Xanadu: James Carpinello to star as Sonny Malone

James Carpinello will star as Sonny Malone, the principle male role, in the mega-flop musical movie, Xanadu, opening on Broadway at the Helen Hayes Theatre on 26 Jun 2007, following previews from 23 May 2007.

James Carpinello made his Broadway debut when he starred as Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever (1999).

The prinicple casting for the musical is now complete. As previously announced Kerry Butler will star as Kira, the musical's principle female role, Tony Roberts will play Danny, with Mary Testa and Jackie Hoffman playing the two evil muses.

Further casting is to be announced.

Xanadu, will be directed by Christopher Ashley, with choreography by Dan Knechtges. The creative team also includes David Gallo (sets), Howell Binkley (lighting) and David Zinn (costumes).

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.

In Xanadu 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.

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

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.

Considering the Soundtrack's success, it is expected that the Broadway musical will feature many of the film's songs, with extra material provided by the Electic Light Orchestra. Eric Stern is the shows musical director.

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James Carpinello