Xanadu on Broadway (Original Broadway Cast Recording 2007) [Cast Recording]

Cheyenne Jackson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 8, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording
• Label: P.S. Classics
• ASIN: B000XUOLKW
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #49,080 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #62 in Music > Broadway & Vocalists > Musicals > Contemporary Musicals

Track Listings

1. I m Alive

2. Magic

3. Evil Woman

4. Suddenly

5. Whenever You re Away From Me

6. Dancin

7. Strange Magic

8. All Over the World

9. Don t Walk Away

10. Fool

11. The Fall

12. Suspended in Time

13. Have You Never Been Mellow? 14. Xanadu

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

At first glance, turning Olivia Newton-John’s 1980 flop musical into a Broadway show looked like a pretty bad idea. Yet the stage version of Xanadu is thrilling and appropriately ridiculous fun. Adapter Douglas Carter Beane went for the camp jugular (thankfully, this CD includes lots of lines from his book), and the cast rises to the occasion, milking every lyric line. Kerry Butler and Cheyenne Jackson bring irrepressible humor and charm to the roles played by Newton-John and Michael Beck, while Mary Testa and Jackie Hoffman provide outsize comic relief as muses. The movie’s songs, penned either by John Farrar or E.L.O.’s Jeff Lynne, are insanely catchy, one sing-along hit after another: "I’m Alive," "Magic," "Suddenly," "All Over the World," "Xanadu." All are huge treats, but the craziest track may well be "Evil Woman," which doesn't appear in the movie, but during which Testa and Hoffman let loose shamelessly over-the-top vocal effects. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Product Description

The first smash hit of the 2007-2008 Broadway season turned out to be one of the biggest surprises in Broadway history: XANADU, which roller-skated its way into the hearts of critics and audiences alike. A hilariously reinvented send-up of the 1980's Olivia Newton-John film flop, this irreverent musical adventure, about following your dreams when others say you shouldn't, spins along to the addictive original hit film score by pop-rock legends Jeff Lynne and John Farrar. XANADU follows the beautiful Greek muse Kira as she visits Venice Beach, CA in 1980 to induce an uninspired artist, Sonny, to build the first roller disco (yes!). When she accidentally falls in love with him, much to her jealous sister muses' dismay, chaos and fun abound, skate wheels turn and disco balls twirl. The updated script by Douglas Carter Beane takes the plot and dialogue to knee-slapping extremes, while the legendary chart-topping tunes get a musical theatre makeover via a stellar company of performers. This original Broadway cast recording will keep XANADU in your head, and heart, forever.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars XANADU DOES" January 10, 2008

By Robert F. Powers

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

"Xanadu" was notorious for being perhaps the worst movie of the 1980s. The only worthwhile thing about it was the music half written by Jeff Lynne of ELO(Electric Light Orchestra) and the other half by John Farrar whose muse was Olivia Newton John who coincidentally played a muse in the ill-conceived film. The principal culprit in the movies downfall was the screenplay which was dumb and played straight by the actors.

The Broadway version actually opened to favorable reviews and the main culprit for its success is the book which is still dumb but this time the actors, the book adapter and the director embrace the dumb, nay they celebrate the dumb and spin the show into a delightful if lightweight delight.

This time the songs are sung by the actors instead of by ELO on the soundtrack and Kerry Butler and
Cheyenne Jackson are great and old-pro Tony Roberts has a nice role as Danny a forties crooner once assisted by Kerry Butlers Kira.

The CD contains a few numbers not on the movie soundtrack including "Have You Never Been Mellow" a Olivia Newton John oldie and perhaps a slight nod to her since she was the original Kira. The music from the movie was always the best thing about it but now they sound even better on this CD and i bet the songs along with the zany stage antics are absolutely joyful. I had planned to see the show -now that I have the cast recording i really, really plan to see the show.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars So much fun! January 18, 2008

By J. Jones

Format:Audio CD

I picked this up about a month ago, and I can't stop listening to it! It's just so much fun! Catchy and hilarious, this one is a must-listen! If you liked Wicked, Hairspray, The Wedding Singer, Mamma Mia!, Legally Blonde, or other up-beat musicals, this is definitely the next one you should add to your collection.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Xanadu Rocks January 18, 2008

By Ralph Hackett Gallagher

Format:Audio CD

I've seen the show 7 times and played it a zillion. So much fun and the cast is perfect. Cheyenne Jackson has a voice of gold and every word that Jackie says cracks me up every time. Just a lot of fun and a great way to get your mind off problems you are facing. If I could give it 20 stars, I would. Highly recommended.