Xanadu: Butler, Jackson and other cast members renew contracts through to Jan 2009

Stars of the Broadway musical Xanadu, Kerry Butler (Kira), Cheyenne Jackson (Sonny), Tony Roberts (Danny), Jackie Hoffman (Caliope) and Mary Testa (Melpomene), have all renewed their contracts through to Jan 2009.

In a statement producer Robert Ahrens said, "We are so thrilled that our cast has all extended their contracts. We have an incredibly talented group of actors that make magic eight times a week. They have taken Douglas Carter Beane's sophisticated book and have made audiences of all ages laugh for 90 minutes. We see them leave the theatre with smiles on their faces. What more could we ask for?"

Xanadu opened on Broadway at the Helen Hayes Theatre on 10 Jul, following previews from 23 May 2007 and is currently selling tickets through to 7 Sep 2008.

The musical opened to mixed, but mostly positive reviews: "Outlandishly enjoyable." (New York Times); "Delightfully inspired." (New York Daily News); "An absolutely ghastly show." (New York Post); "A goofy glitterball of a musical." (Star-Ledger); "Slipshod enterprise." (Hollywood Reporter); "Refreshingly unassuming crowd-pleaser."

In Xanadu, which is based on the mega-flop musical movie of the same name, the Greek muses incarnate themselves on Earth to inspire men to achieve. One of them, incarnated as a girl named Kira, encounters an artist named Sonny Malone.

Directed by Christopher Ashley, with choreography by Dan Knechtges, Xanadu also features Andre Ward (Terpsicore), Kyle Dean Massey (Thaliar), Kenita R. Miller (Erato) and Patti Murin (Euterpe).

The creative team includes David Gallo (sets), Howell Binkley (lighting) and David Zinn (costumes).

The book for the musical is written by Douglas Carter Beane, based on the screenplay by Richard Christian Danus and Marc Reid Rubel.

The movie musical Xanadu was released in 1980, and starred Olivia Newton-John (Kira), Michael Beck (Sonny Malone), and Gene Kelly (Danny), and was directed by Robert Greenwald.

Through the movie failed badly at the box-office, the film's soundtrack, with music by Olivia Newton-John, Electric Light Orchestra, UK pop idol Cliff Richard, and the San Francisco-based art-rock band The Tubes, went plantinum.

The Broadway musical features many of the film's songs, with extra material provided by the Electic Light Orchestra. Eric Stern is the shows musical director.

Xanadu is being produced on Broadway by Robert Ahrens, Tara Smith, Brian Swibel, Cari Smulyan and Dale Smith.