Xanadu: Third Time's the Charm

You know it's been a bad theater weekend when the best show you saw is one that you've already seen. Twice. I started my recent NYC jaunt with the new Off Broadway musical Fela, and was not impressed. (See my review below.) Next I took in the new Broadway tuner A Tale of Two Cities and was pert near horrified. (Look for my review later in the week.)

Fortunately, as a palate cleanser, I had secured a ticket to the sold-out Saturday night performance of Xanadu, a show of which I continue to be an ardent fan, mostly for Douglas Carter Beane's riotous book and for the show's incandescent cast of Broadway's best. In fact, Xanadu is the first Broadway production I've ever seen three times. 

As much as I love the show, I was concerned when Whoopi Goldberg joined the cast. I'm all for stunt casting, if it keeps a good show running, and if it works within the context of the show. But I was worried that Whoopi would upstage or detract from the rest of the cast. Plus I wasn't sure that the people who came just to see Whoopi would be satisfied: Calliope is only a supporting role.

Well, I'm happy to report that Whoopi's stint appears to have been, at the very least, a financial success for Xanadu. Since the Tony Awards in June, the show's grosses had been rising steadily, but they topped the $300,000 mark for the first time after Whoopi joined the cast in July. It's not clear whether that momentum will continue when she leaves on September 7th, or whether things will settle back to their pre-Tony levels. Perhaps the folks who came to see Whoopi but were impressed by the show itself will generate positive word of mouth. We'll see.

As for Whoopi's performance, well, it could have been a lot worse. (Brought to you by the Department of Damning With Faint Praise.) She's actually a strong, if unrefined, singer, but she didn't quite fit in with the arch style of he rest of the cast. She did bring a certain undeniable Whoopi-ness to her line readings: Beane even changed a few of Calliope's lines to accommodate her presence, and most of them were quite funny. Although Whoopi clearly knew all the choreography, she executed it with a definite sense of marking, as if to say "You don't really expect me to dance like the rest of these people, do you?" 

On a side note, Beane has also changed one of the lines in the show that made reference to Les Misérables, which was playing at the Broadhurst across the street last year when Xanadu opened. Now it's a joke about Gypsy. The Melpomene character makes reference to the fact that, at this point in the show, Patti LuPone hasn't even alienated her first daughter. I wonder if, when Equus opens at the Broadhurst, whether Beane will change the line to something like "Harry Potter hasn't even taken his clothes off yet..."

Comments

[Justin]

Chris, when I saw it in Febuary the joke was "come one, the kids over at Spring Awakening havent even gotten to second base yet!"

and chris, is it safe to call you a fanadu now??????

[Chris Caggiano]

Justin: It will never be *safe* to call me anything of the kind. In fact, you'd be putting yourself at a significant risk of bodily harm.

;-)

--cc

[Craig]

So excited to read your review of Tale of Two Cities. Did you stay for the second act? My roommate and I left because we had decided that we like Les Mis when we saw it the first time. But then I heard there's a bizarre puppet ballet. So I almost want to return.

[Elisabeth]

I've only seen a few shows more than once on Broadway but I admit I'm also a big fan of Xanadu so I've gone three times at tdf prices.

It is such a fun show and it always has a really positive and happy atmosphere.

Chris - have you ever done any of the Broadway lotteries? I've now managed to win three - Rent, Hairspray and Avenue Q. It is amazing how different the performance feels up close particularly as I am usually sitting further back (I'm usually on a tdf ticket). I love to see up close all the little things like the marks on the stage, the actors waiting in the wings and the little interactions with each other and the audience.

I'd recommend it!

[Alicia Dempster]

Love the EQUUS line... I think that would be a riot. When I saw it, they used the SPRING AWAKENING line, too. I had my daughter with me and she actually thought the SA kids were playing baseball down the street. Ahhh, to be eight again! :)

[SarahB]

They've been using that line about Gypsy since Gypsy began previews. I can't believe you've never seen other shows more than 3 times - I know you don't live here, but come on - how do you expect to learn everything you know from a musical if you don't see it multiple times?!!

[chris caggiano]

Elisabeth: I've never done any of the lotteries. Since I don't live in New York, I typically prefer to have my tickets ahead of time. I'm usually pretty sure of what I want to see. Only recently have I been getting down to the city enough to have the luxury of seeing shows more than once. There was a large expanse of time when I never even got tickets at TKTS, because I wanted to be certain I would get to see a particular show.

Once I was in NYC in business, and really wanted to see Urinetown, but it was sold out, so I got on the standby line. I wound up getting the very last ticket, and saw the show for $25.

Now that I'm getting down at least once a month, I might start taking advantage of the rush and lottery policies. But I'm not really the spontaneous type. I much prefer getting discount tickets ahead of time through BroadwayBox, or some such.

Sorry you asked? ;-)

[chris caggiano]

Craig: Oh, I wouldn't make the trek back just to see the second act pantomime. It's not really ridiculous, just quizzical. I'll be working on my review tonight, and hope to post it tomorrow or Thursday.

[chris caggiano]

SarahB: You shaming me, girl? 'Cuz, chil', I will throw down with you...

As I said in my response to Elisabeth, it's only been recently that I've been making it down to the city often enough to get to see shows twice or more. It used to be I'd get to NYC once or twice a year. Then, suddenly, I realized I was missing so much good (and bad) stuff, and I started to be more proactive in my southward jaunts.

We still have to plan an opera outing, my love. Let's talk when we see each other at the end of the month.

--cc

[chris caggiano]

Alicia: For a second I was confused and thought you had taken your daughter to Spring Awakening. (That would be Totally F****ed, huh?) But then I was like, "Oh, she means at Xanadu..."

Of course, I just brought my 15-year-old nephew to see "Pineapple Express," so who am I to talk, huh?

Looking forward to seeing you again at the end of the month.

--cc

[Justin]

I'm proud to say I saw Xanadu and August both via Rush. I was gonna rush Gypsy when I went last month, but to get all the way to NYC and be told I cannot see Patti would probably be the death of me!

[Elisabeth]

Not sorry I asked at all!! I live really no more than a ten minute walk to most theatres (8 minutes if I'm running really late)! This does make it easy to be spontaneous. There are always plenty of other things to do if I don't get in.

I must say at Hairspray there were enough tickets for everyone who tried (and this was on a long weekend) so just letting everyone know that might be easier than some of the other lotteries and they are practically dancing on top of you. I didn't think much of the MTV "celebrities" but I saw the Tracy understudy and I thought she was great - really energetic and obviosuly having a ball on stage.

Cheers!

[Anita]

They have indeed changed the line...I believe it is now...Across the street Harry Potter hasn't even shown his magic wand. (Came across the post on Broadway World.)

And I agree...Whoopi was whoopi.