A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR:
Many years ago, I had the pleasure of seeing the film, Xanadu, for the first time. As a young child, I would put the Xanadu LP on my portable record player, and would carefully stage musical numbers, find costumes, and boss my younger brother around as the "Director." In fact, one year for Halloween, I took an old Glinda costume, and a blonde wig, and paraded around as "Kira." I knew at that point, Theatre was in my future. It was no surprise that all those years later, my career ambitions led me to the world of the Theatre, and into the shoes of a Director.
Xanadu has become one of my all time favorite films. With the music of Electric Light Orchestra, the impressive choreography of legendary Gene Kelly, and of course, a vehicle musical starring Olivia Newton-John. One might think that all three are guaranteed to generate a cinematic classic, right? Wrong! Did you know Xanadu won the first Razzie Award for Worst Picture of 1980?! Not exactly a "classic"...but, nevertheless, Xanadu has evolved into a cult classic, with fans pledging their dedication to the film for the last 38 years. Additionally, it is well known in the theatrical world (what's the perfect formula for a Broadway musical? A bad 1980's cult film classic, and Olivia Newton-John!).
For those that have seen any production at Kennedale High School (during my time here) as Director, it is no secret that I put enjoy paying homage to certain elements of the entertainment that help to inspire these works. From the costumes, to the scenic designs I take great pleasure in working on each aspect of design, and hope that audiences enjoy seeing these elements as well. One of my favorite elements is incorporating music long since stored in the audio vaults of time. This show will be no exception. It is my hope that you enjoy the sounds of ELO, Olivia Newton-John, and a few gems from the out of print LP, "A Night at Studio 54," as you travel back to a time when roller discos were the popular hang out spot on Friday nights.
On a more personal note, I would like to give a special acknowledgement to three students who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to help make Xanadu a success. In fact, all three of these students have been with me during each musical venture since I started at Kennedale High School in 2015. These students are always willing and available to help, and have truly been a pleasure to work with. I cannot express how professional these three students have been, truly making my job as Director as rewarding as possible. They have been my rock, even when things seemed as if they would never succeed. They were ALWAYS there to keep it going, and proved to me that we all are here together, as a family, working toward a common goal. Miss Ashlyn Greenfield, Mr. John Corder, and Mr. Noah Wyckoff, I will truly miss your participation and involvement on stage in our annual musical, and wish you the greatest successes and joy in whatever path you choose to pursue. Your presence will be greatly missed, and I wish you all a good show, in your swan-song musical at Kennedale High School.
Enjoy the show.
Genevieve S. Croft, Director
