theatre
The term “tortured artist” is such an oxymoron. What’s so torturous about
being in the company of muses all day? Especially when they’re armed with
ruffles, roller skates and disco dance moves! The Orange County Performing
Arts Center is presenting the national tour of the stage rendition of Xanadu
during December. Melting hearts and swirling her way upstage as the newest
incarnation of goddess Kira is the beautiful and multitalented Elizabeth Stan-
ley. Is this singing siren raring to go? Or is she taking it easy in the weeks before
curtain time? “A little bit of both,” said Stanley. “It’s so nice being out here. I think
all of us have certainly taken advantage of how beautiful it is and what a nice
contrast it is from being in New York and Chicago.” Some of her shows in the
past have required Stanley to master certain things like musical instruments
extremely quickly. It seems this time the demands on her are no different.
“Xanadu required me to learn to be a roller skater, (laughter) which was
hard for me,” admitted Stanley. “In Company, I was playing instruments that
I’d already played before, so it was just a matter of brushing up on skills. With
Cry-Baby, I actually had to learn to twirl a baton, which was totally new—not as
seemingly dangerous as roller skating is (laughter).”
This iconic role is as enigmatic as it is endearing, but it lacked depth on film.
Stanley feels that her character has been written more profoundly by Douglas
Carter Beane than in the original 1980 movie script, but is Kira still the tricky and
mysterious one that Olivia Newton-John made her, or do we know more about
her now? “Douglas Carter Beane, who wrote the book for the musical, did a
great job of creating a story and really fleshing it out,” said Stanley. “So we know
a lot more about Kira. We meet her sisters, we meet Zeus—all things that are
‘kind of’ in the movie but not laid out very well.”
The film Xanadu unfortunately isn’t the most popular movie. And even with
those who enjoyed it, it’s almost a guilty pleasure. Why could this be?
“Well…it’s kind of bad,” admits Stanley. “It’s frequently on the list of ‘worst films
of all time.’ I heard that when they were making it, they were really excited—
making it all about roller skating. But at the same time, two other movies came
out that had the roller-disco theme already. While in production, they changed
their minds and decided to make it this fantastical, funky fairytale. So I think
it just went down the wrong path. It’s one of those things that really is kind of
bad, but that’s why people love it. It’s sort of fun to love things that aren’t quite
right.” Despite the film’s infamous reputation, virtually everyone who has seen
the stage adaptation has had nothing but love for it.
“Well, the book is so much more developed,” asserted Stanley. “There actually
is a storyline to follow. And in the movie, you really don’t have that. It’s really
just this frustrated artist and this pretty roller skater who’s a goddess, but that’s
ElizabEth
not really clear. They end up together, kind of, and then there’s this random old
guy who plays the clarinet. Also, they did a great job—in the developing of the
musical—of winking at the movie. Because I wouldn’t say that they’re out-and-
StanlEy
out making fun of it. They certainly have a fondness for the music in the movie,
if not the movie itself. In the movie, Kira’s sisters, the other muses, are not really
present,” explained Stanley. “They’re in-scene but you don’t really know who
they are, they don’t have any lines; whereas in the musical production, they’re
a GoddESS ComES to lifE in Xanadu
part of the plot. And the two sisters who sing ‘Evil Woman’ are the antagonists.
by david vera
It’s only natural that they would have a song.”
Clearly the play’s ever-present legacy of inspiration is in the best possible
hands. So grab your glittered skates, rayon headbands and polyester short-
shorts. Xanadu will be rocking on from December 15 until December 27.
Orange COunty PerfOrming arts Center
600 town Center Drive
Costa mesa, Ca 92626
Box Office: 714.556.2787
10 RAGE monthly | December 2009
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