profitable facet of the industry . New wave and Synthpop became popular musical phenomena through the mid ’80s, and musical subgenres began to appear and rise in popularity including house, goth, and rap metal . Disco died after a brief and bright popularity in the ’70s, and hard rock and heavy metal became some of the new decade’s dominant styles with the arrival of bands such as Mötley Crüe, Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Poison, Megadeth, and Slayer, to join the ranks of still-popular 1970s hard rock icons like AC/DC, Van Halen, and KISS . Michael Jackson performing in , Austria, in 1988 . Photo by Zoran Veselinovic . By the late ’80s, hip hop had emerged onto the music scene, gaining recognition through artists like The Beastie Boys, Run-D .M .C ., LL Cool J, Ice-T, and The Sugar Hill Gang . Country music, techno, punk rock and grunge also made strides in the musical community, rounding out the eclectic sound of the ’80s .

SOCIETY Arcade and video games began to emerge as a major industry by the early 1980s, introducing Nintendo Entertainment Systems to the U S. ,. which would control 90% of the industry by the end of the decade . Personal computers, the Walkman, and boomboxes also became household items for the first time . The early 1980s were plagued by an economic recession that had significant impact on most of the world . Laissez-faire or neoliberal economic reforms, led by the U S. . and the UK, began to emphasize reduced government, lower taxes, and deregulation of stock markets, leading to an economic revival mid-decade . The 1980s was arguably the decade of the largest population growth in human history, particularly in Africa, the Middle East, and southern Asia, with a natural increase near 4% . The ’80s also saw the beginning of the AIDS pandemic, increasing anti-smoking campaigns, political correctness as a trend in Western behavior, an increase in the number of women in the workplace, growing opposition to nuclear power, increasing environmental concerns, and the introduction of the gay rights movement in the west .

12 REFERENCES AND GLOSSARY

COGNAC: A variety of brandy .

DON MCLEAN: American singer and songwriter most famous for his 1971 album American Pie, containing the songs “American Pie” and “Vincent ”.

ERROL FLYNN: Australian actor of the 1930s and 1940s known for his Hollywood film roles as a romantic swashbuckler and for his playboy lifestyle .

FRESCA: A diet citrus soft drink made by the Coca-Cola Company, first introduced to the U S. . in 1966 .

HOMER: Author of The Iliad and The Odyssey, revered as the greatest of ancient Greek epic poets; the dates of his life are unknown, but most researchers place Homer in the 7th or 8th centuries BC .

JOEY: A young kangaroo .

JUKE BOX: A partially automated coin-operated music playing device .

KUBLAI KHAN: Mongol leader and Emperor of China; founder of the in the 13th century .

MARQUEE: A sign placed over the entrance to a hotel or theatre that displays messages .

XANADU: Also spelled Shangdu or Xandu, the summer capital of Kublai Khan’s Yuan Dynasty in China, visited by Marco Polo around 1275 and the inspiration of the famous poem “Kubla Khan” by English Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge .

MEDITERRANEAN: Reference to the European, Asian, and African land areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea .

MELBOURNE: The capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia .

MOZART: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a prolific and influential composer of the Classical Era, generally considered to be one of the most talented and enduring popular classical composers .

OMNIPOTENT: Unlimited power, often attributed to deities .

OVID: Publius Ovidius Naso, a Roman poet who lived from 43BC-17/18 AD, best known for the Metamorphoses, a 15-book continuous mythological narrative written in epic meter and one of the most important sources of classical mythology .

PICASSO: Pablo Picasso, a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer, known for co-founding the Cubist movement, the invention of constructed sculpture, the co-invention of collage, and the exploration of a wide variety of artistic styles .

SCHIZOPHRENIA: A mental disorder characterized by a breakdown of thought processes and a deficit of typical emotional responses; symptoms include delusions such as paranoia and auditory hallucinations, and disorganized thinking and speech . A common misconception attributes the symptom of “multiple personalities” to schizophrenia, which is actually associated with Dissociative Identity Disorder .

SCIENTOLOGIST: A member of the Church of Scientology, a body of beliefs and practices created by science fiction writer L . Ron Hubbard in 1952 which teaches that people are immortal beings who have forgotten their true nature .

SHAKESPEARE: William Shakespeare, English poet and playwright, largely regarded as the greatest writer and dramatist of the English language .

SYDNEY: The state capital of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia .

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TELLY SAVALAS: American actor and singer, best known for playing the title role in the 1970s crime drama Kojak and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) .

THE OUTBACK: Reference to the vast, remote, arid area of Australia; generally refers to locations more remote than those areas named “the bush ”.

THE TUBES: San Francisco-based rock group known for their wild and theatrical stage antics, whose 1975 debut album included the hit single “White Punks on Dope ”.

VAUDEVILLE: Theatrical genre of variety entertainment popular in the U S. . and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s, composed of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill .

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1 . The musical Xanadu is based on the 1980 film of the same name, starring Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly . Why do you think the writers of this new stage musical chose to revive the story more than 20 years later?

2 . When the filmXanadu was first released, it was less than successful – both critically and in the box office – but has since enjoyed “cult classic” status . What do you think makes a movie a cult classic? Why do audiences crave revivals or adaptations of these fan favorites?

3 . The stage version of Xanadu, by contrast, has been a hit since debuting on Broadway in 2007 . Why do you think the stage version would find immediate success when the original film did so poorly?

4 . What do you think of art – be it film or television, visual art, theatre, etc . – that exists purely as a piece of entertainment? What is the purpose of entertainment? Does it carry any less intrinsic value than a piece of art that holds a strong social or philosophical message?

5 . Discuss the film qualities that you think would make for a successful stage adaptation, and vice versa . What are some other examples of musicals or plays turned into movies, and movies adapted for the stage? How successful do you think those adaptations were?

6 . What are some things you can accomplish in film that you can’t accomplish in live theatre? Are there are any traits inherent in live theatre that can’t be replicated in film?

7 . Which format do you think suits this story of Xanadu better, film or live theatre?

8 . This musical was visually inspired both by ancient Greece and the early 1980’s . What elements did you see in the musical that were inspired by ancient Greece? What elements were inspired by the 1980’s? How did the ATC designers represent each of these influences onstage?

9 . What extra challenges did the actors face in performing Xanadu? How might an actor create a character that is based on a popular movie? Is the actor responsible for recreating the original movie performance or straying away from it?

10 . What was your favorite design element of the show (set, costumes, light, sound, etc )?. How did it contribute to the overall story of the play?

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LANGUAGE ARTS ACTIVITIES

1 . Xanadu takes its name from an 18th century poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, which in turn was inspired by Marco Polo’s travels to the city of Shangdu in the 13th century . Do some research into the history of the word “Xanadu” and its permutations in popular culture (films, music, stage plays, etc) . Create a visual map or flow chart of the connections you find, beginning with Shangdu (1260-1294) and culminating with the stage musical Xanadu (2007) .

2 . Coleridge’s poem “Kubla Khan” describes a “stately pleasure-dome” in the city of Xanadu, a word that has since become synonymous with paradise . What would your paradise look like? What sounds would you hear? What other sensations would it inspire? Write an epic poem in the style of Coleridge depicting your own utopia .

3 . Xanadu updates Greek gods and goddesses by placing them in the 1980’s . How would these Greek gods and goddesses look today? Choose one of the Greek gods or goddesses from Xanadu (see detailed list in the Play Guide) and do some research into their mythology before modernizing them . How would their ancient personality work in today’s society? How would they look? Dress? What would their job be? What would they do for fun? Create a character bio describing their modern life and a visual depiction (collage or original artwork) of their area(s) of influence and how they would appear today .

THEATRE ARTS ACTIVITIES

1 . Inspired Improv (Remember the number one rule of improv: say yes! And the number two rule of improv: be specific!) For this improv, ask everyone in the class to get three small slips of paper . On those slips of paper have them write down: a place (the mall, a forest, a deserted playground, Mars, etc );. a relationship (siblings, best friends, coworkers, etc );. and an objective (to get the , to tell her I love her, to steal the last cookie, etc ). . Place those slips of paper into three separate hats . Then divide the group into pairs or groups of three and ask them to pick one piece of paper out of each hat . Groups will improvise a scene described by those three pieces of paper and perform them for the class .

2 . The Next Movie Musical In small groups or as a whole class, decide on a movie that would make an interesting stage musical . Choose a few iconic scenes from that movie to create hit songs for; have groups write lyrics and choreograph dance numbers for these scenes to piece together a short sneak-peek of this upcoming new musical .

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