Gwen Ihde

Oakton High School

Art. Music. Muses. A roller disco? Rock Ridge High School provided all this and more in their production of Xanadu by Douglas Carter Beane. The jukebox musical, featuring songs by Oliva Newton-John and the Electric Light Orchestra, is a crowd-favorite, and Rock Ridge High School did not disappoint.

The show follows Clio (Maddie Kesler), a naive muse set on a mission to bring art to the 1980s. Donning leg warmers, roller skates, and an Australian accent, Clio inspires Sonny Malone (Grayson Scheefers), to open a roller disco. While they deal with scheming sisters, a pesky theatre-owner, and forbidden love, the characters whisk the audience into a world of music and roller skates.

Maddie Kelser lit the stage with her bubbly nature and animated mannerisms as Clio, moving with a graceful, showy flair. In contrast, Grayson Scheefers played the dim yet endearing Sonny Malone as he clumsily ambled around the stage. The two were always able to get a roar from the audience but balanced their over-the-top characters with moments of heartfelt emotion.

The ensemble was the backbone of the production, seamlessly slipping in and out and adding vibrancy to each scene. The muses each embodied their unique art forms, assisted by color coordinated dresses and elegantly styled wigs (designed by Javaria Sohail and Mandy Springer). Though they were rarely the focal point, the versatile ensemble kept a constant excitement as they danced and sang in close-knit harmonies. By placing the orchestra on the stage, the production was able to adopt a concert feel and add to the captivating energy of the ensemble.

The stationary set (designed by Danny Fortuno), with towering marble pillars and a balcony, took form with the assistance of lighting (designed by Jack Capobianco). By simply changing the lighting colors or turning on a strip of LEDs, the stage transitioned from a roller disco to Mount Olympus in a matter of seconds. Each lighting change was carefully thought out, adding depth and creating a vivid disco-feel.

Rock Ridge High School's production of Xanadu allowed the audience to escape to a world of Greek mythology and disco. Every scene was teeming with energy and excitement, the ensemble even spilled out into the audience and spread their spirit. Through the combination of set and lights, the production was able to effortlessly transport the audience. With hilarious characters, catchy songs, and a captivating atmosphere, Rock Ridge High School left the audience wanting to lace up their roller skates and start dancing.

Abby Wyland

South Lake High School

It's not often when inspiration strikes, but when it does, it's something truly special. Rock Ridge High School's production of Xanadu explored the themes of temptation and creativity through the electric hilarity of roller skating, 1980s pop-rock, and the Greek gods.

Inspired by the 1980 cult classic film, Xanadu is a pop-rock jukebox musical comedy that combines the magic of Greek mythology and the spunk of 80s disco. With a book written by Douglas Carter Beane and music and lyrics composed by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar, the musical features a different storyline than its film with more Greek mythology presence. Xanadu premiered on Broadway in 2007 and ran for over 500 shows. During its run, it garnered a Drama Desk Award and an Outer Critics Award, along with two Tony nominations.

The story of Xanadu followed the head muse of Mount Olympus, Clio, and her muse sisters. Their job was simple: to inspire mortals who dwell on Earth. However, there were three important rules the muses could never break: never create artwork yourself, never reveal your muse identity to a mortal, and, most importantly, never fall in love with a mortal. Donning the name "Kira", an Australian accent, leg warmers, and roller skates, Clio ventured to Venice Beach, California on a mission to save a starving artist by the name of Sonny Malone. Her plan to help worked as Sonny went from horribly suicidal to properly moved. His vision? To create a roller rink including all forms of art out of an abandoned theater. However, trouble arose when Kira's muse sisters Melpomene and Calliope hatched an evil plan to put a love curse on an unsuspecting Kira. Will Kira be able to resist the curse and the urge to help Sonny, or get swept up in the intoxicating world of love and the human spirit?

The role of Clio, or Kira, was perfected by Maddie Kesler. Performing almost the entire show on roller skates, Kesler showed impeccable skill by dancing and singing with power and grace. Additionally, the Australian accent Kesler used elevated her character's bubbly physicality and fanatic energy.

From the moment he appeared on stage, actor Grayson Scheefers, in the role of Sonny Malone, brought an air of charisma and humor. Scheefers' improv was so flawless that any mistake became an addition to his lovable, foolish character.

Actresses D'Amora Brunson and Ellie Schubert, who portrayed evil sisters Melpomene and Calliope, were a captivating duo who complimented the brightness of the show with sinister yet playful energy. With the use of comedy and sass, along with stunning vocals, these two transformed a high school show into a Greek myth filled with betrayal, excitement, and fun.

The costumes were assembled by Ethan Terry, Javaria Sohail, Kaylie Rivers, and Annabelle Monte, and done so with impressive cohesion. The example of expertise that this team incorporated is best described by the ensemble of the Muses, who each had a similar dress shape and shade but a different color and personal touch that matched each of their characters.

Perhaps what dazzled the stage the most was the brilliant lighting design by Jack Capobianco. Not only did the lighting properly coordinate with the mood, characters, and costumes, but it also extended the voltaic color scheme of the show as designed by the Xanadu Marketing team, composed of students Jason Jones, Kylie Miller, Olivia McMahon, and Ellie Schubert.

In a few words, Rock Ridge High School's production of Xanadu brought life and joy to the stage through exceptional acting, enthralling technical design, and genuine fervor.