Los Angeles Theatre Review: Xanadu (at DOMA)

When you enter DOMA Theatre Co’s lobby for their latest production Xanadu, bubbles cascade down the stairwell and the smell of cotton candy wafts through the air.  The producers and creative team have gone the extra step to not only put on a show, but provide its audience with an overall experience. Shelf tables allows for in-house drinks, and as viewers young and old take their seats, cast members nonchalantly enter the stage in 70s workout gear and begin stretching to Pretenders music.  Soon, the angelically-themed orchestra sets up, poetically enough, above the white rainbow-marbled (of course!) stage. The story itself involves a muse who travels down to early 1980s Los Angeles for one last quest to earn her place in heavenly Xanadu, but jeopardizes her mission by falling in love with an artist who hopes to build a roller disco.

Smartly retaining the bulk of the panned original film’s (which has become a cult classic of sorts) Olivia Newton-John/ELO songbook, the stage musical appropriately adds a few more tunes from the era, as well as a Clash of the Titan’s plot flourish. As a first-time viewer of this show, the songs work much better into the plot than its progenitor Mamma Mia! (the potpourri of ABBA songs were like bright squares being shoved through round holes). With everything which its time era offers, as well the found-pop-song musical itself, one might consider Xanadu as the new benchmark for such endeavors, if it’s not already. Douglas Carter Beane writes each scene at just the right length with a song around every corner; even the timing of each act is perfect. He sprinkles a light sarcasm throughout the tongue-in-cheek tone. And the original production team imbue the fantasia with some magical moments which include a roller-skating duet incorporating a mobile telephone booth.

While DOMA Theatre Co. doesn’t offer a Broadway production, it’s still bursting at the seams with fun and glitter. (Ironic that the company puts on this gay affair and shares its acronym with the unconstitutional 1996 federal law which defines marriage between one man and one woman) As the lead Kira/Clio, Lovlee Carroll leads the cast as Kira/Clio.  She’s quite charismatic and effortlessly displays her abilities through song, scat, tap, roller-skating, all while sporting an Australian accent. Veronica Scheyving adds some gusto to the proceedings as the necessary villain.  The actors invest 110%, the dancing is excellent, and the orchestra, quite frankly, rocks. The two chorus-dancers Allyson Blackstone and Morgan Gallant are infectiously adorable with their beaming smiles, youthful energy, and revolving closest of outfit changes. And those costumes are ridiculously fabulous, to say the least, as one might expect for a musical that skirts across various styles of fashion. But designer Michael Mullen really went the whole nine yards of fabric here. He deserves an award of some kind. By the end, this audience-pleaser had a full house standing ovation waving around a sea of glow sticks as the company bows to one of the best uses of one of the best pop songs of all time after the eponymous finale.  You can find tickets here, but, good luck, as I imagine word is getting around.  Xanadu only lasts until October 7th.