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! Throughout this month, San
Diego’s La Jolla Playhouse is the kickoff point for the national tour of the
stage rendition of Xanadu. Melting hearts and swirling her way upstage as
the newest incarnation of goddess Kira is the beautiful and multitalented
Elizabeth Stanley. 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).”
Hopefully Director Christopher Ashley didn’t put the safety of our little
muse in too much jeopardy, considering the roller-stunts we remember
from the film. One wonders if this tour will be an exact replica, or was Ashley
inspired to go a new direction for the tour?
“He’s so brilliant,” asserts Stanley. “He didn’t want exactly what was in New
York—not that it wasn’t awesome. But he wasn’t afraid to cast people who
are very different. Kerry Butler [original Kira on Broadway] is so fantastic in
the role, but I’m very different than her and it would be really hard for me to
ever be exactly like her. It’s the same thing with Max [von Essen] who plays
Sonny, which was originally portrayed by Cheyenne Jackson. Cheyenne and
Max are very different also. It’s great that we feel the freedom to make them
our own.”
Speaking of range in talents, how different is Max as Sonny? Because I’ve
seen Cheyenne Jackson, and… wow. According to our leading lady, Max is
equally handsome and attractive and “totally hot—but different!”
“He’s not as tall or as broad,” explained Stanley. “He’s a little bit smaller of a
guy. He has the same energy as Cheyenne—he’s very fun and flirty and just
super cute. We always joke that it’s a sort of flip-flop. Kerry is so, so tiny. She
must be five feet and 100 pounds—she’s a really tiny woman and I’m more
Romanesque. But it still works because the story is so kooky and funny. The
character I play is not a person, she’s a goddess. So the sky’s the limit for the
types of actresses you can cast in that role.”
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 thoughtfully by
Douglas Carter Beane than in the original 1980 movie script, but is Kira still
the mysterious, beguiling one who 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
DECEMBER 2008 | RAGE monthly 43
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