The Children's Musical Theater Mainstage production of Xanadu was performed by entertainers ages 14 to 20, but don’t let their young ages fool you, many of these performers have been involved with the theater group for years, and their talent will make you forget about their age entirely. Listening to them sing throughout the show, you’ll hear voices that have potential to be on broadway someday
From the beginning, the actors drew in the audience and kept us involved; the slightest touches in choreography let us feel like we were included in the show.
Throughout the show, there were little bites of humor, keeping the audience attentive; smiling. As we traveled through past decades, we were bombarded with bright colors, cheery music, and of course, leg warmers.
Andrea Goeke, who played the lead muse, Clio, dazzled scene after scene, charming the audience with her spunk and amazing vocals.
Jason Rehklau played the role of struggling artist, Sonny, and though he sported a pair of short-shorts (blame it on the 80’s), he carried his performance with strong vocals and commitment to character.
Jamie Landrum had a fantastic performance as Melpomene, the wicked sister of Clio. She stayed in character with each perfectly-pointed-toe-step, each mischievously raised eyebrow, all the way through to all her evil cackling and plotting. She had great chemistry with Myha’la Herrold who played Calliope, whose performance was enthusiastic and outgoing.
The choreography was fun, and light, and the setting seemed more intimate than most Broadway performances. It felt cozy, the actors weren’t afraid to mix in with the audience and that made us feel more involved in the story.
Though the show had its corny moments (yes, there were a few), and occasional missteps, overall it was fun. So if you’re in the market for a fun, carefree evening, it’s a great way to spend your time.
There are a few more performances until the last show on Aug. 5, so visit the CMT website CMTSJ.org for more details on Xanadu and future performances.
