A perky Greek Muse is pulling on her leg warmers, strapping back on her roller skates and brushing up her Australian accent as "Xanadu" returns to Weber State University next week.
The musical will be presented in three encore performances prior to its entry in the 44th annual Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, which WSU is hosting for the first time this year.
"It's awesome!" said WSU senior Breanne Briggs Welch, who plays Clio/Kira in the jukebox musical based on the 1980 cult-classic movie starring Olivia Newton-John.
"You don't really get a chance to do this with a show unless it's competing in something," Welch said. "You don't get to let it sleep for a little bit and then see what else you've learned in the last two months, or what you would have done differently. You get a fresh take on it. I think it's going to be really fun to go back in and to see what else comes out of it."
The public also has a second chance to find out what other "Xanadu" zaniness awaits as Welch and the rest of the cast return to the stage.
"Xanadu" will be performed three times during the Feb. 7-11 festival, which serves as the regional competition for the national contest in April at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. To help pay for production costs, the cast and crew is staging the encore performances prior to the festival.
"Xanadu" tells the story of Sonny, a chalk artist living in 1980 Venice Beach, Calif. Sonny, played by WSU student Sean Bishop, is discouraged and a little suicidal until Clio and her eight Muse sisters rise out of his sidewalk chalk creation. Clio -- disguising herself as an Australian roller skater named Kira -- is trying to help Sonny find his own personal Xanadu. However, forbidden love, evil sisters and angry gods get in the way.
Jim Christian, director of musical theater studies at WSU, directed the regional premiere of "Xanadu" in November. The 2007 musical was a surprise smash on Broadway, where Christian first fell in love with the show and determined that he would bring it to WSU.
He did just that, and the result is a fun-filled romp through bad '80s fashions and a satirical -- but affectionate -- nod to the movie that is counted by some as one of the worst movies ever made.
WSU's production sold out during its November run, and Briggs and her castmates were thrilled to learn over the Christmas holiday that they would be returning to a place called "Xanadu."
They have redubbed the show "XanaTWO" and will be getting back together next week for rehearsals.
The production will be essentially the same, Welch said, except for some lighting changes to accommodate other shows that will be performed in the same theater during the festival. Welch is hoping to bring some fresh energy to her character, who spends the majority of the show on roller skates.
"I was really cautious about the skating the first time around, so I think I'm going to be a little bit more adventurous with the skating," she said. "I have been roller skating a couple times, and it's just like riding a bike. It's like, 'Oh yeah, I remember this,' and all of your old muscles come alive again."
Briggs is not only getting her skating muscles in shape, but she and her castmates are also tuning up their vocal chops to perform an infectious score that includes Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra hits such as "Xanadu," "Magic," "All Over the World," "I'm Alive" and "Suddenly."
The musical not only spoofs "Xanadu," but also "Clash of the Titans," another '80s cheesefest, which starred Harry Hamlin as the Greek hero Perseus, who must do battle and match wits against a cast of monsters and Greek gods. The film is notable in that it starred several acclaimed actors, including Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith and Burgess Meredith.
One of the funniest moments in the musical comes when Clio has been summoned to appear before the panel of unamused gods for some non-Muse like behavior with the mortal Sonny. What follows is a hilarious rendition of the Newton-John's hit "Have You Never Been Mellow," complete with some giggle-inducing costumes as the snake-headed Medusa, a Cyclops and a centaur get in on the fun.
The encore performances and the festival itself are an opportunity for the public and festival participants to get in on the fun as well.
Briggs is looking forward to the festival and the chance to interact with university students from the nine other participating colleges.
"We have great spaces for all the shows. Our Browning Center is just filled with theaters that are ideal for the ACTF," Briggs said. "Everyone is pretty excited. It's always fun to be able to show off your work to people who are doing the same level of theater as you."
In addition to the encore performances next week, "Xanadu" will be performed three times during the festival at 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 8.
The festival is a ticketed event, with weeklong passes for all events and workshops available for $95 and single-day passes for $35. However, only full conference registrants are guaranteed tickets to all of the plays, while day-pass ticket holders take their chances on seats being available.
Visit www.kcactf-8festivalinfo.org to register or visit www.kcactf.org for more information.
