"Xanadu" - NCTC - Opening Night, Dec. 10, 2011

Stage, with Muses mural, at start of show. NCTC contains three theaters, of which this, the Decker Theater, is the largest (seating roughly 120 people).




As mentioned, I wanted to see Chloe Condon play 'Kira' in "Xanadu" at New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC) in San Francisco, so I headed down to check out the show.

Waiting to enter the theater, I was pleased to run into Chloe's father, Frank Condon. I was also puzzled by the appearance of a special table, like a will-call table, containing principally tickets for people with press passes. "Why press passes," I thought. The opening was last weekend, was it not?

Turns out, the several previous shows of "Xanadu", starting last weekend, were all previews. TONIGHT was the formal opening!

My expectations of a fairly-young audience were upset by the appearance of a large cohort of largely-middle-aged, even elderly group of people, most of whom seemed to have known one another for years. These were the CRITICS! Real Critics! A whole bunch - a gaggle; a murder - of critics! EN MASSE! OMIGOD! Writing for who knows how many publications and Web Sites! And here I was, sitting right in their midst! So, I started networking with them (and suddenly grateful I had a few DMTC business cards on me that John Ewing made a few months ago).

The show got off to a great start. Chloe has awesome comic timing: a great lead player! Chloe's supporting cast members were dreams-come-true. Her co-star Jesus Martinez (Sonny Malone) was wonderful, as was Joe Wicht (playing Danny - the Gene-Kelly character). Nathan Marken (Thalia) has a wonderful voice. I particularly liked Jaimelee Roberts (Calliope), and the way she completely-committed to her performance.

I had trouble with parts of the script. "Xanadu" the movie meets Susan Sontag's description of camp (whereby performances are naive and in earnest), but "Xanadu" the musical is one big campy wink-of-the-eye to the audience. So, it's self-conscious camp, which isn't quite camp:

One must distinguish between naïve and deliberate Camp. Pure Camp is always naive. Camp which knows itself to be Camp ("camping") is usually less satisfying.

People who aren't quite in the camp spirit (like some traditional theatre-goers) might have trouble adjusting to the show, its pace, and its spirit.

In addition, I found some of the period-specific slang to be tone deaf. For example, the word "bummer", used most often in the early 70's, was more Nor-Cal, and probably used less-often in Venice Beach. Yet Sonny uses it several times. The writers apparently did not spend enough time watching a more-authoritative TV show regarding So-Cal slang, "Three's Company", where I doubt "bummer" was used very often. (Which reminds me, I once met a Doberman Pinscher in Los Alamos, NM, named "Bummer".) And the phrase: "Pity the fool". Omigod, that's A-Team 1986; not 1980!

I see "Xanadu" as a 70's musical, but the writers of the book seem to see it as an 80's musical. WTF? I pity the fools!

(But nevermind, Marc. Get back into the spirit of things!)

Still, Act I went very well. There was only one problem. At several brief moments in Act I, while singing, Chloe became nearly-inaudible. From where I was sitting, I couldn't be sure what the problem was. The problem was worst when she was facing upstage and riding on roller skates, so it could have been a combination of factors.

Nevertheless, Act I was so successful that, at intermission, the critics had little to complain about. Deprived of targets, they naturally zeroed-in on the audibility problem. Was it a technical problem with the mikes? Or was it, as I overheard one critic suggest, that Chloe was 'no Olivia Newton-John'? I didn't like the sound of that meme at all, but nothing was fixed in print yet, so it was time to start running interference by spouting out new memes. Like the way intercontinental ballistic missile warheads spout out metal-coated mylar chaff, in order to confuse radar.

I asked Critic A what he thought about the audibility problem. Was it because it was difficult to sing and roller skate at the same time (core stability and breath control working at cross purposes), or was it a technical problem with the mikes? Critic A thought it was a technical problem.

The need-to-know drove the critics forward. Fortunately they were in a good-hearted inquiring frame of mind. After the show and during the party, Critic B explained in Olympian style his research to all within earshot: "They admitted it; it was a technical problem!" So, the reviews will likely remark upon slight technical problems.

Act II went off perfectly, with no audibility problems, or problems of any sort. My issues with slang also largely-disappeared. Act II was very funny too.

Afterwards, party!

One guest raved at how much fun the after-show party was. Apparently he had been at other opening-night parties at this theater which were much more subdued. This theater usually features dramas, not musicals, so generally people have just one glass of wine before slinking off, for - a good cry? Not this time! Everyone was having fun! Musicals make for better parties!

Three cups of champagne, in my new, favorite, hot-pink "Xanadu" souvenir cup!

Director Stephanie Temple.

Molly Kruse (Euterpe).

Nathan Marken (Thalia).

Chloe Condon (Kira), with Joe Wicht (Danny) in the background.