Pepperdine To Present XANADU 11/10

The Pepperdine University Fine Arts Division presents its fall musical, Xanadu, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 10-Saturday, November 12, and Thursday, November 17-Saturday, November 19, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, November 13, at Smothers Theatre on Pepperdine's Malibu campus.

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 struggling artist Sonny to achieve the greatest artistic creation of all time--the first roller disco! But when Kira falls into forbidden love with the mortal Sonny, her jealous sisters take advantage of the situation and chaos abounds.

The show is based on the Universal Pictures cult classic of the same title that starred Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly. Douglas Carter Beane weaves a moving, electrifying tale of endless fun in this hilarious musical adventure that roller-skates along to the original hit score composed by pop-rock legends Jeff Lynne and John Farrar. The songs include "Magic," "All Over the World," "Suddenly," "I'm Alive," "Evil Woman," "Have You Never Been Mellow," and "Xanadu," to name a few.

Bradley Griffin directs the Pepperdine student cast, which includes Madison Leonard as Clio/Kira, John Hays as Sonny Malone, Zach Sandberg as Danny Maguire/Zeus, Lauren Randol as Melpomene, Marina Moore as Calliope, Connor Lyons as Terpsichore, Tyler Fromson as Thalia, Lauren Rideau as Euterpe, and Desiree Gillespie as Erato. Understudies include Lauren Long, Jane Dominick, John Steele, and Tyler Burk.

"Whether you grew up in the 1980s or you've just been to an '80s party, Xanadu will feel both fun and familiar," says Griffin. "Mixing '80s kitsch with a merry band of muses from Mount Olympus, this is the show that reminds us all 'what fools these roller-skating mortals be'!"

Xanadu began previews on Broadway on May 23, 2007, at the Helen Hayes Theatre and opened on July 10, 2007. It closed on September 28, 2008, after 49 previews and 513 performances. It earned an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical and a Drama Desk Award for Best Book. It was also nominated for Tony Awards for Best Musical and Best Book. It ran successfully on a U.S. national tour as well as in several foreign productions.

Pepperdine's production of Xanadu is part of the Mary Pickford-Stotsenberg Performances Series.

Tickets, priced at $20 for the public, $10 for Pepperdine students, and $16 for Pepperdine faculty and staff, are available now by calling the Pepperdine Center for the Arts box office at (310) 506-4522. Tickets for the general public are also available through Ticketmaster at (800) 982-2787. Information online: http://arts.pepperdine.edu/performances/theatre.htm

Tickets for limited onstage seating are available at $10 each; these tickets must be purchased in person at the Pepperdine box office.