Photo courtesy of Cardboard Playhouse Theatre Company

Their current production of Xanadu marks a slight departure: well-known Albuquerque adult actors mix with young graduates of the Playhouse to present an ambitious production at the immersive play space, The Electric Playhouse. The musical, which is based on the Universal Pictures film of 1980 and opened on Broadway in 2007, has had a fascinating and erratic history.

The film received poor reviews and barely recovered its investment. It starred Olivia Newton John and Gene Kelly and has become a classic cult movie. The soundtrack saved the show and helped generate the stage version which ran on Broadway for over 500 performances, earning an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical and a Drama Desk Award for Best Book. A national tour followed, and the show has been produced at many regional theatre companies and schools ever since.

The songs are the reason for the longevity of this work. "Magic," "Evil Women," "Have You Never Been Mellow," and "Xanadu", just to name a few, are well known by several generations, making Xanadu perhaps an ideal family show for a family operation like the Cardboard Playhouse.

There is a lot of talent on stage and behind the scenes for this production. The lead, Xandra Michele as Kira/Clio, can belt out a song and skate while doing it. She has a lovely stage presence too. Xavier Visage as Sonny Malone brings much experience in musical theatre to a difficult role. Veteran actor Larry Joseph Aguilar is a seasoned performer with a superlative speaking and singing voice.

The projected scenery, designed by Doug Montoya, who is also the co-director, is engaging and executed well. The recorded music mixes well with the singers. The Greek god and goddess costumes are serviceable, but some fitting and costume maintenance is called for. The fast-paced show clocks in at just under 90 minutes. There is a sense of joy and fun throughout.

Unfortunately, there are some technical problems with the lights and especially with the mics on the actors that keep this production from soaring. This seems to be the Achilles heel for many theatre companies. Perhaps it is because the best sound designs are quite expensive. In any case, the squeaks and squawks are disruptive and some actor/singers cannot be heard. Lighting suffers because the space does not provide enough locations for lights to be hung. The actor's faces are not clear. Here again, mixing stage lights with large scale projections is a definite art form. It takes a lot of trial and error to get right.

The Cardboard Playhouse is getting many things right and is providing an engaging theatrical experience at a creative, new performance venue. There is young energy here, both on stage and in the audience. This is what outreach to new audiences is all about.

Cardboard Playhouse Theatre Company's production of Xanadu runs through October 27, 2024, at the Electric Playhouse, 5201 Ouray Rd NW, Albuquerque NM. Performances are, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 4:00 pm. Tickets are $25. For tickets and information, please visit www.cardboardplayhouse.org/ or call 505-510-1848

Directed by Doug Montoya and Kristin K. Berg, Music Director, Alexander Harden, Choreographer, Nate Clifford, Set Designer, Doug Montoya, Costume Designer, Ann Marie Pennington

The Cast: Xandra Michele, Xavier Visage, Larry Joseph Aguilar, Alyssa Anaya, Anna Wilson, Mable Zehnder, Marisa Lopez, Olivia DeLoach, Gianna Mathews, Dominic (Dom) Martinez, Luke Anaya